This is my first ever response to a challenge. The CSI Prompts Challenge for this week was about Cinco de Mayo, and had to begin with the opening line. Other prompts were: bug spray, broken toe, sneezes, guacamole, fan fiction. I hope you enjoy my little experiment.
CSIPROMPTCHALLENGE
"So, what are we supposed to be doing with the Mayo?" he asked. He held the jar as he looked into her bowl of shredded chicken.
She smiled and answered. "I need a half a cup."
"For what?" he asked incredulously.
"The chicken salad," she said matter of factly.
"You use mayo in your chicken salad?" His face revealed his disgust.
"What would you have me use, guacamole?"
"You did say it was Mexican recipe…"
"Yeah, but guacamole?"
He looked around at the other items on her counter. "What's the salsa for?"
"Oh, come on Gil. I swear if it doesn't have bugs in it, you are clueless."
Gil looked at his longtime friend and smirked. "You know me too well, Catherine."
"Yeah, just don't forget it, pal."
She mixed the other ingredients in the bowl and set it in the fridge to chill. "That should be ready in time for lunch."
"Nick was really excited about us celebrating Cinco de Mayo at the lab. I was surprised."
Catherine looked at him quizzically. "Why? He is from Texas."
"Yeah, but it is a Hispanic tradition. I didn't think it would mean so much to him."
"Sure it would. It was not only the day that Mexico declared it's Independence from Spain, but in 1862 a small army of Mexicans defeated the French controlled Mexican army and kept Maximilian from continuing to supply the Confederacy. The French wanted Texas back, you see."
Really," he said, his blue eyes twinkling. "When did you become a history buff?"
"I'm not. I just heard Nicky talking about it the other day. He recited the Texas Pledge of Allegiance too. It was kind of cute."
"They have their own Pledge of Allegiance?"
"Yeah, left over from their days as a Republic."
She handed him a glass if lemonade and he followed her as they walked to her patio. They were sitting quietly, watching some birds in the distance, when Catherine suddenly jumped up and grabbed a can from a plastic storage box next to the wall. Spraying bug spray in the direction of Gil's feet, she cursed. "Damned scorpions."
"Catherine," he squealed as he jumped from his chair, trying to avoid the spray. He knocked his chair over and fell backwards on the stone patio, sneezing.
"Oh, Gil…I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
He looked at her woefully as another sneeze erupted. Shaking his head he answered, "No. Some of the spray got to my nose. Not to mention I think I have a broken toe from hitting the leg of the chair. Why were you using bug spray, anyway?"
She sat next to him on the stone, laughing. "I hate scorpions."
"And I hate bug spray," he chuckled.
She leaned into him, laughing. "No one is going to believe this," she chuckled. "They're going to say it is straight out of fan fiction."
"CUT!" the director shouted. "Marg, what was that?" he asked.
Billy started laughing. "She's right. But it is kind of fun to see Gil on his ass for a change."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
So how'd I do?