Chapter 4 #2
“Learn everything I can from him and then maybe I can get a better job or even open my own shop. I think it would be pretty cool to have a place of my own. I could sell specialty meats and sausages. Gramma taught me to make really good bratwurst. No one here makes good sausage, so she ground her own, and they were amazing. She had her own spice blends that she used, and she taught me what she did. But it costs a lot of money because the equipment is expensive to do on even a small commercial scale. But, somehow, I keep thinking that if I could open a place of my own, then maybe I could get off this roller coaster of working myself to the bone all the time.”
“Then you should do it,” Chet said.
“But how?”
“You know, I wish I had the answer.” He stood and checked the bean pot before putting them on the steam.
Darren went out to check the grill and put on the steaks and corn.
He got everything set and ready in the kitchen while Darren worked the grill.
And by the time the steaks were ready, the rest of the food was as well, and they sat down to eat.
Chet was hungry, but Darren seemed ravenous, and he wondered just how much Darren was eating.
Did he skip meals, or was he just existing on whatever he could get to eat at his restaurant jobs?
It worried him more than a little bit. “You know… restaurants sometimes lease out or loan out kitchen space, especially on days they’re closed. ”
Darren had clearly never thought of that. “The Harbor View in Fort Bragg is closed on Mondays. I might be able to see if I can use the kitchen, but I would need to work up the recipes again. I haven’t made the sausage in quite some time.”
“Then work them up when you have a chance. Make sure the recipes are foolproof. After that, maybe The Pub will buy and serve them. It’s worth a shot.” Chet wanted Darren to succeed. Someone who worked as hard as he did deserved some good luck.
“That’s not a bad idea.”
Chet swallowed and set down his fork. “Spend some time here working out your process. Make sure you can replicate it each time.”
“Consistency. That’s what Henry always talks about.
Even though each side of beef or pork is different, he uses the same process and the same techniques to properly cut them into the steaks and chops.
He says that no matter what, the end product has to meet quality standards.
” He looked excited, and Chet was happy he seemed to have been able to help.
He had learned—working for his father, not from him—that successful people were the ones who helped people figure out what they were really good at.
If you could develop and nurture talented people, then you could help them help you.
“I don’t know if this will work out, but I can give it a try. Make up a few batches and see if maybe The Pub or Harbor View would put them on the menu.”
Chet picked up his fork and went back to his steak, which was tender and pretty darn amazing. “That’s awesome.”
“So, when do you go back to New York?” Darren asked.
He hadn’t really wanted to think too much about that.
“The end of the week.” He shrugged. “I know it’s something that I have to do.
I can probably push it into next week a few days, but then my father is going to start getting antsy, and I’ll be needed to handle whatever it is that he thinks is so important at the time.
” He wasn’t looking forward to returning to the rat race, to the life and future that his father laid out for him…
the one Chet had never chosen but had been thrust on him.
“Maybe we can see each other this weekend.” Chet could almost see Darren trying to rearrange his schedule in his mind.
Usually in New York, everything ran at a fast pace.
There was always the next meeting, the next project, the thing that had to be done by the end of the day or the week.
Whether it was truly important or not, everything seemed like a crisis.
Here it was so different. At least for him.
“I’d like that.” He closed his eyes and pushed away thoughts of New York and the treadmill it represented. “Let me know what works for you.”
Darren nodded and went back to eating, taking a few bites. “I have to ask. Why is staying here so important? I mean, there isn’t much all that exciting. And lord knows I’m not that interesting.” He set down his fork and sipped some wine.
Chet leaned closer. “How do you know what I find exciting?” He held Darren’s gaze until he swallowed. “You know I like you, and I can tell that you like me.”
“Yeah… but….”
Chet shook his head. “None of that stuff.”
“Is this some kind of ‘we get what we get’ sort of thing? We just need to appreciate what we have? Because that shit sucks.”
Chet tried not to laugh because Darren was so serious, but it still hit him as funny.
Not the idea, but the way he said it. “Maybe you’re right.
And maybe that’s just a saying that’s meant to keep people from dreaming or trying to want more, but in this case, it seems like it’s all we have.
” He took Darren’s hand. “I have to return to New York. I can’t just walk away from my responsibilities no matter how I might want to.
I hate that my life seems to have been planned out for me, but then…
it’s a good life with more than what a lot of people have.
” And he knew he should be grateful. “Yes, there are things I wish were different….”
“What would you do differently?” Darren asked.
“When I was in college, I wanted to act. To be in the theater. I was good, but of course I only took a few classes to fill a few electives. Nothing beyond that would have been tolerated. But I really liked it.”
“You could still do it,” Darren said as he squeezed his fingers. “You could do anything you wanted. I mean, you’re smart, you have drive, and you could do things most people only dream of. You have resources that few have access to… so…?”
“Money isn’t everything,” Chet said.
Darren sniffed. “Spoken like someone who has it. You can do whatever you want with your life. I know that, and I can see it.” He continued to hold Chet’s hand.
“And for the record, it has nothing to do with money. You know the house next door…? It’s owned by a man and his wife.
They’ve lived there for ten years or so.
They moved here after he quit his job. His wife works from home, and he writes books.
He told me that he started writing after work and found he loved it.
So, he got more gigs and worked his ass off after his EDJ—evil day job.
And eventually, he was able to build an audience and readership.
Now he stays at home with his family, they have a daughter, and they work.
He does something he loves. I think I need to figure out what my real talent is and then see how I can make it pay. ”
Dinner was amazing, and after cleaning up, Chet settled on the sofa in the small living room next to Darren.
“What do you want to watch?” Darren asked, and put his hand over his mouth to cover up a yawn.
“Would you rather I left so you can get some rest? I know you have to work in the morning,” Chet asked. He didn’t want to go, but he wasn’t going to ignore Darren’s tiredness either.
“No. I just need to find a show.” He flipped through his television channels.
“Wait, I know.” Chet used the remote to log into the PBS app, bringing it up on the television. “I saw this just before I left and wanted to see it. It’s a new version of The Count of Monte Cristo. Are you interested?”
“Sure. I don’t really know the story.”
“Okay. It’s pretty great.” Chet found the first episode and got it started. Then they got comfortable on the sofa.