one place!” he gasped, looking at the table and the shelves of chocolate surrounding it. To his right was a counter with more individual chocolates, where a line of people appeared to be selecting their favorite liquid chocolate from several options on the daily menu. “Check this out, Ry—there’s chocolate from all over the world here. This one’s from Madagascar, there’s one from Venezuela, Hawaii, Bolivia…wow!”
Looking over at one of the staff members behind the counter, Ryan inquired, “Hey man, what’s your most popular drinking chocolate?”
Shrugging his shoulders, the young man replied, “Just depends on what you’re in the mood for,” he grinned. “They’re all good. Some have spices, some added espresso, some cacao nibs…just take your pick!”
“Hmmm…” Ryan pondered. “I think I’m in the mood for a little umph!” he smiled. “I’ll try the Mexican one with chipotle. How about you, Jules?”
“Too much for me, man. I’ll go Hawaiian with a little Kona,” he nodded to the server. “Is that a good choice?”
“Oh, yeah. Plenty of caffeine there!” he laughed, turning toward several large containers where the warm chocolate was being constantly stirred. “Have those for you in a sec, guys.”
Ryan leaned over and whispered to Julian, “Hey man, didn’t I tell you there was a whole world outside of Charleston just waiting for us to enjoy?”
“Well, this is certainly a good start!” Julian grinned as they paid for their drinks and walked back outside to their table. “And the weather here…so cool and nice. Here it is July and it’s only 79 degrees. We’d be broiling outside in Charleston!”
“No doubt,” Ryan agreed. “Oh, man, is this ever good!” he exclaimed, taking a sip of his drink. “It’s like drinking a truffle!” he grinned. “Love the zing too—viva la Mexico!”
“Mine is amazing too,” Julian agreed. “This is gonna have to be a regular stop when we go out for groceries. Maybe we can grab a couple of bars to take home too!”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Hardly on the diet plan, Jules. I promised your parents I was gonna whip you into shape out here, and I’m pretty sure chocolate isn’t gonna do it!” he laughed.
“This fifty-pound backpack may, though!” Julian countered. “Don’t know why I always get the heavy stuff. You got nothin’ but lettuce and vegetables in your pack!”
“Precisely the point, Jules! Fresh, wholesome, nutritious plants packed with nutrients. No cans, no bottles, no heavy meat. You want that stuff, you’re gonna have to carry it!”
“Ryan’s behavior mod plan, eh?” Julian replied, rolling his eyes.
“Precisely. If you fail to perceive the benefits of a plant-based diet on your own, then I shall have to enlighten you by whatever means necessary,” he smiled.
“Ryan Christie, my savior…” Julian muttered as he sipped on his drink. “At least a momentary reprieve,” he sighed as the aroma and flavors of the coffee and chocolate saturated his taste buds. “Hey Ry, are we gonna start a band or not?” he queried his friend, hoping to redirect his focus to more pleasurable pursuits.
“Not for a while, Jules. We’ve got bigger fish to fry for the time being. You know—getting settled in new digs, starting to college, making new friends—that sort of thing. Maybe after a while we’ll give it a shot. What d’ya say to that?”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. We’ve got enough on our plate for now. I miss the music, though. That band was tons of fun…I kind of liked all my adoring fans too!”
“You mean Beau?” Ryan countered, vaguely remembering how the Russell dog used to put his paws over his ears when Julian would practice at home.
“Ha, ha! No, I’m pretty sure there were at least a few chicks who thought I was pretty hot stuff—nothing, of course, compared to the great Ryan Christie’s flock of adoring wannabes.”
“Jules, Jules,” Ryan chided, “no room for jealousy here, brother. My following was quite naturally far greater than yours. After all, I was the one with the lean, tanned, muscular body and oversupply of charisma, not to even mention my exceptional musical prowess!”
“Yeah, right!” Julian responded with a hint of skepticism. “That’s not exactly my recollection, but by all means, continue with whatever fantasy is necessary to support that famous Christie ego!”
“Talent says it all, Jules—no need for false modesty! Done with your chocolate? We’d better head on home before all this great food spoils.”
“Ok, ok,” Julian muttered as he struggled with his own pack. “Just tell me it’s not far to the MAX stop….”
Later That Evening
Julian stepped through the door and out onto their corner balcony carrying a pot of what was to be the foundation for the evening meal—grits! The boys had found a round wrought iron bistro table and two chairs in the foraging on Craigslist and were putting it to use for the very first time. It was a little crowded on their 4x6 balcony, but the small table seemed almost adequate as long as they never had any company or needed much more than the minimal legroom it offered. With two wineglasses, soup bowls, and salad plates, the bistro top was already at its capacity, even before the two diners had attempted to position themselves for their inaugural meal. “Gonna be a knee-knocker tonight!” Julian grinned as he filled the bowls with his special low-country-style grits.
Ryan looked on with delight as Julian soon returned with a pan of rich creole cream sauce chock-full of shrimp and andouille. “Shrimp and grits à la Commander’s Palace!” he announced, pleased that Ry seemed to be impressed with his creation. A fine-looking field green salad with warm pear slices, goat cheese, and a raspberry vinaigrette was already on the table as Julian reached for the bottle of wine that Ryan had purchased at Whole Foods that afternoon. His eyes widened as he read the label, “Ménage à Trois.” “Ry, are you trying to tell me something here?”
“Jules, how can I ever keep your thoughts on a more lofty plane? In this case, Ménage à Trois clearly refers to a delightful blend of cabernet, zinfandel, and merlot, not the illicit threesome that I am quite sure you were contemplating. Remember, I assured your parents…”
“Ok, ok,” Julian interrupted. “Nothing harmful about a little fantasy, though,” he winked at Ryan as he proceeded to uncork the bottle and pour each of them a hearty glassful. “How about a toast, Ry?” he grinned mischievously, hoisting his brimming glass. “To our new home and our exciting new future here in the Rose City…be it dos, tres, or even quatro!”
“Well said!” Ryan smiled as the glasses clinked. “Tonight I’m definitely in for ‘QUATRO’, though! We did buy TWO bottles of wine at Whole Foods, didn’t we? Bon appétit, Jules!” he shouted as the two famished diners reached for their culinary implements and began to devour Julian’s New Orleans creation.
In a moment, however, the exclamations of gustatory delight were punctuated by a much less enthusiastic expletive from Julian. “Shit!” he growled, “I forgot the biscuits! Can’t have shrimp and grits without homemade biscuits!” he yelled over his shoulder as he arose and ran for the kitchen.
“Damn, I hope they’re not incinerated!”
In
