Stretching One's Imagination and Having Fun  

"My, my that IS a large order madame! LOL. I purposely added things to my menu that a vegetarian would like...the other forum is the one you belong to you know...hehee...
Okay right on it...I'll get your Potato Soup..."Pyewacket leaves pola to get a nice hearty bowl of her Cream of Potato Soup and in no time flat comes back with not only the soup, but a piping hot cup of coffee.
"Thought you might like to have your coffee now as well..refills are free of course" Pyewacket leaves to check how the rest of the order is coming along

Oh, this soup is sooo...goood....I am already full, will probably skipped my order for tomorrow of I can...
Best potato soup I had in my life...lol
I still can drink coffee...:)

Yes, my potato soup is rather filling...would you like another cup of coffee there?

Pola My friend I did not see you there.
Would you like to join me at my table.

Oh, yes, I am going to join you.
And I am going to have one more cup of coffee....hmmmm, so good...

Well I'm glad you two are having a good time here...now that things have quieted down a spell, hope you don't mind if I join you? I'm having a cup of coffee myself

:))))
So nice of you, may I have one more cup?
we are talking about Pepe lost in Vegas....

Sure pola...oh, no, don't tell me poor Pepe is still lost? He's been lost for a long time now..but Vegas...what is he doing in Vegas??

he was working as milk delivery man...now promoted to laundry supervisor...

Poor Pepe

Whoa wait a minute....which Pepe are we talking about??..I'm confused (maybe I'm having too much coffee or wine here)...you see goodie and I know a Pepe ...it's transdisc's donkey who was on a mission to bring Reese's Peanut Butter cups and became lost somehow..

Yes Pye it is the Pepe we know.
Dfn ran off with an elf from the north pole and left to Pepe to roam the streets of Las Vegas.

Same one...

Mmm...I thought Pepe was kidnapped by Andrew Adamson since he needed a donkey for his Chronicles of Narnia movies.

Goodie and I have probably old news...hmmm, possible...we have new star...

Yes, wouldn't that be great if Pepe became a new star...but what happened to those Reese's Peanut Cups--think he pinched them?

When someone is becoming a star needs to be on diet, forget about chocolate...

Mmm..from what I understood poor Pepe was a bit bedraggled looking,....maybe he could use the extra pounds to fatten him up a bit, no?

what we can serve?

Mmmm...maybe we could give him quadruple portions of everything on my menu here....and lots of beer...uh, do donkeys drink beer?

donkey don't drink, but celebrities do....lol

Oh Pye yes Pepe will drink beer, he loves it.
But be warned the more he drinks the more he eats.

don't make Pepe addicted...we have to bring him back to Transdisc...

Oh sorry Pola, I wonder when we should take Pepe back to his fretful owner.

Very good question...lol

Well, with a name like Pepe, do you think he prefers Corona or Aztec beer...hehe. And gee, the more he drinks the more he eats?....Mmmm...kind of reminds me of someone else here {Pyewacket *coughs** while looking in Goodie's direction}
We can't have Pepe eat too much otherwise with that extra weight we'll have to roll him over to Transdisc

lol...roll him over? not a bad idea...lol

Why do you look at me like that for Madame Pye.
I think maybe we need to fatten poor Pepe up a little before taking him back to his owner.
He is a lot thinner now.

Suddenly in Pyewacket's mind she envisions an obese, roly poly donkey..and the image springs to mind of the girl who ate an experimental candy at Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory and blew up like a balloon and had to be rolled away by the Oompa-Loompas

Yes, that was some hamburger wasn't it? I'm so glad you enjoyed it the other night...uh, white wine? Mmmmm...bit untraditional as one usually has red wine with meat...but yes, I think a nice, crisp Chablis would be nice, right?

Do you not remember red wine gives me heartburn.
The white is so delicious, I shall have another thank you.

Oh, my goodness I completely forgot that red wine gives you heartburn...can't have that now can we....no siree...soooo..another glass of Chablis wine.."tout suite"..uh, coming up --I have a habit of blurting out in French at times --excuse moi, pardon..oh, whatever...

No worries Madame Pye, French is fine with me as long as you translate for me.
such a wonderful setting here, so calm and tranquil.
One could lose themselves here for hours at a time.
I am here by myself because my lover is in a snit.
I was only looking at the lifeguards at the beach, but no being a man he thought I was flirting.
so I felt I needed to come visit my friend Madame Pyewacker..

Oh, poor Goodie....sorry your having man troubles...Men definitely are from Mars aren't they?

Oh no Madame Pye, men are pigs.
He is off with his Harem in the Limo, I had to walk here tonight.
I shall have another wine thank you.

Mmmmm....maybe I should just bring a whole bottle here...I'll split it with you...wouldn't mind having some more wine myself. Ah, dear Goodie..it's times like these that I'm glad I'm unattached and don't have the usual woes women have with their menfolk.
Okay...here's a funny story I just GOT to tell you. There used to be this family friend of ours...a gentleman....he once said to me that he was on a mission to find a man in my life...he wanted to find a man in my life and have the honor of dancing at my wedding...he said I needed a man in my life so I could be tamed....uh, TAMED? WTF am I? A panther, a lion? A tiger? Yeesh...NO WAY

Excellent idea Pye, would you have any nuts we could nibble on as well.

I have a whole bunch of munchies we can nibble on...especially the trix's party mix with lots of nuts in them, and pretzels, potato chips...

Thank you Pye this is wonderful.
Um we may need another bottle of wine soon.

Hey where is everyone else anyway?? Where's D for instance and nova? We could sure use their company here

"Goodie crawls out from under the table, stands unsteadily for a few seconds, yawns, has a scratch",
Um sorry Pye I should not drink so much.
I always fall asleep, thanks for pushing me under the table to sleep it off.

I'm getting a bit tipsy myself...I usually don't indulge in drinking too much wine...good thing we didn't decide to drink the champagne..then you'd be peeling me off the floor...and how would that look??..Me the owner of this establishment being drunk? Not good at all..mmm..maybe we could both use some coffee to snap us out of our stupors a bit..no?

Getting a bit Pye Eyed were you Pye.
Umm coffee and brandy do sound good.

Do you need me to take you home, Goodie? As you know, I'm pretty much a tea totaller, so it'll be safe. Don't worry, I've forgiven you for what you did to me, at 'our friend's dessert party.' Wait a minute, it won't be safe, as I don't drive. Sorry, but I shall have to call us a cab. What's that Goodie, you're not ready to leave yet ... oh okay, but maybe you should keep the coffee coming Madame. We don't want to have to carry you to the cab, when the time comes.;)

As for the snacks, I love most types, except pretzels. I'll take a look at the dinner menu later.

I have to leave for awhile, but I shall be back, and make sure Goodie's okay too. Great place, and ambience here, Madame. A big success.:)

Hello there someonesmom...I can't tell you how glad I am to see you here...yes, you're quite right, I think I should offer Goodie a LOT more coffee, and that might take awhile as I don't think she's ready to leave yet...but only coffee now Goodie, no brandy!
I do hope someonesmom you do decide to have something to eat here....

Oh No I am not ready to go yet "MOM". We shall sit and have some coffee.

After drinking many cups of coffee Goodie is now wide awake.

Umm Madame Pye may I have some chicken stuffed crepes and a glass of white. thank you.

Holy moly....you have room for crepes after that whopper and all the wine and now coffee? LOL...But I think you'll really enjoy those crepes...coming right up, mon amié

Thank you Pye Darling, but you must remember I did sleep under the table for quite awhile.

Okay Goodie...yes, I did forget you were zonked out under the table for a spell. I'm sure you're going to just love the crepes, and I must say, you're turning out to be my best customer here....so the next glass of wine is on the house. Sound like a good deal?

Geez, I was on my way to bed, but you've gone and made me hungry for those chicken crepes! Pye, you serve up temptation at this place, too? It would seem so. And dear Goodie, please let me help you into a chair. It'll help for you to have something to slide off of. How about a whole bottle of that nice white wine that Goodie likes? Yes, we'll get her sauced and serve her up on a platter to her errant husband-to-be. Then she can slide off the platter too.

Goodie, I think I see Pepe coming up the road. He's got Lounge on his back and he looks a little fevered. I guess he's been too long away from his one true love.

Oh Dear Me, So sorry Pye and Nova.
I seem to have gone to sleep again.
Oh I must say those Crepes look delicious.
I am so hungry, I could chase a donkey and eats it rider.

Madame Pye, may I have a bottle of Red Wine please.

Hi, nova!! Glad to see you here I was hoping you'd drop by...would you like to have some of those crepes??
And my Goodie, you certainly do have a hearty appetite...how do yo manage to stay so slim and trim? Which kind of red wine would you like...I have a Merlot, Burgundy, Beaujoulais, Cabernet Sauvingnon. You name it

Oh I shall leave it up to your good taste Pye.
I will not have anymore to eat though. I am here to get plastered.

I've always liked a nice hearty Merlot...I don't think I'll join you though...there's a lot of temptation to get plastered but yikes I'm the owner here and it just wouldn't look good would it if I got drunk...besides I heard a rumor that the food critic of the NY Times might pop by and evaluate my restaurant, so have to be at my best behaviour...drat

Oh Pye that is excellent news.
I shall be on my best behaviour, I will not get plastered tonight.

Yes, that is good news...another reason why I'm a nervous wreck about everything being just so...

I will definetly behave myself Pye.
I would not want to bring shame upon you.

Thank you sweetie :)

Good Evening Madame Pye, I see none of my friends here this evening again.
Oh well I shall drown my sorrows on my own.
A bottle of your fine white wine Darling.

Hello, worldwise..as you can see we have other guests here...pola, and goodie..pola is just finishing up her meal while goodie is going to have hers soon. So you would like a nice glass of beer...coming up. As for my choice...mmmm...how about to start a nice Caesar Salad, then I would love to show off how good my chicken filled crepes are with sauce mornay with a side dish of green bean almondine, and perhaps for dessert some poached pears in wine or maybe just some vanilla ice cream with ginger sauce?
Oh, my an older man tried to hit on you? How much older? Isn't that always the way...I used to have men old enough to be my father hitting on me...yeesh. And yes, you'll have to tell me how you settled that dispute with a company---okay let me get your order...

LOL, the old geezer admitted to being 75, pyewacket, but I suspect he was being less than truthful! I'm doubled over with laughter right now -to think that I can call someone an old geezer at my age. BTW, I see that n men have checked in, so I guess it's Cherche le femmes.

OMG...at least 75?? Ewww....hey, but was he rich? LOL...oh, well. Yes, so far it does look like it's just us gals here....shame...hope some of our males friends come over here...like the bear

Bonsoir mon amié. Good evening, my friend...no, no...of course I can keep you company,...my other patrons here are nearly finished with their meals so there's a lull for the moment. So you've never been to NY before? I've been to Florida ..the Orlando area...so what kind of dessert would you like with your coffee? Let me get you your order and I'll sit myself down here and chat with you :)

Ah..Bonsoir Monsieur...Comment allez-vous? Good evening How are you, fine sir?
Well I've always dreamed of an English Tudor styled inn/restaurant...and Tudor style isn't just English but all over Europe..my French?? Well most food I cook is French and I studied French...uh, Baroque music isn't Spanish actually...but yes...that's an idea about the Irish Whiskey but I have Guinness beer...that's Irish...Hehee
Anyway...Je m'on rejouois...I'm glad to see you here...want to set a spell and have something to eat and to drink?

Oh excuse me, I spoke too soon, there is a fellow chap here, he must have been in the men's room when I entered.

Pyewacket has been busy refilling Goodie's coffee cup like crazy, since her friend did go a bit overboard with drinking a bit too much Chablis...as she pours, she notices another one of her dear friends enter..howard. After finishing filling Goodie's cup, she goes over and picks up a menu and goes to her other friend.

"Ah! Why, welcome! Welcome howard, so glad to see you here...follow me for a table" Both she and howard reach a table near the fireplace. Once he settles down, she hands him the menu, and after perusing it for a few moments, gives his order. "Very fine choice I must say, you won't be disappointed with the spinach lasagna...eh..no dessert? And, oh, no, this isn't ladies night here, but it does seem it doesn't it? No the other male patron had to use the bathroom. I'm hoping to see more of my friends drop by....Well, let me get your order, I'll be back as soon as possible. And thanks ever for stopping by."

"ah,now Lakota...wouldn't you at least like to have a nice cup of coffee here? I have a spare laptop if you wish to get some mylotting done while here."

yup a nice cup of coffe would be nice. DO you serve beer ?
that might even be better lol hugs

Yup--do serve beer here. What kind would you like...regular, lite or Guinness stout?

better to try the Reg first as I havent tried this brand then we will see about stout

"Very well, Lakota....coming with your glass of beer."

{Pyewacket is rather fast at getting the beer and sets it before Lakota}

"Here you go...enjoy! Salut!"

yummy that was pretty good think I will try the stout now heheheh and just set and watch the people.
Do you see that little old lady over there that looks like she hasnt combed her hair in a month ?
Before she sat down I noticed the back of her skirt was so worn that it is thread bare in the seat.
BUt look at what she is eatting . By the looks of her you would think she couldnt come in here and buy a meal. Looks sure can be deceiving huh?

Oh, yes, I felt sorry for that elderly woman....I've seen her in the neighborhood for many a year,..sad story. Her husband passed away a few years ago, and well, her mind has never been the same. She's going through rough times all way round and doesn't have much money...but I begged her to come in and give her a meal on the house...I told her she could have whatever she wanted, and she certainly took me up on it ...but so glad to be able to provide her with a good hearty meal as I don't think she's had a decent one for months

And why sure you can have a glass of stout..coming right away

thanks that on was good too.
and LOL you took my little lady farther than I thought about for I was going by what I did see in a restrant the other day.
And I think she was with her son and he had paid for the meal.

LOL---mmm....guess it was the writer in me and my active imagination...hehe

must have been lol .
Think I will just set here for awhile and watch I might see something else we can elabarte on heh?

Well, besides beer, would you like anything to eat now? You must be hungry no?

not at this time thanks I am to interested in watching the people come and go.
Maybe a little later ok?

Sure, that's fine by me..would you at least like to have some fresh homemade bread and biscuits with butter...it's on the house here.

oh yes that does sound good as long as it is real butter am picky lol and then maybe some of the soup with barley.

Why of course I only use real butter here. I used to use margarine, but when I found out it's actually less heatlhy went back to using butter..nothing beats the taste of it, does it?

good for you and I always new that other stuff wasnt good for us.
and nothing beats the taste of real butter!

Little by little Le Jardin Enchanté is filling up with more customers...she next spots bonbon coming into the restaurant and shows her friend over to a table near the window. "I'm so glad you decided to stop by," she says, "yes, a nice hearty bowl chicken soup would be just the thing for such a chilly day, wouldn't you agree? What book are you reading?"

For your restaurant, I would have to say some Ernest Hemingway would seem appropriate. Although, I will always put my book down if some friends come over and want to sit down and talk.

"Ah, Hemingway...I take it you love to read the classics....so do I. I didn't read many when I was younger, but have been catching up over the years. Well, let me get your order now...I just took out the blueberry pie out of the oven not long ago, so all my pies are freshly made...Let me get you your soup first though and a basket full of my nice homemade bread slices." Pyewacket excuses herself to get bonbon's order.

Goodie crawls out from under the table, you just have to be here to se the look on "MOMS" face it is priceless.

Hello "MOM" are you going to join me dear.

What a good choice someonesmom...quite a few people have ordered my crepes and they seem to enjoy them..yes, I love crepes myself. And of course, if you want to join Goodie by all means. Ah, poor Goodie...she does seem to disappear on and off. Hate to say it but she does drink quite a bit...so she has a tendency to sleep it off under her table..then when she wakes up she has more to eat and to drink...she just ask me for a bottle of red wine. My she knows how to drink...LOL

Ah..there she is now...feeling better Goodie?

Oh much better Pye a good sleep does wonders for a body.

Yes, my goodness poor Goodie, you haven't been sleeping well lately have you?

{Pyewacket notices a new customer enter her restaurant. She looks at the youth and quite frankly has never seem the likes of him before as he is almost feline in nature...."Odd," she thinks to herself, "and odd how he just came sauntering in an sat himself down. Doesn't look like a trouble maker though. Actually looks kind of timid. She goes over to him....}

"Why hello there, and how can I best serve you this fine night...are you hungry? We have a fine menu here of food," She says as she hands him a menu. "I'll let you look at that for awhile as you decide."

"Excuse me," he says, his voice rather light, as if it hasn't changed yet. "This is all the money I have."

He holds out some strange silver coins.

"I have more, but... I've been traveling..."

{Pyewacket looks at the coins this strange customer of hers...she's never seen silver coins like these before...her active imagination could swear they look like the coins described in Harry Potter, the Galleons or Knuts...then she looks at the customer again, and notices he, while young has quite a magical air about him..she inwardly groans and thinks to herself...Pyewacket you're reading to many fantasy books!}

"mmm...you've been traveling...uh, may I ask where? I'm always interested in hearing stories about people's travels..uh, in the meantime would you like to have some Perrier water and fresh bread and biscuits...it's on the house you know."

He smiles, like a light being turned on.

"I'd love some bread & Perrier, maybe a wedge of lime?" He looks around and toward the fire. His eyes are violet & contract to catlike slits looking into the light.

"Its been ages since I've had a Perrier." He smiles at her again. His teeth are perfectly even & white.

There's just the slightest indication that there might be a lisp, but it could just be because his voice is so childlike.

"I got these the last place I was at. When a pawn shop opens I'll get some local money, but these are pure silver so you could get the worth of the silver from them..."

"Why sure you could have a wedge of lime with your Perrier water. "
{Pyewacket notices how, when her customer looks into the light of the fire, how catlike his eyes are and when he speaks, he speaks with a lisp....now she is really wondering who this stranger is. She excuses herself to get the Perrier water, making sure she doesn't forget the wedges of lime, and brings out a basket filed with large chunk slices of the fresh homemade bread, and is also filled with freshly made herbed biscuits, she also carries a small bowl with chunks of fresh creamy butter}

"Here you go. Uh, can't help but to ask, since you've said you've been traveling a lot, but where are you originally from? I kind of detect a trace of an accent but can't quite place it."

"Oh, I move around a lot with my guardian. His job kind of requires it. I've been told that I have an interesting combination of Yankee/Texas accent, kind of hard to pin something like that down."

{He picks up a roll & takes a deep wiff of the wonderful smell.}

"I felt this was a safe place," he says softly. "And this bread smells divine! Did you make this yourself?"

{He picks up the knife & makes short work of spreading butter on the bread. He bites into the bread and a look of total bliss spreads across his face.}

{Pyewacket notices the blissful look upon her customer's face as he bites into the still rather hot bread with the melted butter. But now she's more puzzled than ever..."safe place??" she thinks to herself. This customer is getting curiouser and curiouser.}

"Nothing like fresh homemade bread is there? Yes, I make the bread myself. I just love how the smell of the bread rising with that cozy, yeasty smell fills the air, and then the wonderful smell of it baking...nothing like it. Your guardian? Where is he? He should have come in here too for something to eat. By the way, my name is pyewacket, what's yours?"

{He kind of winces a tiny bit.)

"We... got seperated... a few... days ago," he says. "My name's Elic, nice to meet you Pyewacket.... Isn't that the cat in Bell, Book and Candle?"

{Did he actually look a little happier?}

"Oh, that's a shame you got separated. Yes, most people are familiar with my name from that movie, but the name actually goes back to medieval England days of old, and was always associated with black cat familiars of witches. Well besides the bread, biscuits and Perrier, would you like something else to eat...I think those coins will be all right to accept"

"Movie? I was thinking the book actually.... I know its associated with black cats, I had a black cat, once. Her name was Sab." {He looks sad for a moment.}

"I'm actually older than I look, so I'm more able to take care of myself than you might think, I'm 16."

{He glances at the menu again.}

"I'd like a Ceasar salad & the spinach lasagna, an iced tea would also be wonderful. The last time I ate... well, it wasn't as wonderful sounding, or smelling as your food is."

{He glances at the door, but when noone comes in, he smiles back up at her again.}

"I hope I'm not keeping you from helping your other guests...."

{He looks around at the other people at the tables, alone or with others, eating and enjoying themselves.}

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear about Sab. I know what it's like to lose a beloved pet companion. I've had pets, especially cats since I was only five so many of my little former babies are now in Rainbow Bridge." {Now it's Pyewacket's turn to look a bit sad.}
"That sounds like a great meal you've picked...a lot of people seem to like my spinach lasagna....{She notices Elic keeps looking nervously at the door..."Mmm.." she thinks to herself...can't help wonder why he's a bit jittery."} "Oh goodness, no, you're not keeping me....everyone else here are happily eating their meals. So let me get you your order now."

"Thanks."

{He sits back quietly, looking over the room, the other customers, the decor. Finally, seeming to relax a bit, his lips settle into a small smile, more like he doesn't even realize he has the smile on his lips.}

{The door opens. Elic seems to dissappear for a moment until the newcomer is inside. Then he is there again.}

Pyewacket is back in the kitchen and opens up the oven and sees that the spinach lasagna she freshly made has just a little more time to bake. She begins preparing a bowl of her fairly deep wooden bowl of ceasar salad..once finished she pours iced tea in a large glass and sets the bowl and glass on a serving tray. Before taking out a lemon to slice up to ad into the tea, she gives a quite look out of the kitchen and in the direction of her customer Elic...only to discover he's no longer at his table...just then, the door opens and her attention is diverted to whomever walks inside the restaurant....only for a moment...when she looks back in the direction of Elic...her mouth gaps open....He's sitting there again, contently eating some more of the fresh bread..."Now that's really weird..." She thinks to herself..."yes, maybe he went to the bathroom, but heavens, he couldn't have gotten back that soon!...something is definitely strange here..." Not knowing just exactly how to feel about this strange occurrence, she shrugs it off, and begins slicing up the lemon into wedges and places one in the glass of tea. She then takes up the serving tray and walks over to Elic, but still feeling rather odd about the whole episode.
"Well here you are..the lasagna should be ready in about another fifteen minutes, but thought you would like to have your salad and iced tea."

He glances at the salad and then smiles one of his dazzling smiles at her.

"Thanks."

The bread bowl is now pretty much left with just biscuits, and they look like they’ve only been moved around to get to the bread.

“This is, lovely.”

He picks up the fork and stabs a leaf of lettuce and takes a taste. “Oh, and it tastes even better,” he says appreciatively.

He reaches for the sugar and adds some after fishing the lemon slice out.

“I don’t know if you noticed your new customer....” he nods toward the person who entered.

Pyewacket notices that nearly all the bread is gone but not the biscuits..."Uh, would you prefer to have more slices of bread? I just took out another loaf that was baking, so it'll be good and hot. " She notices how Elic is enjoying his salad, but also notices him fishing out the lemon wedge in his tea. "Oh I'm sorry, you don't care for the lemon? I could get you some lime wedges instead." Elic then points out to her a new customer. "So let me know if you want more bread...but first let me seat my new customer."
As Pyewacket goes over to her new customer she can't shake the feeling that Elic was deliberately trying to distract her. She realizes that maybe she's been paying too much attention to this customer. Then only reason she has, is that she finds him so elusive and mysterious, and never outwardly answers her questions...."As if he has something to hide," she thinks to herself

Elic waits until Pyewacket comes back by and catches her attention.

"Yes, I would like some more bread, and a slice of lime or even orange. I think tea tastes better with those."

His bowl is already nearly half empty, as if he hasn't had a good meal in a while. He doesn't look overly skinny so he probably hasn't missed to many in a row, at least not lately.

He flashes another one of his dazzling smiles at her.

"Why sure, no problem giving you more bread and slices of lime...Your spinach lasagna should be ready by now as well. So I'll get them all for you. Are you enjoying yourself here? It seems my restaurant is a success, for which I'm glad. I've dreamed a long time to have my own restaurant and now it's finally happened. Have you ever dreamed of some goal, hoping it would manifest?" She asks as she takes the now empty bowl of salad, and picks up the basket so she can refill it with hot fresh, slices of bread.

"I probably don't have real high expectations. I like to do my job to the best of my ablity and if I end up helping someone, that's great.

"I guess its different when you don't have a pretty good idea of what is expected of you...."

He stops, like he might've said too much.

"I figure if I can stay out of trouble, I'm doing good," he then says. "I'm not the luckiest person in the world, in fact, my friends say that if I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all."

He laughs.

"I think it might be coming around, I found this place, and that was a stroke of good luck!"

The lasagna is indeed ready and Pyewacket takes it out of the oven and places a hearty helping of it onto a plate. She then slices up some more of the still piping hot bread, and on a smaller plate, places the wedges of lime. Once everything is ready, she places everything on the serving tray, taking it out to Elic...as she arranges everything in front of Elic she listens to him tell her more, and then laughs a bit.
"You know sometimes I think that might be my main problem....I have a bit too MANY expectations for myself and what I want to do with my life. So it's kind of a let down when things don't fall into place the way one hopes.

"Sorry to hear you haven't been lucky in life, but that is wonderful for you to say that maybe you think finding my restaurant will change things for you. Uh, what kind of job do you have anyway?"

"I am a runaway counselor for a group that help people on the street. They discovered that some of the kids don’t trust adults, so they’ve given me some training to do it, and then help me if I get out of my depth.

“Course, I don’t do it full time or anything, but my guardian works there too and he moves around so I go with him.”

Elic cuts off a piece of the lasagna. He seems to study the steam for a moment as he squeezes a wedge of lime into his tea.

“Of course, some people take exception to our helping get kids off the street when we can....”

He picks up his fork again & takes a bite. Making a wave in front of his mouth, he grabs his tea to cool off the bite.

“Oh,” he says after a moment, “That’s even better than I hoped!”

"Oh, I'm glad you like the lasagna..yes, it is hot isn't it? Want some more Perrier water? I think that's rather admirable that you are a runaway counselor for runaways. Uh.. ...what were you going to say..you said..some people take exception to our helping get kids off the street when we can....”

"I'd really like some more tea, if the refills are free." Elic beamed up at her.

"Oh, you know, pimps, drug dealers, they don't want people helping kids, heck, even adults off the streets. We also do drug counseling. There have been some threats in the past...."

He looked over at the lady in the horned hat.

"This place reminds me of that book, 'Callahan's Crosstime Saloon,'" he said, with a grin. "I could almost be walking into a different dimension." He laughed, there was nothing terribly distictive about his laugh, but it seemed to be more amusing than it was.

"Why sure the tea is free. " Pyewacket notices Elic looking at Darkwing who has her viking type hat. "Does seem kind of unusual my friend wearing that hat, but she explained to me that even though she's of Celtic blood, she does have Viking ancestry, as do many of the British Isles and she's on her way to Stonehenge..think they are having a special gathering of those who follow the pagan path, of which she does, as do I. ....uh, Callahan's Crosstime Salon..never heard of that book. But yes, this place does have a unique feel to it....the quaintness of the restaurant itself making one feel like they're in an English countryside from the past...the baroque music playing...I'm glad you think this place has an ambience to it...makes me feel good."

"Hey, she can wear what ever she feels like, it that everyone is accepted here that makes it so neat!

"The book is by a guy named Spider Robinson, its a classic SF book, where anyone can come into the bar & be accepted. Well worth it, its a fun read.

"Not that your place isn't nice, after all, its a restuarant, not a neighborhood bar where people hang out like that place. What I meant that there are lots of different kinds of people here and they can all interact and be accepted.

"You say you just opened, well, I'd guess you are going to have a successful place because of that... Well, and the food is FABULOUS!" He grinned up at her.

"Well I'll leave you now to enjoy the rest of your meal..I see a bunch of people coming in. Do hope you decide to come back here again and again and tell and recommend your friends to stop by too." With that Pyewacket leaves to attend the party of four people who have just come in.

Elic sat quietly and finished eating. He debated dessert, but instead he fished into his pockets. He used the napkin to muffle the sound of putting the coins down.

Elic noted that there was a whole variety of coins. He nudged a 1895 quarter in near mint condition and then shoved the well worn 2012 quarter to the bottom of the pile.

He glanced around the room. Everyone seemed to be busy with conversation or food. He slipped into the kitchen to go out the back way.

Pyewacket was in the kitchen, fixing up an order and placing it on a tray...she left the kitchen and went directly to her new customer's order. Turning around she suddenly only noticed that Elic's table was empty...she walked over to it and realized that he had indeed left as she saw a small stack of coins as payment for his meal...She took them up and stored them in her pocket, then reached over and grabbed the now empty glass of iced tea, salad bowl, and plate of lasagna and placed them all on the serving tray and went back to the kitchen. After piling the dirty dishes into the sink, she reached into her pocket to examine the coins Elic had left...The first coin she was looking at was a vintage 1895 silver coin...she whistled...as she realized many were of an old date and in wonderful mint condition..."Gee," she thought to herself..."these must be worth a small fortune..." Then a very clearly puzzled look creep upon her face....the last coin she was looking at was a very well worn one and not in mint condition at all...Then she gasped as she saw the rather faint date on the coin....2012.."What???? How can that be? Why it's only 2008...how the ...." She was interrupted though by hearing the entrance door open, meaning another customer had entered...She shook her head in a way as if to clear it from the strange feeling she was feeling..."Just who...or WHAT, was Elic?"