Congratulations !
You have been awarded points.
Thank you for !
- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Family
- Published: 10/19/2016
Briquettes
Born 1968, M, from Stone Mountain, United StatesBriquettes
The midmorning sun peered through the branches of the great oak in front of brothers, Cyrus and Redd's family restaurant. The middle limbs cast a shadow across the parking lot and lawn with the wood pole and wood swinging sign attached to it that read, Briquettes. The scent of grilled chicken, veggie kebabs, turkey burgers, stir fry and baked potatoes: chopped or whole, drifted down the road. The strips of romaine lettuce held the chopped tomatoes, the tangerines, dried cranberries, diced turkey and croutons that completed the house salad; the range dressings from Lite Italian to Raspberry Vinaigrette are stacked in the refrigerator with the glass door. The three 50 inch TV's were recently added by manager and older brother, Cyrus. The Ten Commandments in the office and the crucifix on the wall was their mother's idea the original and one and only owner.
"Of all the people I thought would betray me, I knew you would never be one of them," said Redd. When you or this restaurant needed something, I went out of my way to be here for you," he told Cyrus as they argued behind the restaurant. Redd threw the knife in the dirt. The gloves soon followed as he continued walking down a trail leading to the lake 300 yards away.
"This place is your responsibility," says Cyrus following him and pointing back to Briquettes, "not traveling two hours away to Decatur to audition for the theatre production of Glory or an extra in The Final Four's 12th Seed, or some madness like that"
Look at the big sports fan. And it's an audition for lead as well as an extra. You're a hypocrite Cyrus. It can be something you like, but if it has anything to do with me or anybody else its madness. What I do with my time off is my business," replies Redd. "The restaurant is not open on Saturday, so how would you have lost business because I took the weekend off. How?! You wouldn't have. And the money and vacation time I asked for I more than earned. If anything, you owe me for the double shifts I worked unloading trucks, cutting grass and cleaning up the parking lot after that Memorial Day barbeque. I covered so other employees could eat and watch fireworks on pontoons on that lake down there."
"Your place is in this restaurant just as much as mine. Mom intended for us to run it together."
"No. My place isn't," says Redd pointing at Cyrus. "And mom intends for you to run it right. But you won't be running me in the ground to do it. That fall festival Briquettes is helping to cater the last week of October--I won't be here. I'm done. I'll be in Decatur. I should make it back to enjoy the festival on the final day before I start my new job in town writing, proofreading and editing, but my days at Briquettes are over. And if Maya tells mom you applied for a liquor license, Maya will be running the restaurant. So I'd call and cancel that request. You know little sis' wants nothing more but to run Briquettes.
Briquettes(Elliott Laurence)
Briquettes
The midmorning sun peered through the branches of the great oak in front of brothers, Cyrus and Redd's family restaurant. The middle limbs cast a shadow across the parking lot and lawn with the wood pole and wood swinging sign attached to it that read, Briquettes. The scent of grilled chicken, veggie kebabs, turkey burgers, stir fry and baked potatoes: chopped or whole, drifted down the road. The strips of romaine lettuce held the chopped tomatoes, the tangerines, dried cranberries, diced turkey and croutons that completed the house salad; the range dressings from Lite Italian to Raspberry Vinaigrette are stacked in the refrigerator with the glass door. The three 50 inch TV's were recently added by manager and older brother, Cyrus. The Ten Commandments in the office and the crucifix on the wall was their mother's idea the original and one and only owner.
"Of all the people I thought would betray me, I knew you would never be one of them," said Redd. When you or this restaurant needed something, I went out of my way to be here for you," he told Cyrus as they argued behind the restaurant. Redd threw the knife in the dirt. The gloves soon followed as he continued walking down a trail leading to the lake 300 yards away.
"This place is your responsibility," says Cyrus following him and pointing back to Briquettes, "not traveling two hours away to Decatur to audition for the theatre production of Glory or an extra in The Final Four's 12th Seed, or some madness like that"
Look at the big sports fan. And it's an audition for lead as well as an extra. You're a hypocrite Cyrus. It can be something you like, but if it has anything to do with me or anybody else its madness. What I do with my time off is my business," replies Redd. "The restaurant is not open on Saturday, so how would you have lost business because I took the weekend off. How?! You wouldn't have. And the money and vacation time I asked for I more than earned. If anything, you owe me for the double shifts I worked unloading trucks, cutting grass and cleaning up the parking lot after that Memorial Day barbeque. I covered so other employees could eat and watch fireworks on pontoons on that lake down there."
"Your place is in this restaurant just as much as mine. Mom intended for us to run it together."
"No. My place isn't," says Redd pointing at Cyrus. "And mom intends for you to run it right. But you won't be running me in the ground to do it. That fall festival Briquettes is helping to cater the last week of October--I won't be here. I'm done. I'll be in Decatur. I should make it back to enjoy the festival on the final day before I start my new job in town writing, proofreading and editing, but my days at Briquettes are over. And if Maya tells mom you applied for a liquor license, Maya will be running the restaurant. So I'd call and cancel that request. You know little sis' wants nothing more but to run Briquettes.
- Share this story on
- 6
COMMENTS (0)