Path of the Vampire forum

“It is all about learning something new, Sunshine.” FG had been around the block more times than he could count and had a manual on how not to do things. He was still learning himself. Trial and error did wonders for retaining the information he had gathered so far. “Weiners, fires, weed and even the adult kool aid. Always something to be discovered about things we thought we knew everything about.” He gave a firm nod and nudged the meat in his care sending it on a nice roll back and forth until he was satisfied it was all good to go. “Sounds like they are about done.”

Each plate was graced with a world class bun and centered for the impending reception. The tell tale hiss of the meat plumping up with hot juicy flavor was all the cue he needed. He reached for the sharp prep knife that he favored for the task of slicing the bed of goodness that would support the length of the infamous Wonderland dogs.

“Now you see here is what I like to point out as almost as important as the meat itself.” Moving slower than usual for the benefit of holding his trainee’s attention he held up the knife in his hand and pointed to the first of the two buns that would be used for demonstration. “I like to go for the cradle presentation. It gives you more stability than the typical side cut. You can build more and still contain it for clean eating. Watch closely.” Furious George took the time to open one bun with a slicing technique he picked up while working in a food cart on Coney Island way back before his war started. It left the middle open like a trough. “Do this and the lucky ******** that gets to indulge won’t need stack of napkins or to change their shirt after they are done eating.” He lifted the plate for her to inspect what he did then set it down. The small knife was then offered for her to give it a shot. “Let’s see what you got.”

There was no question she could pull it off. Not in his mind. She was a natural. If she didn’t know it then he was damned sure going to do his best to make sure she knew it if he didn’t accomplish anything else with her employment. He was a sucker for a good story and he was sure she had one to tell. Instead of imposing on her with questions he watched her closely and made sure the meat on the grill was plucked before it went to hell.

“Have at all of it, kid.” He nodded at the plate she had getting a nice downpour of thick and serious quality ketchup. “Build it fierce and don’t hold back.”

Furious George heard the familiar squeaks of a latex clad Percy moving through the nearby area and figured it was the scent of the grill squealing dogs that lured him in. Not one to share what he had in his possession with fire starter he took his plate in his burly digits and bellied it up nice and close to him just in case the flame thrower got any ideas. The aroma of juicy meat filled his nostrils as the plate rose. It naturally inspired his tongue into giving an appreciative lick down of his furry framed lips as he waited for Birdee to get her condiments all in order.

“Soon as you are good to go we can ditch the grill and space for a proper sit down where we won’t be interrupted.” The idea was a good one but Percy was arriving just in time to ruin the success of a clean getaway.
“Boss Lady said she needs the inventory lists before she closes the books tonight.” His beady eyes shifted from the plate of consumable armor in front of FG and over to the current production of wiener dressing taking place on the young woman’s plate. “He suckered you into grilling instead of giving it a steam bath?” His too red covered head gave the lights above him something to dance across as it moved sending the beams of light back and forth. “Figures. I should show you how to torch it to perfection in less than time than it takes you to blink.”
“How about you get back to what you were doing before I melt your *** cheeks together?”

More than frequently Furious George wondered what it was that made Percy useful in keeping around. He found an excuse to avoid doing anything called work. He usually created more of it than anything else. A reach for a stack of dining napkins with a cheesy psychedelic grin embossed on the tops went with his hand as it retracted. He used his size to his advantage and belly bumped the shiny walking stick out of the way as he stepped towards the door taking the lead.

“C’mon, Sunshine.” The call for duty was made over his shoulder as he briefly glanced back. “We can gather up those stock lists while we chow down.”

“Weekly.”

Satine appeared in their path and turned on a sharp heel to lead the way to the very spot they were headed. The stack of invoices in her hands had the typical red ink next to items she was finding were not needing to be carried beyond the volume presently on the shelves. Her silver orbs shot a glance over her shoulder as she dropped the papers on the surface that they would be using to eat.

“FG will get you trained in before you get hit with things like ordering and inventory. You work at your own pace and when you are comfortable just let him know and he can go over the books with you.” Satine could smell what she couldn’t really taste. Bugsy came to mind as the condiments smothered the lengths of natural cased meat beneath with the colorful swirls of yellow and red. Without realizing she was doing it until it was done two glasses of ice water slid at both as they took their seats. “You drink plenty of water with that.” Her eyes set on Percy passing by in the background. “You two want to take a look at that when you are done. Just what I came up with for the next month based on what we have. I think that we are good till next before sending out anymore orders. Saved you a couple hours of counting.” Percy disappeared and she clicked her crimson nails as she debated going after him or just taking a chance on the two present with solving her recent and pressing issue. “It looks like the DJ booth is going to be dead air tonight unless I fill it. Seems a better offer hit them on the otherside of town.” Satine was used to it. Business was like that. She knew Furious George had a taste for the classic rock and it was enough to put some of those that were starting out sober walking in the doors on a round about back to the streets. “Maybe you two could cover the other bases if I get Percy to handle the music?”

Satine was walking away in a series of fast clicks in the direction that Percy faded out of view. She wasn’t going to wait for answer to what she decided. The newest employee looked like she had it going good with FG and between the two of them something had her believing they would tag team what FG knew needed to be done in a night under the low staff. Finding Percy and redirecting him towards the booth would be easy enough. She followed the sounds of his steps and had him heading where he was needed before he got caught up in anything else.

“Sounds like we are going to be busy tonight. Eat up in case it is a while before we get near the grill again.” An impressive snap of his hungry jaws sized down the length of hotdog in his hands. The beard that framed his outer cheeks moved in waves of silver and dark gray. Thick digits balled up a napkin and patted at his mouth while he swallowed down what was hidden behind his lips. “How you like it so far?”

“I got you covered.” The fully loaded weiner in his grip disappeared somehow between the redirection of the boss lady and Birdee’s admittance that she wasn’t the hostess with mostess when it came to a full house of partiers. He gave a random thick fingertip a quick polish between his fur framed lips then winked at her to calm her feathers. “I will deal with the customers and you can be my backup? It would be a bigger help than having to string assholes up like Christmas lights for messing with the new kid on the block.” The napkin between his palms shrunk as it balled up in his moving hands. A surprising twist and flip of a beefy wrist had recyclable ball sinking in the nearby waste can like it was nothing to do. “And trust me, they live for that the later it gets. Wonderland is known for getting a few in here that are routinely looking for trouble. I just so happen to like giving the customer what they want.”

Furious George collected the papers that would be sorted when time permitted. Pressing the business grade copy material to his chest left him to watch Birdee as she gave the meal in front of her a healthy work over. He nodded slowly in approval. The club brought in more than the troublemakers he mentioned. It also brought in the wafer thin junkies looking to get lost in their own haunted minds and the stick people looking to be in the less than one percentile of the so called fashionable human physical perfection.

One he had empathy for. The other he offered up a freezer full of saturated fat and enough weed to help them with the motivation to give up their facade. People didn’t need a set of fangs breaking their skin to die in the god forsaken city. They were killing themselves long before the damned found a way through whatever it was that kept them MIA for the centuries. This woman had something that stood out more than her healthy appetite and it told him there was more hope than the one who signed his paychecks.

“More than ready.” He nodded with his answer to what she asked of him. Decades over the war life had thrust him in he stumbled into another as soon as he hit the city limits and failed to find his way back out. The one he was entrusted to teach the ropes would be alright. “Follow me.” With that he took the lead and headed towards the sound of music pumping hard enough that the vibrations could be felt beneath their feet. “If it gets too much just let me know.” His hand pushed the set of swinging doors in front of him and the club came to life before their eyes.

Furious George grabbed the drink menu and the appetizers stock list that was kept nearby the divided counter at the east end of the black top bar. Once he cleared the tight space that added notice to his round center he flipped open the laminated menu and set it down on the surface in front of him. With a gentle pat of his beefy left hand he hoped to get her attention and not distract her with where his right hand was disappearing to. It was safe. So was she. He was simply opening up the sliding back the insulated Acrylite cover over the fully stocked well of crushed ice.

“We got the ice covered. But if you need more or see this needing to be refilled all you have to do is head to the back.” He thumbed his hand over his shoulder to point out the surprisingly narrow door behind him. Narrow enough it would seem impossible that he could squeeze through the door frame if he needed to. “Boss Lady has a few quirks and that is one of them. She stores the ice back there and a few other things we won’t need to be worrying about for the next couple hours.” He pulled the lid to the ice well shut and nodded as he reached down and gave a point to the fire extinguisher by his feet. “Any sight of smoke that doesn’t seem to be jiving with the scene then don’t hesitate to use this. This isn’t the only one. We have several placed visibly throughout the club on each level per fire regulations.”

FG opened up the cabinets beneath the bar and revealed the organization that went on behind the scenes of the bar itself. Napkins, straws, condiments were side by side with an adjoining lower level cooler. That cooler held labeled and dated fruit sections, creamers, perishable drink additions as well as mixes that could not be kept out at room temperature. A few of the sliding drawers were opened and closed for ease of Birdee taking a quick peek if she was interested.

“We try not to use the fruit beyond a forty eight hour business period. It starts looking like hell if you do. Also don’t mix the fruit or neglect to rinse out the containers before using them again. Pineapple is supposed to taste like pineapple. Not cherry juice soaked and mango spritzed kiwi chunks.”

“So how do you feel about handling single drink orders right here. Things like the beers and shots should be a easy way to start out and get the hang of things.” The doors closed by his shins and he folded up the drinks menu. “I will get the mixed drinks and handle what ever seems too much.” He no more than finished setting the game plan when a group of wild eyed club hoppers known to get out of hand made their way towards the bar. “And remember we keep the customers happy until they make us feel great about tossing their asses out of the front doors.” Furious George offered up a stained and need of repair grin. “That is when I get happy.”