Nineteen

We sat at the dining table for dinner. I decided to have Mac and cheese, Jessica was having Mac and Cheese and barbecue ribs. Yep, and Jessica had some vegetable salads.

“So where do you come from?”

“Am from New york.”

“What ideas do you two have for your collaboration?”

“We were thinking of starting up a bakery together, growing it then having another branch of it in another location.”

“Juicy!” Jessica replies

“Well, sounds good though people eat a lot of fast foods too apart from baked stuff so it is something you can think about and have some fast foods added,” Heather said

She has a point, people seem busy here, they don't seem to have much time to go home and start cooking from scratch. So if Jessica and I can establish book-baked products as well as fast foods, and build our own customer base, we have a great shot at winning. Just need to have something outstanding about us.

“Like a bakery, restaurant?” Jessica asks

I nod

“Well, we both can cook and if the load becomes more, we can hire more people and pay them.” She added

Exactly.

“Sounds like a great plan, so first thing is to make a business plan together.”

“We could combine our individual ones,”

“You will love mine,” Jessica says biting on her barbecue ribs. She stops then licks the fingers of her right hand

“Yes exactly,” I say finally testing the march and cheese. Cheesy, gooey, creamy, and oh-so-delicious.

“This is one of the best Mac and cheese I have had,” I said

“So are the ribs, they are softer, more flavorful than what I have had prior. The extra fat content, the spices, smoke, make it more addictive than any other meat, Sophia has to teach me how she got these to taste like this”.

“Glad you are enjoying it,” Heather commented.

I know I have made rash decisions, with people like Josh and I pray I don't regret coming here, working with Jessica, or moving in with Heather.

******************

Being in New York City itself was all too surreal, like a dream come true. Buildings raced each other in a quest to touch the soft blue sky and people littered the streets and sidewalks. Life there was upbeat and fast-paced and everyone and everything was moving, but then you crossed into Central Park. Crossing the sidewalk into the large park was like crossing the border into another world. The milieu changed from the rapid-fire movement of the concrete jungle to slow-moving peace in the blink of an eye. Skyscrapers were replaced with real trees that stood tall, though not tall enough to completely block out the looming buildings. Vibrant green grass perfectly covered the ground in place of the bleak blacks and grays of hot cement that coatedOvergrown grass grew between the crevices that the rocks had formed. I walked up to the majestic flat stones and placed my hand on the one closest to me. Taking a deep breath, I found a crevice that my foot could reach and hoisted myself up and continued to climb to the top. Once up there, I turned to face the city and sat down. The rocks were warmed from the sun and although they were rigid, they seemed unbelievably comfortable. I finally saw the beautiful sun for the first time without having to bend my head back as far as I could since I had been in New York. It shone down brightly, warming my skin and glimmering off the glass of the skyscrapers in the near distance. I could finally feel the soft breeze wrap around me and not get deflected from the buildings. I watched the people from the city enter the park and watched as their city attitudes give way to the magical ambiance of the park. I closed my eyes and took it all in, and I could’ve stayed on top of that rock.

It slowly went in circles as the horse went up and down. However, this carousel seemed to be magical. It enchanted me as my house seemed to gracefully make its way in a circle. I threw my head back and laughed at the absurdity and amazement of it all. Here I was, in New York City riding the carousel, and I was having the time of my life. I had never had so much fun with obnoxiously loud carnival music blasting in my ears, small children stupidly goofing off in front of me, and the smell of food that was so greasy it made my stomach turn. Things that usually gave me a migraine, now made me intoxicated on my own cheerfulness.

So this was Jessicas idea, to come out for a walk and just breathe the New York atmosphere, the pollution of it and see how people did things.

I stand and we head back to the car

Jessica couldn't stop telling me about all the places I needed to see.

“We have to go sightseeing, for those of you who don't live here,” Jessica suggested so we continued to walk around and appreciate the place for its beauty.

New York city was crowded, with many people passing by going to work or from work and tourists looking here and there. I was hungry and I saw a roadside vendor, who was selling hot dogs. The hot dogs looked fresh and tempting and my mouth was salivating.

The next day we decided to visit the central park. There were a lot of people, children playing, elderly sitting reading event papers and some people just walking. The scenery was pleasing, the fresh air, the whole feel of nature. I pulled out my phone and took a picture of the sunset.

“Very beautiful right?” Jessica aks

I nod

“Very much.”

“Yeah I thought so too, like all the beautiful buildings this place is known for, it at some points stops being exciting and just remains as buildings.”

“Yeah, but things like sunsets don't lose that.”

Jessica smiled and tap my shoulder

“Of course.”