"Mark, Darling, come with me. I want to go to the drugstore on the corner and get an egg cream and a burger for lunch."
Mark looked up to see April putting on her coat. "You want to get lunch in a drugstore?" He shook his head amusedly, got up from his desk and began putting on his suit jacket. "You Americans are an interesting lot."
They walked out the agents' door that opens into Del Floria's, waved at the older man and trotted up the steps to street level. Both instinctively surveyed the area and after perceiving no threats, Mark held his arm out for April to take. "I never understood why drugstores have food counters and what do you call them? Soda jerks?"
April giggled and clutched his arm tighter. Anyone watching them would have thought they only had eyes for each other and had shut out the world. They would have been wrong. "Yes, soda jerks. I think your way of thinking is catching on, Darling. More and more drugstores in New York are getting rid of them. I hope that doesn't mean egg creams are going extinct, too. That would be a shame."
They entered the store and parked themselves on stools and ordered cheeseburgers and fries. Mark ordered a coke while April happily ordered her egg cream. Mark watched the young man behind the counter make it for her and place it in from of his partner with a flourish. "Here ya go, Miss. Enjoy it."
"Thank you so much," she replied before sipping some through her straw. "Delicious."
"See 'ere, Luv, I watched that bloke make that thing and there's no eggs or cream in it."
"No, just seltzer, Fox's U – Bet Chocolate syrup and a little milk. Try some." She held it up for him and he took a small taste.
"That is rather good. I've never 'eard of it before."
"Oh, neither had I, Darling, before I came to New York City. It was invented here and you really don't see it anywhere else in the United States."
Their food was put in front of them and they began to eat. "I must be bored, April, because I'm still thinking about that concoction you 'ave there. I wonder how it got its name given that no cream or eggs issue."
"There are several schools of thought about that, but no one really knows. I mean, why is Toad in the Hole called that when, Thank God, there are no toads in it?"
"Touché," Mark laughed around his burger, "We Brits do have some unusual names for our food. Bubble and Squeak, Love in Disguise, Angels on Horseback…"
"And my personal favorite," April giggled, "Spotted Dick!"
They both erupted in laughter as Mark pulled out his wallet and waved away April's offers to pay. They strolled back leisurely to UNCLE HQ and once through the door, received their IDs and headed to the elevator bank.
The doors opened to reveal Napoleon and Illya on their way out to lunch. "'Ello, Mates! You should try the burgers at the corner drugstore, they're pretty good. And their egg creams are fantastic."
April chimed in, "But sadly, they have no Spotted Dick." She and Mark burst into laughter at the confused look on Napoleon's face as they stepped into the elevator the CEA and his partner had vacated. "See you boys later," April said cheerily as Mark pushed their floor button and the doors slid closed.
Napoleon looked askance at the Russian who was grinning slightly as he walked toward Reception. "Do you know what she was talking about, Illya?"
"Yes."
"Are you going to tell me?"
"I think I am going to let you roll that one around in your head for awhile."