Part 3:
Steeped in ruin and regret, we'd lost track of the outside world.
I had forgotten about the weather!
The budding storm had severely worsened.
Samsam Chicken was closing early.
By now, they were nearly empty anyway.
We paid our bill, put on our coats, and moved to leave.
Strolling past Samsam's little coffee bar off to the side.
At the counter?
We saw an old guy, all alone.
He looked kinda weird. Not that I'm being judge-y. But his expression seemed a little off.
“Hello? Are you okay?" Rick asked.
“Trying to call my daughter. For a ride home. But I can't reach her."
“Where do you need to go?"
“My place is by Marshall Station."
“Marshall Station Road? We're going by there. You want a lift?"
“Can I finish my coffee?" he asked.
“Sure thing."
“Jack Thompson," he said with a tilt of his head.
He took one last swig before we all marched out into the snow.
I had forgotten about the weather!
The budding storm had severely worsened.
Samsam Chicken was closing early.
By now, they were nearly empty anyway.
We paid our bill, put on our coats, and moved to leave.
Strolling past Samsam's little coffee bar off to the side.
At the counter?
We saw an old guy, all alone.
He looked kinda weird. Not that I'm being judge-y. But his expression seemed a little off.
“Hello? Are you okay?" Rick asked.
“Trying to call my daughter. For a ride home. But I can't reach her."
“Where do you need to go?"
“My place is by Marshall Station."
“Marshall Station Road? We're going by there. You want a lift?"
“Can I finish my coffee?" he asked.
“Sure thing."
“Jack Thompson," he said with a tilt of his head.
He took one last swig before we all marched out into the snow.
“You like Samsam?" I asked Jack Thompson. “Or just the coffee?"
“Excellent restaurant. Lots of talent. They've got smarts."
“We're regulars," Rick said. “You have good taste."
“No," he answered.
“No?"
“No, it's not good that. I know. I know that it's good. Was a chef for 37 years. Retired now."
“Wow, awesome," I said.
“Well, not when I was your age. In my day? Men didn't cook so much. At least not in my world. I took a lot of guff."
“So, um, not cool?"
“Oh, they all loved me once I opened my place. The Lavish, it was called. Yeah, that was its name. The Lavish."
“The Lavish," I said.
“And a big hit. Almost right away. Popular. ‘Whatcha got for us, Jack,' they'd all say. Changed their tune right away."
“Is it still open?"
“Well, I sold The Lavish a few years back. New owners tore it down. New name. And that's ok."
“That's sad!"
“Nah. I still got pictures."
“Excellent restaurant. Lots of talent. They've got smarts."
“We're regulars," Rick said. “You have good taste."
“No," he answered.
“No?"
“No, it's not good that. I know. I know that it's good. Was a chef for 37 years. Retired now."
“Wow, awesome," I said.
“Well, not when I was your age. In my day? Men didn't cook so much. At least not in my world. I took a lot of guff."
“So, um, not cool?"
“Oh, they all loved me once I opened my place. The Lavish, it was called. Yeah, that was its name. The Lavish."
“The Lavish," I said.
“And a big hit. Almost right away. Popular. ‘Whatcha got for us, Jack,' they'd all say. Changed their tune right away."
“Is it still open?"
“Well, I sold The Lavish a few years back. New owners tore it down. New name. And that's ok."
“That's sad!"
“Nah. I still got pictures."
The snow raged upon the windshield through furious wind.
Windshield wipers struggled to maintain clarity.
Rick reduced his speed against the banging swells of winter.
Mr. Jack Thompson answered questions as if in the calm of a lecture hall.
“The stress of the kitchen," I wondered. “The orders coming in. How did you know you could deliver?"
“Just did the best I could. Folks'll wait, if the food is good."
“But what if they get mad?"
“A smile and a kind word. Enough to settle most people. And if not? Then they're beyond help."
“But the food?" Genevieve asked. “How did you know it would be great?"
“You put what 'ya got into the pot. Follow the recipe. Or trust your gut. And see how it all turns out. That's all you can do."
“Is that what chefs do?" Rick asked.
“That's what I did," he said. “Put the ingredients in the pot, and cook it how you think best."
Windshield wipers struggled to maintain clarity.
Rick reduced his speed against the banging swells of winter.
Mr. Jack Thompson answered questions as if in the calm of a lecture hall.
“The stress of the kitchen," I wondered. “The orders coming in. How did you know you could deliver?"
“Just did the best I could. Folks'll wait, if the food is good."
“But what if they get mad?"
“A smile and a kind word. Enough to settle most people. And if not? Then they're beyond help."
“But the food?" Genevieve asked. “How did you know it would be great?"
“You put what 'ya got into the pot. Follow the recipe. Or trust your gut. And see how it all turns out. That's all you can do."
“Is that what chefs do?" Rick asked.
“That's what I did," he said. “Put the ingredients in the pot, and cook it how you think best."
Ahead we went, down twisting, slippery, unknowable roads.
Until safely reaching our destination.
We'd arrived at the home of former chef and restauranteur Jack Thompson.
He got out of Rick's car and waved us goodbye.
“Thanks for the lift."
“Thanks for the talk," I said.
“My pleasure. Safe travels, you kids."
And as the car started moving again?
I soon lost myself in the storm.
But not wondering about the readings and the science.
Just observing it, as something there to behold.
The squall was beautiful!
At times, I could almost see colors.
The ride itself was hairy, but Rick took it slow.
Soon enough, we'd made it to my stop.
By now, things had slowed to a dull roar.
I asked Rick to drop me off a few blocks from Mom and Dad's.
I just want to walk home.
Be alone with the weather.
Reflect on how I'd met a witch, who turned out to be really mean, and who nearly killed us and our friends.
And how some times, things just don't go like you planned.
Until safely reaching our destination.
We'd arrived at the home of former chef and restauranteur Jack Thompson.
He got out of Rick's car and waved us goodbye.
“Thanks for the lift."
“Thanks for the talk," I said.
“My pleasure. Safe travels, you kids."
And as the car started moving again?
I soon lost myself in the storm.
But not wondering about the readings and the science.
Just observing it, as something there to behold.
The squall was beautiful!
At times, I could almost see colors.
The ride itself was hairy, but Rick took it slow.
Soon enough, we'd made it to my stop.
By now, things had slowed to a dull roar.
I asked Rick to drop me off a few blocks from Mom and Dad's.
I just want to walk home.
Be alone with the weather.
Reflect on how I'd met a witch, who turned out to be really mean, and who nearly killed us and our friends.
And how some times, things just don't go like you planned.
Despite our bravery and bravado and all our many skills.
We were just not up to the challenge.
Alone, we have been destroyed.
But — we got a lucky save.
All because we knew some super-humans from a parallel dimension.
Our victory came because of our association with the QCP.
The victory was not earned by us.
Or ... so I thought.
But then I considered this:
Rick, Dale and I had received that call for help months ago. From the QCP.
And even though we were warned it was dangerous.
And that we ourselves had nothing to gain.
We stepped up. Selflessly. To help others in need.
And because of that?
We now had the QCP to assist us in our darkest hour.
As if things had come full circle.
That maybe, in a certain way ... we were responsible for the outcome.
We had saved ourselves.
I smiled as the wind whipped the snow, and the wet flakes melted upon my cheeks.
Storms?
They come and and go.
It's the truest thing in the weather world!
Storms come and go.
And when this one finally subsided?
We were going to be all right.
We were just not up to the challenge.
Alone, we have been destroyed.
But — we got a lucky save.
All because we knew some super-humans from a parallel dimension.
Our victory came because of our association with the QCP.
The victory was not earned by us.
Or ... so I thought.
But then I considered this:
Rick, Dale and I had received that call for help months ago. From the QCP.
And even though we were warned it was dangerous.
And that we ourselves had nothing to gain.
We stepped up. Selflessly. To help others in need.
And because of that?
We now had the QCP to assist us in our darkest hour.
As if things had come full circle.
That maybe, in a certain way ... we were responsible for the outcome.
We had saved ourselves.
I smiled as the wind whipped the snow, and the wet flakes melted upon my cheeks.
Storms?
They come and and go.
It's the truest thing in the weather world!
Storms come and go.
And when this one finally subsided?
We were going to be all right.