Post by SYLVIA DECRAUX on Mar 21, 2012 11:08:18 GMT -5
It had been 10 years since Sylvia had to sit down at the small square table in the back, sip on coffee, and make small talk with the balding old man. He was fat with small round glasses, but he was sweet and geniune. He sat that he started this business not to make money, but rather to have company. He just wanted people to come in and sit down to talk with him. Hopefully he would meet tourists and hear exciting stories about the other Seas. But lately, the restaurant was getting run down. He rubbed his head and explained that the latest cook had been in the business for over fifty years and wasn't in any mood to change his ways. He wanted to start over new.
Fifteen year old Sylvia was different from the one ten years from now. She smiled, greeted people, and did not curse. To be that young again, but you can't go back. Also, Sylvia didn't know anything about cooking. Her mother was a house wife, cooking meals for the family, but Sylvia did not have interest. The only reason she was sitting there in the first place was because her father's store was going under and they needed more money.
The old man called himself Kuji. He wore always wore suspenders and had a cane. People say that he wasn't born here. That he washed up here one day with amnesia, not knowing where he was even from originally. Maybe that is why he cared so much about having company, or wanting to meet new people. Kuji walked little Sylvia around the kitchen. It was a bunch of sweaty people wearing hairnets as they slaved over hot stoves and steamy sinks. Most of them were too involved with their work but a few stopped to see the young girl with multi colored eyes passing by.
He was introduced to a lanky man with a small afro. Kuji introduced as JoJo. They were left alone as Kuji went back into the dining area. There was no conversation for twenty minutes. Sylvia was afraid to cough, and sat down so she would not trip. Jojo finally broke the ice with his deep voice, telling her to do something. She said she didn't know what to do. Jojo grunted and slammed a cleaver on the table beside her. Chop something was all he said to her for the first few weeks she worked there.
She didn't like JoJo. He had a special bond with the old cook, and didn't like the idea of a young girl replacing him. He harbored resentment for her. Often he would tell the other cooks to give Sylvia a hard time. If she left to get some more carrots for her stew, she would return to an empty pot. If she was taking out the trash, the bags would mysteriously rip open and spill all over her, making her stay late and clean it. It wasn't until one day when two cooks were standing behind her, blatantly giving her the wrong recipe for a dish she never made that she decided to crack. They just finished telling her to mix a weird combination of spices and then a bag of a salt that grabbed a nearby cleaver slammed down heavily. She shouted so sharply that through the accent, her voice cracked "Leave me the fuck alone!". So loudly did she yell that the kitchen stopped what they were doing. There was a thud as the door to the kitchen swung open. Kuji was sweating with a beat red face. He looked around angrily stopping at every face in the room. He opened his mouth and raised a finger but struggled to make a sound. He could just shake his head and pout his lips and then step out furiously. There was an awkward feeling in the air. Some cooks when back to their duties but here and there people were whispering to each other.
They left Sylvia alone, all but JoJo, who was although was a little less active in his hatred for Sylvia still liked to sit and watch her, making comments on her methods. She hated this more than the hazing, at least she could tune them out but this was like a voice telling her that everything was wrong. This ritual lasted for six long years. That voice weighing her down and causing her mood to change.
She was glad to leave the restaurant when time came. She was tired of being cooped up in the kitchen with that ass. The day she left JoJo shouted her, taunting her, calling her out. Can't handle it? Too stupid? Worthless Cook just a barrage of insults, demeaning her to the point that she grabbed a cleaver on the counter near the door. JoJo laughed What are you gonna slam it down and yell?, Sylvia clenched the handle tightly and shook for a few seconds. JoJo sighed Pfft get out here, Sylvia flared and whipped the knife toward JoJo. The knife spun in the air and passed him, only a few inches from his face and stuck in the wall next to him. Before JoJo could turn to Sylvia, she was already gone.
And that is how she left her old master.
Fifteen year old Sylvia was different from the one ten years from now. She smiled, greeted people, and did not curse. To be that young again, but you can't go back. Also, Sylvia didn't know anything about cooking. Her mother was a house wife, cooking meals for the family, but Sylvia did not have interest. The only reason she was sitting there in the first place was because her father's store was going under and they needed more money.
The old man called himself Kuji. He wore always wore suspenders and had a cane. People say that he wasn't born here. That he washed up here one day with amnesia, not knowing where he was even from originally. Maybe that is why he cared so much about having company, or wanting to meet new people. Kuji walked little Sylvia around the kitchen. It was a bunch of sweaty people wearing hairnets as they slaved over hot stoves and steamy sinks. Most of them were too involved with their work but a few stopped to see the young girl with multi colored eyes passing by.
He was introduced to a lanky man with a small afro. Kuji introduced as JoJo. They were left alone as Kuji went back into the dining area. There was no conversation for twenty minutes. Sylvia was afraid to cough, and sat down so she would not trip. Jojo finally broke the ice with his deep voice, telling her to do something. She said she didn't know what to do. Jojo grunted and slammed a cleaver on the table beside her. Chop something was all he said to her for the first few weeks she worked there.
She didn't like JoJo. He had a special bond with the old cook, and didn't like the idea of a young girl replacing him. He harbored resentment for her. Often he would tell the other cooks to give Sylvia a hard time. If she left to get some more carrots for her stew, she would return to an empty pot. If she was taking out the trash, the bags would mysteriously rip open and spill all over her, making her stay late and clean it. It wasn't until one day when two cooks were standing behind her, blatantly giving her the wrong recipe for a dish she never made that she decided to crack. They just finished telling her to mix a weird combination of spices and then a bag of a salt that grabbed a nearby cleaver slammed down heavily. She shouted so sharply that through the accent, her voice cracked "Leave me the fuck alone!". So loudly did she yell that the kitchen stopped what they were doing. There was a thud as the door to the kitchen swung open. Kuji was sweating with a beat red face. He looked around angrily stopping at every face in the room. He opened his mouth and raised a finger but struggled to make a sound. He could just shake his head and pout his lips and then step out furiously. There was an awkward feeling in the air. Some cooks when back to their duties but here and there people were whispering to each other.
They left Sylvia alone, all but JoJo, who was although was a little less active in his hatred for Sylvia still liked to sit and watch her, making comments on her methods. She hated this more than the hazing, at least she could tune them out but this was like a voice telling her that everything was wrong. This ritual lasted for six long years. That voice weighing her down and causing her mood to change.
She was glad to leave the restaurant when time came. She was tired of being cooped up in the kitchen with that ass. The day she left JoJo shouted her, taunting her, calling her out. Can't handle it? Too stupid? Worthless Cook just a barrage of insults, demeaning her to the point that she grabbed a cleaver on the counter near the door. JoJo laughed What are you gonna slam it down and yell?, Sylvia clenched the handle tightly and shook for a few seconds. JoJo sighed Pfft get out here, Sylvia flared and whipped the knife toward JoJo. The knife spun in the air and passed him, only a few inches from his face and stuck in the wall next to him. Before JoJo could turn to Sylvia, she was already gone.
And that is how she left her old master.