InSanity~Normalize, Don't Stigmatize Mentall Illness.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Merchant Marine, II: He Got Hot and Bothered. I Watched and Laughed.

   Troy and I were the only customers at House of Bamboo, a quaint Thai eatery in downtown Chico, site of our first date.
    "So tell me about your work on a spy ship," I said, "or would you have to kill me?"
   Troy appeared amused, yet suave. We perused the menus, took sips of ice water, and chatted. 
   "It's not that," he responded. "It's all confidential. I might be leaving in early May, but I don't know for sure, and I don't know where I'm going or what I'll be doing. On one project, we drilled at the bottom of the ocean. I'm sure we were looking for oil, but they didn't tell us."
    I contorted my face, perplexed. "How can you look for something if you don't know what you're looking for?"
   "Oh, I knew."
   The waiter approached, pen in hand, and started with my date.
   "I'll take the chicken curry soup with red curry," he said. "Really, really, spicy if you will."
    After I ordered, Troy emphasized, "Don't skimp on the spice please. I like it really hot." You are, I thought.
 ~~Insert easy discourse, and meal is served~~~
    Troy glanced at me, spooning his soup. "Go ahead. I'm listening."
   "Okay, well,"--I began chewing my chicken-- "long story longer, I came to Chico for a writing job that fell through. Then I went back to social services. It's great, even though" --I sat taller-- "I got punched in the nose by a client last Monday."
   "Wow!" Troy's eyebrows shot up.
   "It's not that bad, really." I feigned modesty. "I didn't get hurt at all, even though the client's twice my size, because I'm pretty tough and quick to respond in crisis and--"
   "Here, try this." Troy fed me a spoonful of soup, after which I quickly finished the rest of my water.
   "Yeah, that's hot! Woo, very spicy," I confirmed, disappointed that his "wow" wasn't in response to my bravado.
   "I like it this way," he said casually, pearls of sweat forming on his brow.
   Troy continued to eat, sweat, and dab his forehead with a white cloth napkin. This cycle repeated itself. Meanwhile, I rambled as if I didn't notice.    
   
   The waiter rushed over. "Are you okay, sir?"
   I couldn't help but laugh. "He's trying to tough it out. The man's gonna finish that soup, if it's that last thing he does. And it might just be the last thing he does."
   With a chuckle, the waiter left to bring a pitcher of water.
   "I'm fine," Troy assured me. "I like it really hot." You are, I thought, and so do I.
   As he subtlety ran the back of his hand across his forehead, I said, "Anyway, I spend all my spare time, if there is such a thing as spare time, what a concept, huh? I spend all of it on writing projects like..."
  
   I finished my meal a couple minutes before Troy proudly displayed his shiny, empty soup bowl.
~~Insert walking and talking~~~
   Troy reached for the door handle and opened my car door. He then leaned in and imparted a warm brief kiss tastefully tinged with romance, seduction and really, really hot spicy Thai red curry soup.
  "Give me a call," I said, as I scooted into the driver's seat.
  "No, you call me. I asked you out, so you make the next call."
  Interesting rule, Joe Cool. "Okay, I will." ...and so HE would...Stay tuned.

26 comments:

  1. You are the mistress of suspense. More please. Soon.

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  2. Oh, you're such a tease... Of us at least; hopefully not of Gene Kelly (I mean Troy). I have so much catching up to do on your blog, I think I'll start from the beginning. But in the meantime, I'll keep up with current events.

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  3. Troy does not sound like the best listener. Was he on a date with the soup??

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  4. Like the lines in the Grease song 'Summer Nights' says, 'TELL ME MORE! TELL ME MORE!' Although in the future, he should eat bread if it's too spicy....water just makes it worse. I learned that lesson the hard way.

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  5. Or a banana JoJo. I hope it works out.

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  6. Hot and spicy and it was only food lol

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  7. Ha! If food is hot enough to make you sweat, it's too spicy! And then...? :D

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  8. STILL no conclusion? You tease!

    Any guy who can eat Thai-hot is a champ. I'm just surprised he didn't burn you with that kiss. I feel like I can breathe fire after I eat an extra spicy Thai curry.

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  9. I think he was torturing himself with the soup to impress you, Robyn. He's a man who can take punishment and enjoy it. You'd better start practising by whipping Dupont on his butt.

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  10. Not necessarily so, my father used to sweat after eating a good cheese.

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  11. Oh my goodness. He is tough. My nose would have been running!

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  12. I so could not have eaten that. He's way tough. You are giving me lots of lessons in patience with this one. :)

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  13. It's getting mighty hot around these parts :)

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  14. I like spicy food but it doesn't like me. Swallowing it isn't the problem. The problem comes later.

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  15. I'm not liking the fact that he wasn't listening to you when you were talking to him, spicey or no spicey ;)

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  16. I only like hot and spicy in one area of my life. And it ain't in the kitchen. Well, it could be, so I'll rephrase that. It ain't in the food. Troy definitely needs to learn to be more attentive to the date and less so on the soup.

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  17. Hope he went home and ate a pint of ice cream.....chocolate of course. But not before the heat cleaned his ears out; good listening skills, not!

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  18. Thanks for your comments, sillies. To his credit, Troy listened during the "Insert..." parts and I played up the soup factor (just a bit). But he did impress himself and, well, me.

    JoJo and Jo, I suggested he get some rice with it. He initially said he didn't need it, then asked for some. It helped.

    Theresa, I agree. Hot and spicy isn't for food.

    Cheers! xo

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  19. Just goes to prove that 'really spicy' means different things to different people lol!

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  20. I like where you left off. Keeps you wanting more.

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  21. I don't know whether to be envious or relieved yet. My dating life is non-existent, but it is also drama-free. Hmmm.

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  22. Robin, you can be relieved. Life is dramatic enough. Who needs added drama?

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  23. That soup was making me sweat.
    I wonder if he could repeat anything you said to him. Waiting for more Robyn...
    Your thoughts in your stories are hilarious.

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  24. Hmm...reading these backwards is giving me a unique perspective.
    I think you should see him off to sea with a thermos filled with that spicy soup.

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