Funnel Cake Who: Ronnie and Merrick What: A first meeting and talking about food When: Thursday, September 3, 2020 [backdated] Where: Las Vegas Warning(s): none
It was another walk through the bigger and shiny city compared to the other. Merrick made his way through the streets from his master’s apartment, following the scents of food made by hand in close quarters and for a day’s wage. The djinn wore shades of violet with his sleeves rolled up past his elbows.
Underneath a tree, Merrick held a spicy tuna poke bowl in a cardboard container in one hand and a plastic fork in the other. He rested his back against the smooth bark of the tree and savored the flavors. But Merrick was really craving one of those carnival favorites - funnel cake.
---
Ronnie was wandering the streets of Vegas following a particular food truck. He’d heard about it online and the intrigue was there. Hair tied back into a bun, some of it fluttered loose, he followed the mobile device and paused. “Oh lobsters,” a breath outward and he looked up. “Finally!”
It was a desert truck that specialized in carnival fare like funnel cake and other sweet confections.
His phone went back into his pocket and he gaped after the truck with awe. The smells - they were delightful.
—
The djinn finished off the bowl and tossed the cardboard and utensil in a nearby trash bin. Then he turned to see Ronnie walk up. For once in a very long while, Merrick grew still and silent as he looked at the ebony-haired and ivory-skinned man. He had seen faces reoccur in his long life. But never the face of someone he had cared for as much as he had for Arthur. Now someone who looked exactly like him stood there.
Merrick took a moment, sniffed back a bit of emotion, and then pushed himself forward towards the other man. “Following the siren scent of powdered sugar over golden fried and fluffy dough?”
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Ronnie turned and smiled. “I’ve been tracking this truck for a half hour!” Turning back to the thing in question he shrugged. “I want to see if theirs is as good as mine. Nothing wrong with sizing up the competition, right?” The scents smelled so good.
Maybe it was a siren scent, or maybe he was just hungry.
—
“Oh? You cook?” Merrick asked, keeping to this conversation since everything else was screaming that the man standing before him was someone he had lost over seventy years ago. The djinn held a proper distance between him and Ronnie. Think about food, cooking.
“Let me,” he spoke again. Then Merrick went up to the truck in question, ordered a funnel cake, and within minutes returned to the younger man with the confection.
---
“Oh yeah,” Ronnie laughed. “It’s my thing.” Those light eyes would turn back to the stranger. “What about you? You seem to know food.” Not that it wasn’t a common thing now that the internet was full of recipes.
And then he blinked. “Oh, thanks, that’s so nice. Uh, you’re going to eat that. Right?”
—
A warm smile spread across the djinn’s lips, not catching at the moment that Ronnie didn’t have a Brooklyn accent. “I am dabbling in cooking. It has become a new hobby.”
“You’re quite welcome. Only if you join me.” Merrick replied and plucked a couple of plastic forks from his pocket.
—
“I love food,” he confessed with a happy sigh. Not only were the memories of old favorable as time spent with his mother, but the creativity and skill involved made him feel like he was contributing to a form of art lost on many upon consumption. It was a wonder that he was in any shape at all considering his unbridled love with anything he could put into his mouth for nourishment.
“And turn down funnel cake? Fat chance.” A laugh and Ronnie accepted the fork. He cut a piece of the funnel cake and nabbed it, taking the bite. A soft groan. “Oh man, that’s so good.”
—
The old djinn was only half-thinking as he listened to Ronnie and loved being in the company of this man. Artie. Merrick had barely gotten his hands dirty in a few dishes he had taught himself to make. His master had pretty much ignored him, letting him purchase food for his learning.
He smiled and held the plate firmly as he watched Ronnie. It was like going back in time and yet like a variation. The djinn had shared a hot dog with the man he loved looked like the man before him. It was like a piece of jazz music improvised over the decades. Merrick let Ronnie take the first bite, smiling at that soft groan. Then he cut a piece and plucked it from the plate. Eating the piece, Merrick grinned and nodded. “Simple, yet quite lovely.”
---
“Well said,” he nodded. Another bite would be taken but he didn’t get too much, preferring that the stranger consume as much as he wanted. Even though he wanted to share, which was a nice gesture, Ronnie didn’t want to ruin the experience by consuming all of the treat.
“I don’t think I caught your name.” He smiled and held out a free hand that didn’t have a utensil in it. “I’m Ronnie.”
—
Merrick was all willing to let the other man eat as much of the cake as he wanted. Sharing was what he wished to do. This reverie was blinding. Yet he cut another small bite and ate it.
Nodding, he tucked his fork along his side of the confection and placed his hand in Ronnie’s. “Merrick. A pleasure to meet you, Ronnie.” The djinn smiled, fondness beginning to rise in his dark brown eyes.
---
Ronnie shook Merrick’s hand with gentle zeal. He always welcomed a moment to make a new friend. “I’m glad to meet you, too. Merrick, that is a cool name.” He didn’t ask where it was from, he didn’t want to be rude. And once the shake was done he let go.
Another bite of the funnel cake would be stolen. “So you said you’re into cooking, yeah? What’s your favorite thing to make?”
—
The djinn was casual with most people, but didn’t let people get too close. It was always meeting in neutral locations or the other person’s place. Merrick wanted to live beyond the boundaries of his long servitude. He returned the shake, adding a bit of firmness. “Likewise, Ronnie.” Merrick smiled and let go instead of what he wanted to do - pull the young man close and kiss him.
Artie.
“Yes. So far...Chicken curry. But I’m not sure if I’m doing it right.” Merrick replied as he went back to eating the funnel cake. He was still quite new at things. Sometimes over-ambition was inevitable.
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“Chicken curry is amazing! Sorry if this is rude, but what do you think you’re going wrong with?” He didn’t mean to pry but he was always willing to help a friend in need. Even with a recipe. “I can help, if you want that is.”
Another bit of the funnel cake and he waited to see what the verdict was.
—
Nodding, Merrick urged his smile to stay. The focus of the conversation was good. “No! Not at all,” he shook his head. “I would appreciate any assistance. I’ve been looking at a few recipes and I tried the one with coconut milk and I don’t think it’s coming out right. And the type of curry. It’s been a very long time since I’ve tasted curry.”
The djinn offered more of the cake to Ronnie with the faint sound of the rings on each of his fingers clinking together.
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“You can use a full fat coconut milk, at least fifteen ounces, and that should get the consistency you want.” It made a difference as to the thickness of the curry, and the flavor. “Do you mind sharing your recipe with me? It’s cool if not, but I can look at it and see if there’s anything else.”
Food got him worked up.
—
Nodding, Merrick wiped the powdered sugar off his lips with the back of his index finger. “Thank you. Yes. I don’t mind at all.” He smiled and laid his fork back on the half-empty plate of funnel cake. It was a thing for the djinn to keep items he valued close.
He slipped a piece of folded paper out of his trouser pocket and offered it to Ronnie. The recipe was written small in quill tipped ink - a recipe typical of recipe sites on the internet. The djinn had a question mark by the curry and coconut milk.
---
That was an interesting quirk, having a parchment with the ingredients written in your pocket ready to hand over like a bar phone number. Ronnie set his fork in a pocket, prongs up, and he took the paper.
A careful unfolding and he looked at it. “Your list is so short. So much goes into this. I can, um? I can finish it? And give it back to you if that’s okay?”
—
Old fashioned and without a phone, Merrick made the best of his situation. He often found some of the modern conveniences noisy. The djinn was still sticking to the moment of this man who looked like Artie, but was named Ronnie.
“Mmm,” Merrick nodded and bowed his head slightly. “That’s okay. I would appreciate it. Forgive me for not having the complete recipe. I feel that you are probably a master at cooking.”
---
“Oh, no you don’t have to apologize. Really,” he laughed, shaking his head, “I don’t want to overstep you or anything. But I’m happy to help. Where can I find you to give this back?”
—
Then the djinn remembered that he had a phone, which he more than usual only used to call or text. The other features were a little lost on him even after two years of having it. “Oh, yes.” Merrick smiled and pulled a cell phone from his back pocket. “I am living in an apartment about five blocks away, not terribly close to the strip.” He nodded as he unlocked the phone and offered it to Ronnie.
---
A nod. The paper was very carefully folded and put into a jacket pocket for later review. And carefully he accepted Merrick’s mobile phone, plugging his information into it. “Ah, cool, cool. I used to live here, I can’t remember if I mentioned that already or not. Neat place. Always so bright and energetic.” The phone was offered back after his information was saved.
— “Oh? It’s a nice place. I like the energy. I also like Searchlight. It seems quite interesting, different. I’ve been to quite a few big cities and small towns.” Merrick nodded, watching Ronnie. Then he took back his phone.
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“Searchlight is great.” He made a face, amused. “I have a feeling nobody from there actually admits that but I like it. It’s quiet, it’s pretty safe, it’s a good family town. Slower paced. You know what I mean? Vegas is like the opposite in almost every way.”
—
“It is,” Merrick laughed lightly. “Definitely. This place,” he gestured towards the casinos, “is so loud and bright. Nothing like New York City.” The djinn smirked, not realizing he had spoken by a time decades ago.
---
“Sure, but New York can get loud, too.” His smile was warm for Merrick, and Ronnie shrugged. “But maybe it’s different now than it was a while ago.” And everywhere had their peaceful places, those little times where nothing happened and the world kept moving.
“I think all of that,” a hand waved at the lights, “is to attract all of the drunk people. You know? They like...flock to bright stuff. Like magpies.”
—
“Mmm, yes. Mainly downtown at the harbor.” Merrick smiled, his eyes smiling as well. Then he realized the reality of Ronnie’s words. “Yes, yes it must be.” The apartment he had been in with Arthur so many years ago was quiet for the most part. It was his favorite place.
“Really? Yes. Exactly. Magpies, moths with cicada voices.”
---
Another soft laugh. “Yeah, or maybe that’s my opinion. They’re certainly attracting attention. Whatever the target audience.” A nod at the description of the animals. “Anything that likes anything shiny would work.”
—
“Mmm, yes. Of the few places I’ve been in the U.S., this place is the shiniest. I am glad we met today.” Merrick offered graciously, his heart still whispering Artie. “There are not many people as genuinely friendly in this city.”
---
Ronnie nodded, turning to look at the lights. He studied a neon sign and then turned to look back at his new friend. “Thanks! Me too! I love meeting new people. I feel like a bit of a collector sometimes.” He wasn’t bragging, merely stating he had a lot of good people in his life.
—
“You’re welcome! I do too. Much better than just watching them.” Merrick wrinkled his nose with amusement. “I hope we can talk again about food and also nice and quiet times.” The djinn sighed as he slipped his phone into his pocket.
---
“Of course we can! You can text or whatever anytime and if I’m ever out this way I’ll let you know and maybe we can meet up.” He offered Merrick a grin. “I should probably let you go. I gotta head back. It’s a bit of a drive home.”
Ronnie moved to stand up.
—
Merrick stood in a moment after Ronnie.
“I would like that,” the djinn nodded. “Yes, yes. Have a safe drive. Watch out for the magpies.” Merrick smiled as he stood, eyes twinkling a little as he gazed at the other man.
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“You too,” he laughed, nodding. “Catch you later!” With that, Ronnie turned and waved before wandering off toward where he’d parked his truck.
—
Merrick waved and remained there to watch Ronnie leave before he left himself - making his way towards the apartment he resided with his master.