New York Tales (3): Food For Thought

r
renqiulan
楼主 (文学城)

José specializes in simple, hearty meals: breakfast burritos, cheeseburgers, tacos, and the like. His food is nothing fancy but always delicious, and it draws a steady stream of regulars who appreciate his reliable presence and no-nonsense approach. His food
truck is a welcome sight around this part of New York City.

Though he carries a distinctly Hispanic accent, José has no problem engaging in streetwise exchanges with native speakers. Yet, he is totally unprepared for an encounter with Ivy sent from a magazine that boasts a readership of movers and shakers.

"Morning, José," Ivy greets as she peers at the chalkboard menu headlined with "CA$H ONLY."

"I'll have a breakfast burrito, please." She pays him in the meantime.

"Coming right up," he replies, not breaking his rhythm.

As he works, Ivy can't help but notice the calm efficiency with which he operates.

"You seem like a man who has life all figured out. What's your secret?"

He glances up, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "No secret," he says, wrapping up the burrito and handing it to her. "Just keep things simple."

Ivy takes a bite of her burrito, savoring the flavors. "But don't you ever think about the bigger picture? The meaning of life and all that?"

He wipes his hands on a towel and leans against the counter of his truck. "I don't have a lot of time to think about things. Go ask Mr. Li, owner of 'Floating Life' over there. His customers talk the big talk all night, I'm told."

Grinning, the burrito guy adds, "Leave philosophy to the drunks."


Author: renqiulan

 

 

 

r
renqiulan
Fancy some intellectual stimulation after dinner?
r
renqiulan
Up for a bit of brain food post-dinner?
r
renqiulan
Ready for a burrito-filled tale?
蓝灵
Try me. Hi, renqiulan!
r
renqiulan
Hi, Blue Soul! Thank you for stopping by.
蓝灵
Hey, the night is still young, is it not?
r
renqiulan
Absolutely! What do you have in mind?
蓝灵
Let me say this is a fun read.
r
renqiulan
It is very kind of you.
蓝灵
I found your piece incredibly engaging.
r
renqiulan
Thank you. I'm listening.
蓝灵
Your piece effectively captures the contrast between
蓝灵
the mundane and the intellectual, embodied by
蓝灵
José and Ivy, respectively.
r
renqiulan
Please go on.
蓝灵
The dialogue is natural and the characters are well-defined.
r
renqiulan
Tell me more about it.
蓝灵
Sure. José's practical wisdom is juxtaposed against
蓝灵
Ivy's philosophical inquiries,creating a dynamic interaction
r
renqiulan
And?
蓝灵
The description of the food truck environment is vivid
蓝灵
and contributes to the overall atmosphere.
r
renqiulan
I treasure your input. I am hanging on every word
r
renqiulan
you are saying.
蓝灵
I'm blushing! Thank you for the compliment. Let me
蓝灵
also say the ending, with José's suggestion to consult
蓝灵
Mr. Li, adds a humorous and unexpected twist.
r
renqiulan
Thank you for the positive feedback. I'm always striving to
r
renqiulan
do better, such as...
蓝灵
I'm all ears.
r
renqiulan
...expanding on Ivy's character. What exactly is she
r
renqiulan
looking for in this encounter? This could deepen
r
renqiulan
the interaction between the two characters.
蓝灵
I doubt it. Ivy, the journalist, is profiling José. You
蓝灵
don't have to divert your attention to her, in my opinion.
r
renqiulan
You have a point. That being said, I might need to explore
r
renqiulan
the symbolism of the food truck and the city more deeply.
r
renqiulan
The food truck can represent groundedness and simplicity,
r
renqiulan
while the city could symbolize complexity and ambition.
蓝灵
Then write a sequel.
r
renqiulan
I think it is a great idea. BTW, it's getting late.
蓝灵
Good night!
r
renqiulan
Goodnight!
暖冬cool夏
Beautiful English and interesting contrasts u want to build
暖冬cool夏
in the end. Your descriptions are vivid and the title sounds

a pun.

Before our office was moved, there was a food truck that comes in the area around 12  every noon. The owner is a Mexican lady (a female Jose:), serving Mexican food like tacos, Quesadill, soups and the like.  Tacos were special every Tuesday,  when a Chicken Taco or Beef one topped with cilantra or chopped tomatoes was only sold at $1 each.  Sometimes the line could be long, but she remembered everyone's order and never messed up. With two helpers inside the truck, the food was served quick and efficient.  The truck would then leave to its next stop in an hour or so.

r
renqiulan
Thank you! It's still a work in progress.
r
renqiulan
I'm taking baby steps, hopefully, in the right direction.
r
renqiulan
An everyday José, I am afraid, is probably living
r
renqiulan
living from hand to mouth. Thanks for the anecdote.
d
dhyang_wxc
There are 2 levels of drunks, before and after a tequila.
r
renqiulan
One tequila,two problems.Thank you for the punchy one-liner.
r
renqiulan
Perhaps, sober reckoning is harsher than drunken bliss.