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Chapter 7
The international flight allowed smoking in the cabin and I took the opportunity to light up. I had broken the habit during college, but cigarettes had one fatal attraction for me. They were great for thinking.
Things were moving too fast. I needed a pause button, to stop my life for a few hours or days for me to think, to regain my sanity.
Life has never given me what I wanted. I've always had to go get it myself.
I twisted my neck to crack it, then shook the ash off the tip of my cig into the ashtray. If someone would not make my life a bit more sane, I would have to make sanity.
Time to attack the problem.
Flipping my phone open, I called Dana's phone.
"Hey boss, what's up?"
"Can you get my tuxedo pressed?"
"You're wearing a tuxedo? Hmm, you'll have all the female interns drooling over you."
"Whatever it takes to get higher profit margins."
"Well, it's going to be like a launch party. We've invited prominent businessmen from all over Japan to view our existing product lines. Separately, its a nice way for you to show off your speaking skills."
"Where is it?"
"Some ballroom in downtown. It's a nice place. Cost quite a bit too. I'll need to buy a new dress for it. Boss, I need a raise."
"Talk to my Human Resources Director. She's in charge of that stuff."
"Funny. When are you getting back?"
"Landing in about an hour."
"Cool, I'll be on break then. We can get dinner."
I smiled, "Are you asking me out on a date?"
"Me? Hardly. That would against company policy, not to mention a blotch on my social record that I simply could not stand."
"Just glad to know where you stand."
I rubbed a sore spot on my neck before adjusting the car headrest.
"Don't do that."
"What?"
"Whenever you ride in my car, you always mess with the headrests. I have to readjust them way too much."
"Hey, you don;t even ride in the passenger seat."
"Irregardless, it's inconvenient for my other guests."
"You don't have other guests...and irregardless isn't even a word."
"You win. So where are we eating?"
"Just pick some place with a lot of meat."
"There aren't many of those in Japan."
I thought about that for a moment, "You're right. Okay, my house, I'll cook. I have some stuff in my refrigerator."
Dana looked at me slyly, "When did you get the time to shop?"
"Hey, you know me. I can't stand restaurant food for too long, or I start to get fat."
She rolled her eyes at me, "Right. As if. So...to your place."
I investigated my refrigerator while Dana leaned back in her chair, filing down a perfect nail. "How would you feel about lamb chops?"
She smiled, "Can you handle something that complex?"
"Don't insult me." Preheating the oven first, I pulled out the meat and unwrapped a fairly large piece. Pulling a knife out of the rack, I deftly cut slits in the side, and then rummaged through the 'fridge for fresh mint leaves, lemon, parsley, and onions. The lemon I juiced quickly, then minced the parsley and mint leaves separately.
"Could you grate the onion?"
"I thought I wouldn't have to work for my food."
"Well, you can pay for it..."
She tossed her jacket onto the chair, "Fine. Have it your way, again."
Smiling, I slipped the mint leaves into the slits in the meat and rubbed the lemon juice over the meat, then massaged the newly grated onion and minced parsley into it.
"Pretty simple right?"
"Yeah, cook it first, then I'll be impressed."
Arranging the meat onto a pan, I tossed it into the oven with a roasting thermometer. "Done for now."
"How long is this going to take?"
"Eh, say an hour. Maybe less."
"An hour? Damn, if I knew you were going to make me wait, I would have gone out by myself."
"Come on, put your body at risk for friendship."
"I have no friends."
Unfortunately, I had no smart remark to counter that, so I grinned and then turned to make rice. I'm actually partial to rice instead of bread or potatoes as the starchy part of my diet. Somehow, it sits in my system a bit better.
"Put chicken stock into it."
"Lemme wash it first....unless you want whatever they coated this stuff with in your stomach."
While washing the rice, I found myself staring out the window at cityscape outside. It was filled with sparkling lights, that outshone the distant stars.
"You know what you need in here?"
"What?"
"You need some fresh spice plants. Nothing big, but some fresh parsley, cilantro, you know, that sort of thing."
"Why?"
"It would make the room smell nice."
"I'll buy some air freshener."
She flopped down on a chair, "You;re hopeless."
"I prefer brutally mercenary, thanks much."
"I hate to say it, but that was excellent."
I sipped at my wine, "Did you ever doubt my mad skills?"
"You don't have mad skills to doubt."
"Indeed. Would you care for another glass?"
She nodded, "It's very good. Where did you say you got it?"
I smiled as a filled her glass again, "Brought it back from home. Figured that the bar here needed something."
"Good choice. It's a nice vintage," Dana paused for a moment, "So Rei called your phone yet?"
"How did you know?"
She waved her hand off dismissively, "I have my ways. S he's really taking to the job well. She reminds me of....me."
"Always comforting. Manipulative and sneaky, no?"
Dana smiled beautifully, "It's a great combination. You should work well together."
Chapter 7
The international flight allowed smoking in the cabin and I took the opportunity to light up. I had broken the habit during college, but cigarettes had one fatal attraction for me. They were great for thinking.
Things were moving too fast. I needed a pause button, to stop my life for a few hours or days for me to think, to regain my sanity.
Life has never given me what I wanted. I've always had to go get it myself.
I twisted my neck to crack it, then shook the ash off the tip of my cig into the ashtray. If someone would not make my life a bit more sane, I would have to make sanity.
Time to attack the problem.
Flipping my phone open, I called Dana's phone.
"Hey boss, what's up?"
"Can you get my tuxedo pressed?"
"You're wearing a tuxedo? Hmm, you'll have all the female interns drooling over you."
"Whatever it takes to get higher profit margins."
"Well, it's going to be like a launch party. We've invited prominent businessmen from all over Japan to view our existing product lines. Separately, its a nice way for you to show off your speaking skills."
"Where is it?"
"Some ballroom in downtown. It's a nice place. Cost quite a bit too. I'll need to buy a new dress for it. Boss, I need a raise."
"Talk to my Human Resources Director. She's in charge of that stuff."
"Funny. When are you getting back?"
"Landing in about an hour."
"Cool, I'll be on break then. We can get dinner."
I smiled, "Are you asking me out on a date?"
"Me? Hardly. That would against company policy, not to mention a blotch on my social record that I simply could not stand."
"Just glad to know where you stand."
I rubbed a sore spot on my neck before adjusting the car headrest.
"Don't do that."
"What?"
"Whenever you ride in my car, you always mess with the headrests. I have to readjust them way too much."
"Hey, you don;t even ride in the passenger seat."
"Irregardless, it's inconvenient for my other guests."
"You don't have other guests...and irregardless isn't even a word."
"You win. So where are we eating?"
"Just pick some place with a lot of meat."
"There aren't many of those in Japan."
I thought about that for a moment, "You're right. Okay, my house, I'll cook. I have some stuff in my refrigerator."
Dana looked at me slyly, "When did you get the time to shop?"
"Hey, you know me. I can't stand restaurant food for too long, or I start to get fat."
She rolled her eyes at me, "Right. As if. So...to your place."
I investigated my refrigerator while Dana leaned back in her chair, filing down a perfect nail. "How would you feel about lamb chops?"
She smiled, "Can you handle something that complex?"
"Don't insult me." Preheating the oven first, I pulled out the meat and unwrapped a fairly large piece. Pulling a knife out of the rack, I deftly cut slits in the side, and then rummaged through the 'fridge for fresh mint leaves, lemon, parsley, and onions. The lemon I juiced quickly, then minced the parsley and mint leaves separately.
"Could you grate the onion?"
"I thought I wouldn't have to work for my food."
"Well, you can pay for it..."
She tossed her jacket onto the chair, "Fine. Have it your way, again."
Smiling, I slipped the mint leaves into the slits in the meat and rubbed the lemon juice over the meat, then massaged the newly grated onion and minced parsley into it.
"Pretty simple right?"
"Yeah, cook it first, then I'll be impressed."
Arranging the meat onto a pan, I tossed it into the oven with a roasting thermometer. "Done for now."
"How long is this going to take?"
"Eh, say an hour. Maybe less."
"An hour? Damn, if I knew you were going to make me wait, I would have gone out by myself."
"Come on, put your body at risk for friendship."
"I have no friends."
Unfortunately, I had no smart remark to counter that, so I grinned and then turned to make rice. I'm actually partial to rice instead of bread or potatoes as the starchy part of my diet. Somehow, it sits in my system a bit better.
"Put chicken stock into it."
"Lemme wash it first....unless you want whatever they coated this stuff with in your stomach."
While washing the rice, I found myself staring out the window at cityscape outside. It was filled with sparkling lights, that outshone the distant stars.
"You know what you need in here?"
"What?"
"You need some fresh spice plants. Nothing big, but some fresh parsley, cilantro, you know, that sort of thing."
"Why?"
"It would make the room smell nice."
"I'll buy some air freshener."
She flopped down on a chair, "You;re hopeless."
"I prefer brutally mercenary, thanks much."
"I hate to say it, but that was excellent."
I sipped at my wine, "Did you ever doubt my mad skills?"
"You don't have mad skills to doubt."
"Indeed. Would you care for another glass?"
She nodded, "It's very good. Where did you say you got it?"
I smiled as a filled her glass again, "Brought it back from home. Figured that the bar here needed something."
"Good choice. It's a nice vintage," Dana paused for a moment, "So Rei called your phone yet?"
"How did you know?"
She waved her hand off dismissively, "I have my ways. S he's really taking to the job well. She reminds me of....me."
"Always comforting. Manipulative and sneaky, no?"
Dana smiled beautifully, "It's a great combination. You should work well together."