dessert."
They seemed to think that dessert would justify having to eat a veggie burger. That made me chuckle, and as I left the dining room again, I specified, “Justdesserts."
A moment later, our chef—owner of Molly's Taphouse, home of the Mad Cow—entered the dining room with a greeting and a wide smile. I watched as Kris and Ginny's mouths dropped and confusion set in. Molly was laughing now, and she approached the two of them, balancing a heavy plate with each hand. “A Mad Cow for you,” she said with the first plate. “And a Mad Cow for you,” she said with the second.
Hysterical laughter took over, and then a round of applause erupted so loud that it was jolting. I knew that each remembered how horrible it had been to consume two and a half pounds of burger, plus a pound of cheese, plus veggies, plus fries. It indeed had been hell. We had vowed to take revenge, and here it was. The looks on Kris and Ginny's faces were indeed things deemed priceless, and revenge was indeed mouthwateringly sweet.
"Why you!” Ginny said, rising from her seat and approaching Molly. “How the heck could you go into cahoots with these crazy women? I feel so betrayed!"
Molly spouted, “Gin, there is nothing I'd like better than to see you get even some of what you've got coming to you.” She laughed and hugged the woman who had been her friend since first grade. “And I mean for both the goodand the bad."
Kris was beside them now, mixing into the hug. Then she turned to us. “Okay, you got us,” she acknowledged to the roaring crowd. “But there is no way we can eat all that!"
"Well,” I said, “we're not moving on until you do, so you two had better get busy. We promise to have as much sympathy for you as you had for us."
Drinks and chips made their way to the table, and I realized that the sounds in the room were no different from an elementary school lunchroom. That was trust, too, for I knew that I could depend on each woman there to get swept up into the moment. I suddenly felt very grateful for them all. And for Charles, the poor man who had been talked into staying.
He secluded himself in the living room, as far from the fray as he could get. He stood there smiling, watching us, shaking his head.
"Come on over and eat with us,” I shouted to him above all the noise.
Kris pulled a chair next to her, saying, “Sit here, Charles. How does Mad Cow sound to you?"
"Not fair!” Claudia spouted. “Eat it yourself!"
I then noticed that no one, except Maggie, had even taken a bite of the veggie burgers. They held them mouth-level but did nothing but stare at them, afraid maybe. I grabbed one from the platter, held it high, and said,
“Here's to revenge! Cheers."
While everyone was quick to toast, not one managed to complete the action by putting the burger into her mouth.
"What exactly is in this anyway?” Holly asked.
Maggie quickly replied, “When you're trying something new, it's always better to try it andthen ask what's in it.
That way your mind will stay open to the experience."
"Oh, I see, Maggie,” Laura said. “You're an expert on trying new things now, huh?” She winked at her.
"For your information, I already agreed to let Charles and Susando my face before he has to leave.” Amazingly, she smiled as she said it, but I think it was more at her agreement than at the prospect of clogging her pores with color. It was a huge risk, and I felt proud of her for stepping beyond what was comfortable.
It was not good timing, but everyone dropped their burgers to their plates and another round of applause erupted.
"Please don't make it any bigger a deal than it already is,” she begged. “Just do me a favor and try the burgers, which, by the way, are very good, Molly. Thank you. Claudia and Kate, you, too. Thanks!"
"You're welcome, Maggie,” Molly countered. “And thanks for the recipe."
"That was you who called the store the other day?” Maggie asked.
"Yes, it
They seemed to think that dessert would justify having to eat a veggie burger. That made me chuckle, and as I left the dining room again, I specified, “Justdesserts."
A moment later, our chef—owner of Molly's Taphouse, home of the Mad Cow—entered the dining room with a greeting and a wide smile. I watched as Kris and Ginny's mouths dropped and confusion set in. Molly was laughing now, and she approached the two of them, balancing a heavy plate with each hand. “A Mad Cow for you,” she said with the first plate. “And a Mad Cow for you,” she said with the second.
Hysterical laughter took over, and then a round of applause erupted so loud that it was jolting. I knew that each remembered how horrible it had been to consume two and a half pounds of burger, plus a pound of cheese, plus veggies, plus fries. It indeed had been hell. We had vowed to take revenge, and here it was. The looks on Kris and Ginny's faces were indeed things deemed priceless, and revenge was indeed mouthwateringly sweet.
"Why you!” Ginny said, rising from her seat and approaching Molly. “How the heck could you go into cahoots with these crazy women? I feel so betrayed!"
Molly spouted, “Gin, there is nothing I'd like better than to see you get even some of what you've got coming to you.” She laughed and hugged the woman who had been her friend since first grade. “And I mean for both the goodand the bad."
Kris was beside them now, mixing into the hug. Then she turned to us. “Okay, you got us,” she acknowledged to the roaring crowd. “But there is no way we can eat all that!"
"Well,” I said, “we're not moving on until you do, so you two had better get busy. We promise to have as much sympathy for you as you had for us."
Drinks and chips made their way to the table, and I realized that the sounds in the room were no different from an elementary school lunchroom. That was trust, too, for I knew that I could depend on each woman there to get swept up into the moment. I suddenly felt very grateful for them all. And for Charles, the poor man who had been talked into staying.
He secluded himself in the living room, as far from the fray as he could get. He stood there smiling, watching us, shaking his head.
"Come on over and eat with us,” I shouted to him above all the noise.
Kris pulled a chair next to her, saying, “Sit here, Charles. How does Mad Cow sound to you?"
"Not fair!” Claudia spouted. “Eat it yourself!"
I then noticed that no one, except Maggie, had even taken a bite of the veggie burgers. They held them mouth-level but did nothing but stare at them, afraid maybe. I grabbed one from the platter, held it high, and said,
“Here's to revenge! Cheers."
While everyone was quick to toast, not one managed to complete the action by putting the burger into her mouth.
"What exactly is in this anyway?” Holly asked.
Maggie quickly replied, “When you're trying something new, it's always better to try it andthen ask what's in it.
That way your mind will stay open to the experience."
"Oh, I see, Maggie,” Laura said. “You're an expert on trying new things now, huh?” She winked at her.
"For your information, I already agreed to let Charles and Susando my face before he has to leave.” Amazingly, she smiled as she said it, but I think it was more at her agreement than at the prospect of clogging her pores with color. It was a huge risk, and I felt proud of her for stepping beyond what was comfortable.
It was not good timing, but everyone dropped their burgers to their plates and another round of applause erupted.
"Please don't make it any bigger a deal than it already is,” she begged. “Just do me a favor and try the burgers, which, by the way, are very good, Molly. Thank you. Claudia and Kate, you, too. Thanks!"
"You're welcome, Maggie,” Molly countered. “And thanks for the recipe."
"That was you who called the store the other day?” Maggie asked.
"Yes, it
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