Good Eats - Short Affair

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

Prompts: easy, brown
Word count: 805

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"I'll take the eggs over easy and a side of bacon, crispy." Napoleon closed his menu and set it on the table as the waitress wrote his order.  She felt herself blushing as the handsome man in the fancy suit smiled the trademark Solo smile.

"Yessir, and you want biscuits with that?' He nodded.

"With gravy or without?" She wondered why he scrunched up his nose the way he did, but she thought it was kind of cute.  Napoleon looked at his friend and partner, Illya Kuryakin, for some kind of guidance on the subject of gravy.

"I happen to like the biscuit and gravy option.  These people have perfected the morning meal with their insistence on high fat, flavor rich foods that appeal to our most self-gratifying instincts." It was a long winded reply, even for Illya.

"So, you're saying yes, I should have the gravy? But it isn't brown gravy, right?"  Napoleon was a Yankee and proud of it, and that meant he hadn't had an upbringing that included biscuits with sausage gravy.  He was a man of the world however, and willing to try it this morning.

Besides that he was hungry.  They had been up all night after finally closing their mission successfully, sending away the thugs from THRUSH who had terrorized a small town near Paducah, Kentucky.  The proximity to the Ohio River had provided a perfect conduit for shipping components of a deadly weapon that was being manufactured by the unsuspecting citizens in a small community well off the beaten track.  It had been several months of searching and scouring the region before finally locating and shutting down this latest THRUSH endeavor.

This morning's reward for all of their hard work found Solo and Kuryakin in a little cafe outside of Paducah as all concerned waited for the verdict on gravy.

"I shall have the biscuits with sausage gravy then.' The waitress, whose name tag read Gracie, smiled at the choice.  He made her feel all giddy, like a school girl.

"And what are you having IK?"  Illya was famished, and grateful his friend had finally made up his mind.

"I shall have your Sunny Bright Combo, eggs scrambled with the corned beef hash, crispy please.  I should also like the biscuits with sausage gravy and some orange juice. And coffee, lots of coffee please.  With cream."

Gracie wanted to pinch his cheeks, he was cute as a button.

"I'll have that out to you quick as a minute. Y'all enjoy your coffee and I'll get your juice for you." Illya nodded to her and Napoleon handed her both of their menus.

"Thank you… Gracie." When he said her name the young woman thought she might just faint, right there, on the spot.  Lord have mercy, where did he come from and why was he here in Hadleyville?

Alone now at their table, the two agents discussed the mission and how it had gone down.  The books were closed on another THRUSH threat, but it was a certainty that another one would be waiting for them on their return to New York.

Napoleon looked out the window at rolling hills and a blue sky.  A few cars were parked along the roadside, some others in front of the little cafe´.

"Do you think they get much business here?  I mean, there's nothing around here save for a few little houses.  How does that support a restaurant?"  Napoleon wondered at the lifestyles of people in regions such as this.  He was a creature of big cities and nightlife. This lifestyle, rural and isolated, was something he just couldn't fathom for himself.

Illya looked in the same direction as Napoleon's gaze.  What he saw was entirely different from the American's view.

"They live in little hamlets and, how do they put it? Hollers.  They are hidden away from view but the hills are populated, have no doubt of it.  A place such as this one is a point of community, a valuable asset to all as they exchange information or gossip as the case may be.  They stay in touch in these establishments, they keep their lives intact and their relationships in order."

Napoleon wondered at Illya's insight, but then perhaps it was a similar situation to the one in which had lived at some point.

In the midst of this their orders arrived.  The fragrance wafted upwards into the air above their heads, rich with the farm fresh flavors only a place like this could offer.  They dug into their plates, each of them savoring the flavors and textures.  It was as though their taste buds were being treated to something extraordinary, their senses more acutely aware of the pleasures of eating.

Gracie was pleased, she would remember these two for a long time and blush when she thought of the smile on Napoleon's face.

Comments

[glennagirl.livejournal.com]

I remember my first attempt at making gravy, it turned out like cement. I was trying to impress the man I was dating, but he was good natured about it.