Backwoods Western

The Telegraph Avenue street fair was a mob scene that Sunday. Everyone in the Bay Area and their kids were out gawking at the street freaks and cheap hemp necklace stands that lined the sidewalks. Berkeley PD had blocked off the whole street and people were spilling everywhere like rotten milk on the kitchen counter.

Lizzy felt the sunlight bleeding into her eyes, making her head ache worse than it already was. Even though the sun was blazing down, a sharp chill ran through the air and cut through her nightgown. Cindy wasn’t coping much better—her arms were wrapped tightly around her body as she walked. Chad just gazed off this way and that, not paying mind to anything in particular.

“I want to run into the GAP real quick,” he said when they were near the university.

“Well I want to get something to eat, so we’re going to Fat Slice,” Cindy retorted.

“Yeah, well, this will be really quick. I just gotta grab a shirt.”

“Your shirts can wait, I’m soooooo hungry,” she said while running her hand against his cheek. She gave him the puppy dog eyes and the sad lower lip. Who could resist such cuteness?

Lizzy wasn’t falling for it. “Listen, you guys do whatever you want. I’m just going for a walk through campus.” And she began walking off.

“Wait, Lizzy, aren’t you hungry?” Cindy said storming after her and grabbing her by the arm. “We’re going to Fat Slice.”

Damn it. Once Cindy had her heart set on something she was doing it, and you were coming with her. Lizzy just gave in and turned around.

“So I’m just gonna dart into the GAP and—“

“You’re not darting anywhere,” Cindy interrupted, “you’re coming to Fat Slice.”

The three of them, the Pajama gang, sauntered down toward Fat Slice, doing their best to avoid the nasty masses of people that brushed by. On the way, Lizzy noticed a new little cafe that had just opened, called “Sink or Swim.” She had read about it in the East Bay Express last week.

“Ooh, let’s go in here, this is supposed to be good.” Without another word Lizzy opened the door, went inside and walked right up to the counter. Their brunch was supposed to be top notch, and Lizzy immediately ordered the eggs benedict. By the time Cindy and Chad got in the door, the guy behind the counter had already handed Lizzy her change. It was a done deal.

Cindy looked pissed, but Lizzy wasn’t worried. She just casually glanced around, taking in the decor. The place had a sort of log cabin theme going on. The walls were actually made of oak. “Backwoods western” was the way the Express guy described it. Not bad.

As she turned to face the counter again, she noticed someone familiar out of the corner of her eye. It was that little fuzzy man from the ball, and his friend the DJ. What was his name? Chuck something. Something like that.

She walked over to their table as Cindy and Chad ordered.

They were just drinking coffee, staring out into space when she approached them.

“Hey, you guys were at the ball last night. I’m Lizzy, remember?”

They were both shaken out of their dream states and looked up at her with startled expressions.

“Oh yeah,” the fuzzy man said. “You were with Tom. Yeah, he was really cool. Hi, I’m Molloy, and this is my buddy Chunk Dark.” They all exchanged handshakes.

“Chunk?” Lizzy said with a giggle. “Chunk? Like the Goonies Chunk?” Lizzy asked.

Chunk’s face got very serious. A strange silence cut through the group.

“Don’t go there,” Molloy said. “He has a thing about that.”