Claudia made a face, trying to reflect the idea that she objected to the mental image H.G. had painted in her mind. She took a very long drink of her soda before sputtering out, "Sitting in silence it is. Or I can ramble about how the server overhaul at work has been going, since all of that would mean absolutely nothing to you."
But the truth was that, even if ribs took awhile, it wasn't going to take too long for the order. The barbecue place made enough ribs each day that they could just have orders ready to go at very quick notice and not fear the product going to waste.
And, thus, the challenge for H.G. to eat without making a mess was ominously and menacingly looming in the near future.