Fate Of The Dragon

by Richard Lovegood

  I see it.

  Ignoring the stop sign, I zip right into the parking lot and manage to find a decent spot among the half dozen cars that are already here. My car dips, squeaks, and groans as I hop out of my car, slam the door shut, and then lock it. Sometimes I like to make a “boop beep” noise to pretend I have an alarm active on my car. Then I realize that no one in their right mind would ever steal a Geo Metro; especially my little bubble. Turning around, I stare and take in this wonder of a building. The front of the restaurant has the traditional roof that hangs over each wall and covers the side walk. The roof is covered in the traditional shingles, and is multi-tiered as it slopes from the top down to fan out at the bottom. On each corner of the roof that hangs over, there are the Chinese lanterns that are made out of the thin paper material. The windows are clouded over with a white hue that makes it opaque. I can see silhouettes of people moving about, or sitting down, but even those are blurry. To cover each window is the traditional Chinese geometric patterns formed into a lattice. The doors are massive. They are a deep red color with lion head knockers on both. Each door is decorated in large, circular, golden metal balls that cover them from the top to the bottom. I can’t help but count them. Let’s see: nine down and five across. That makes 45 golden balls per door. I wonder if there is any significance behind that number, or the balls themselves? I look up once more, and am not sure how I missed this last detail. On top of the roof stands a giant red dragon. It is crouching on its hind legs, with its wings spread to capacity. With one clawed hand it grips the roof, and with the other it is outstretched to the parking lot in a “come hither” gesture.

  Yikes. I wonder if that statue alone is bringing in all the publicity.

  I shrug my shoulders, and I walk inside. My eyes tear up, my stomach rejoices, and my entire body quivers in delight. I can’t believe what I am seeing! They have a breakfast bar, a lunch bar, a salad bar, a dinner bar, and a dessert bar! Oh, happy day! The lady behind the hostess booth waits in silence as she stares at me. It takes me a minute to realize that she is actually there, and that she is not sharing my excitement over food.

  “Would you like table, sir?” she asks me.

  I nod my head as fast as I can. I’m so excited I can hardly control myself!

  “You follow me, sir.” she says. Grabbing one of the menus, she guides me to the first empty table and gestures for me to sit down. “Someone be with you shortly, sir.” Funny, she wasn’t wearing a name tag. I would have tried to thank her by name if she was wearing one, but I think I will just remain silent and joyful.

  I open up the menu and my eyes alight with glee. Here is a noteworthy saying at the top of the page: “Free delivery after 4:00pm, $15 minimum purchase.” Well now, that shouldn’t be too hard at all. Thankfully these menus are paper, so I could probably bring it home with me. Time to see what all they offer. Let me take a look at the breakfast column. That’s funny; they only offer two things here: rice pudding with a complimentary fortune cookie. Ok let me try the lunch portion of the menu. I turn the page, and breathe a sigh of relief. This looks much more appealing. Here I see all of the familiar things that a Chinese restaurant should have. Pork, chicken, beef, soups, rice; it is all here.

  The menu itself is decorated in a very unique fashion. The words are written in gold on top of a cloudy grey background. Within the background, there are clouds etched out in dark grey and black. When I tilt the menu to and fro, I swear it makes the clouds move. At each corner, there sits a bright red dragon similar to the one that sits on the roof of this building. The eyes of the dragons on the page, however, glow with a golden color to match the words on the page. Odd thing this technology is.

  Enough staring! Time to order some food! As I lower the menu a man is standing right by my table. His timing is hauntingly perfect. Holding a pad of paper, and a pencil he stoically stands there. Blank expression. Hollow eyes. Skin is dry, grey, and cracked like a painter’s canvas that has been in storage for half a century. His hair is fibrous and sinewy. All happiness and joy have apparently taken a vacation from this man’s soul. How long he has been standing there? Is he dead? There isn’t a name tag either. Strange. Oh well. Patience is visibly wearing thin, as the statuesque man shuts his eyes, takes in a deep breath and then lets it out; slowly. Had it been a gentle spring breeze out in the park, I would be fine, but to have his breath waft past my nose with a pungent odor so foul, my spring fantasies are fleeting. I’ve known school cafeterias with a less rancid smell. “Can I take order, sir?” he says.

  “Y-y-yes.” I say. I don’t want to say anything more, and make myself the laughing stock of this restaurant. I can see it now. Every time I come in here from now on, they would forever know me as the old, fat, stuttering priest. I think I will stick to the pointing method, so that way they can stick with just the “old and fat” part of my future label. I open up the menu, and point to the items that I want. I start with the Beef with Eggplant dish. That sounds yummy.

  “You want double portion?” the man asks me. Yeah, he knows. I simply nod my head with a big smile. “What else you want?”

  I point to two more items in the beef section: Kung Pao Beef and the General Tso’s Beef. I love the extra spicy bits! The man nods his head as he writes the items down. As he turns to leave, he says, “I place order. You have food in ten minutes.”

  I clear my throat.

  “You want more?” he asks with a surprised tone.

  I simply nod my head again. I want to see if I can place an order to go, but I want to see if I can do it without stuttering too terribly bad. “T-t-to go order p-p-please.” Well that wasn’t too bad. I hope.

  The man smiles broadly. “Yes sir. What you want? We love customers who order more. Please take time.”

  I point to the Hot and Sour soup, four portions of the Fried Pork Dumplings, Chicken with Broccoli, shrimp fried rice, Szechuan shrimp, and some more beef with eggplant because I love eggplant! The man raises one eyebrow as he writes all of this down. “Anything else?” he asks me. I hold up one finger to indicate that I am not done, and that I am still looking. I turn to the back page. Oh, sweet merciful Mary! They have chef specialties! I point to the Pan-Fried Noodles. That one comes with mixed seafood in a white sauce on the top of the Pan-Fried Noodles. Last but not least, I point to the Dragon and Phoenix. I read briefly through all of the specials, but somehow my eyes kept coming back to this one. My tummy agrees. I have made a wise decision. This one sounds like dinner all by itself so I can revel in the amazing flavor combo. Hot and spicy chicken chunks with shrimp and mixed vegetables in white sauce sounds like heaven in my belly!

  My waiter smiles at me after he writes down that last item. “You make very excellent choices, sir. “Ok, you pay now?” he asks me.

  “Later.” I manage to squeak out without a stutter. I smile and give a “thumbs up” gesture.

  “Ok. You have food in ten minutes.” He chuckles silently to himself and walks away. This is going to make things so easy! I can hardly wait to sink my teeth into the Beef and Eggplant! I wonder if they grill or fry their eggplant here. I guess I will find out once the food comes out. I don’t care either way, because both are equally tasty. Then of course with the General Tso to give me that spicy kick at the end, it will be lovely.

  There is a large crashing sound, followed by a slamming sound.

  What in the world is going on in this place? What have I gotten myself into? Maybe I should just take all of my food to go when it comes to the table. Yeah. That is a great idea. I will do just that. Please oh please ten minutes better hurry up! I am starving, but I think it can wait if there are any more catastrophes from back in the kitchen. Do they have fresh shrimp? Do they have fresh chicken? What about the beef? Is that fresh too? I should check the menu. I flip the pages over past all the food. I flip it over and take a look at the back side. Without a doubt, there is a disclaimer on the back. How did I not notice it when I first pulled up? This place just so happens to have its own “pettin
g zoo” behind the building. It goes on to say that each and every meat-based dish is from freshly harvested animals that they raise. That probably explains all of the slamming sounds I heard earlier. I breathe a sigh of relief, and I feel better now.

  The double doors of the kitchen fly open with the approaching food carts. That must be my order. I check my watch: it has been ten minutes exactly. How neat! As it comes to the table, all of it is neatly wrapped in to go packages, except for the food I ordered to eat here. My double portion of Beef and Eggplant looks and smells divine. The spicy general looks like it should: hot, steamy, spicy, and very inviting. Then right in the center, right between the two trays, lays a strangely wrapped thing. The paper is a dark charcoal grey with a bright red bow around it. I point my finger at it, look up at my waiter, and furrow my brow in hopes that he knows I am trying my best to portray an inquisitive expression.

  “That is fortune cookie.”

  It worked. I smile and nod my head. I bow my head to give thanks for my food. After I finish praying, I notice that my waiter is nowhere to be found. Strange. Oh well. I place my napkin across my lap, grab my fork and I begin to chow down. My mouth swarms with flavor, joy, pleasure, and bliss all at the same time. How could Chinese food be so good? I am so glad that I ordered extra food to go! I am going to be in heaven when I get home from running all my errands. I take another bite. Oh, my goodness! People say that the first bite is usually the best one and that the other bites have no comparison. Well I say phooey! Those people have not eaten here yet! The second bite as well as the third, fourth, and fifth bites are equally good! I want to just rub my face all over this plate! That’s it. I can’t take it anymore and I don’t care who sees me. I lean forward, place my mouth on the side of my plate and I start to shovel the food into my mouth. Oh, the joy! Oh, the sensation of flavor all over the inside of my mouth! This is amazing!

  I am interrupted by my waiter who loudly clears his throat as he stands by my table. I blink repeatedly as I rise from my pseudo feeding trough, and I look upon my interrupter. A moment of clarity rings true. What am I doing? Why this sudden urge to lose control? I feel something hit my lap, and I notice it was a piece of food which means my mouth is hanging open or it can’t shut because of all the food that is still bathing the inside of my mouth. “Would you like bill, sir?” he asks me.

  I don’t want to stutter around the spicy beef. So, I just nod my head instead while covering my mouth.

  He places the black tray, with the bill clipped inside, down in front of me. For all that I ordered, I realize now that it could have fed a family of ten people; maybe twelve. The final total at the bottom says $123.43. That is insane. I drop my head in shame and I stare at my belly. It’s all your fault, stomach. You should not have rumbled in the first place.

  “You want fortune cookie?” my waiter asks me. “Fortune cookie is free. You take it. You like it. You read it.”

  Following his advice, I open the pretty little package before me. Usually, most fortune cookies come in clear plastic wrappers. Some have pictures of panda bears on them, or sometimes small red writing that you can barely make out. Not these. As I undo the wrapping, the cookie looks like all of the other cookies. It is kind of crescent shaped with a folded-over hollow center, and the ever so popular slip of paper inside. I crack it in half, pull the two pieces apart, and remove the paper.

  “You read it. Out loud.” my waiter says with a smile that seems to imply a sinister demand.

  “F-fine.” I say. I stare at the words on the small slip of paper, and I blink a few times to make sure my eyes are in focus. They are not focusing. I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out my glasses, and put them on. Much better. What does this little thing have to say about me? It’s probably going to be something very generic and simple like, “You will have an opportunity to smile today” or “Never get too upset over something that won’t matter tomorrow”. Mine is not simple, or generic. “Your words will forever flow smooth and free. Without a stutter, you shall be. Spreading hurt will affect only some, but no more truth from this kingdom.” After reading this out loud I eat the cookie.

  Without thinking, I place my credit card down onto the tray. Is it true? Could a fortune cookie be that spot on about me? Is my stutter really gone? Did I just hear myself clearly? What in the world is going on here? I have to ask. The waiter bows his head and rushes off before I have a chance to wash the cookie remains down with my water. Wonderful. I look back down at my fortune paper, and it’s blank.

  What?!

  This is just great. I have a waiter who is way too eager to charge my card, a magical disappearing fortune paper, and a tummy that isn’t satisfied; yet. I’m in no real hurry, so I suppose I will continue to finish my food while I wait on my waiter to get back. The food still is amazing. I am still stunned as to how good it is. It’s like a first bite for every bite. I don’t get it. I polish off the first plate and then move to the second one. Wait, there is a gas bubble forming up. I burp loudly, and then exhale deeply. Ah! I now have more room. General Tso, your spicy beef is mine! I chuckle inwardly at the conversations I have sometimes with myself.

  The waiter reappears with my card. I sign the receipt, and hand him back the tray. I place my card back in my wallet, and then polish off the second plate of food. He stands there watching me with almost a look of disgust on his face. I must commend him, because he did not lose his composure over it. He bows his head deeply and says to me, “On behalf of entire staff here at Dragon’s Garden, we thank you for eating here. Please tell whole world of delicious food here! Please bring people with you next time. What your job?”

  “I am a priest at the catholic church here in town. Why?” My eyes grow wide as I cover my mouth with a loud smack. I just blurted out a whole sentence without one single stutter!

  The waiter narrows his eyes, smiles out of the corner of his mouth and says, “That is best job in whole city. You should bring whole church people to here after service. We love all church people. For now, you go. You take food and go. Go spread word of good food here.”

  “Wait. Does that mean you all are believers then?” I ask. If the answer is yes then I am going to invite them to come to the next mass service.

  The waiter slowly raises his head and tilts it to one side. “Yes, we believe. We all believe in what you believe. Less talk to us, more talk to other people. Go! Go!” He makes a shoo motion with his hands and ushers me out the door. I can barely walk, with a partially full tummy, and very full hands with to go food.

  I make it to my car, load up my extras, and I get in. The car starts fine, but I don’t want to turn the radio on because I know I am going to hear that same commercial about the place of divinely inspired food over and over again. All I would end up doing at that point is make another excuse to come back here to order more food to last me maybe the rest of the week. I don’t want that to happen right now, because I have a list to finish! I still need to get sand paper from the hardware store and then I need to go to the alteration shop to get these pants fixed. Once all that is complete I can go back to my crummy apartment and work on yet another dry and weary sermon for my coworkers to read out loud to a dry and weary congregation.

  Hold on a second. I just rattled off in my head my entire to-do list without having to panic, or look at my list! Wow! You know what? I think I am going to head to the alteration shop right now. I’m feeling pretty good about myself right now. As a matter of fact, I think that if that short little know-it-all mean lady has anything nasty to say to me this time, I will just have a few words of my own for her. Ha! I feel amazing. I feel confident.

  I feel like someone is watching me. As I pull out of my parking spot at the restaurant, I look over my shoulder and realize that I was right. Three people from the restaurant are watching me space out in my little bubble car. That’s ok, because I don’t care right now. I’m on a mission. Nothing and nobody is going to stop me right now. I turn out of the parking lot, and speed off towards the alterati
on shop. This is going to be the best day of my life!

  “Son? Can you hear me?”

  4

  Everything in Working Order

  So, my name is Aiden, I’m a Genetically Ordained Core, and from what I just learned I am a day old. I exit the auditorium through the back door with these new-found facts, and my thoughts begin to wander as I turn to look at the building I just left.

  There are cracks above the door. This building must be old.

  I really hope I am selected to go to the great tunnel soon. How does that happen though? Do they call my name? Do they know my name? This is weird. I move at a slow pace with everyone else until we form a single line that leads outside. Maybe they’re going to have another briefing soon? I’m not sure. I continue to move towards the area the captain told us about in the briefing; the place for socializing. Once I get outside, I look around to take in the view.

  Wow!

  I thought the auditorium was huge. This area, let alone city, is at least 100 auditoriums in size! As I look down, I see that there are millions more than what was inside. Up above the social area is a huge black square. I can’t remember if the captain mentioned that or not. No, no he didn’t say anything about it. “Beware the big, spooky, black square” would have been hard to forget. As long as it remains motionless, then I shall count it as decoration. I just hope it doesn’t fall on me. Now, let me see. Where should I go? There seems to be a talkative mass to my left. Oh look! There just happens to be a talkative mass to my right as well. Joy.

  As the last of us leave the building, the doors close. That must have been a signal of some kind, because both talkative groups come to say hello.