More to You ✔

Chapter 35 - First Date (Tom)

Video content by Alaa Starves on Youtube (they have a huge collection of awesome street food videos that take me right back to Thailand). This would be the meal that Tom and Maria are having.

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Tom and Maria sat at the supposed restaurant, which was composed of a handful of tables with checkered tablecloths on the sidewalk of a noisy road. Steaming clay pots rested on the other tables, and a savoury, meaty odour drifted toward them. Had Mitch recommended this place to make the date lacklustre and forgettable? He'd already made the evening uncomfortable with his intimate conversation with Maria before Tom arrived then the awkward proclamation of their close friendship. Tom tried to ignore the apprehension, but it didn't sit well with him. Mitch was up to something. Tom needed to uncover what before it ruined his chances with Maria.

"Oh my gosh! Look at that." Maria pointed to the ground where flames shot from a clay base filled with charcoal and encased in a metal box. She clasped her hands together and grinned. The 'restaurant' owner placed a clay pot of water on the flaming device and flames continued to lick the sides.

Tom snorted. "They must be pretty confident those won't damage the tabletops." Only a thin piece of wood separated the metal boxes from the tables.

She laughed. "It must work. They still have tables, don't they?" She seemed transfixed by the process, unable to tear her eyes away.

Perhaps Mitch's suggestion was genuine, but in that case, why would he want to help? What was in it for him? Was it to show Tom up and prove he was the better man?

The worker walked the now flaming clay pot to the table and placed it in the centre. He showed three with his fingers and said 'wait'. Maria nodded and thanked him. A woman arrived carrying a basket of herbs and a plate of various raw slices of meat. Tom hoped they'd kept those cool all day so he wouldn't be puking or worse this evening. Maybe Mitch's motive was food poisoning. The woman pointed to the meat, and the chopsticks, and mimed a stirring action as she spoke in Thai. It appeared there were raw eggs in there too. The man returned with a plate of veggies in a red sauce. Tom and Maria thanked them as they left.

"Do you want to do the honours?" Tom gestured to the bowl. "You're the award-winning chef."

"I didn't win the contest, just got invited to the final round."

He smiled. Her humbleness was a virtue. "That's close enough in my books."

Maria tore the paper off a set of chopsticks and stirred the meat and egg around until everything seemed coated. Once the water had a rolling boil, she dropped slices of meat and seafood into the pot. Some of the meat resembled nothing Tom had ever tried. Perhaps it was the offal. Maria didn't comment, which could mean the food didn't faze her or she had tried it before.

Two loud motorbikes whizzed by with obnoxious motors, making him cringe.

"I'm sorry this place is so..." Tom looked to the street.

"So what?" Maria set the bowl and chopsticks down. "Different, fun, exciting?"

"You see the bright side in everything."

She looked at the remaining ingredients on the table and sighed. "Do you not like it?" Her brown eyes met his, almost a hint of sadness resting within them.

"The food smells appetizing, but the place is... so casual."

Maria sat up straighter. "Casual places have the best food. They're run by hardworking people who can't rely on brand names or fancy décor to attract their customers. All they have is their reputation and strong work ethic."

Tom nodded. "That's a very empathetic outlook."

"I worked at a 'casual' family restaurant for years. People come for the food and atmosphere. You can be yourself there without judgment."