The next morning we knew something special was up when the missus started thinking out loud about dinner before finishing her second cup of java. When applesauce returned with half of his jar gone and some red Jell-O sprinkled with nuts joined us Tofu got excited and shouted, “Must be company’s coming’ and that definitely lets us off the hook, my dear little tofu-substitute friend! She’s not going to serve leftovers to company and besides, there’s not enough of you left to feed more than two.” I wondered how tofu had become so knowledgeable about the D’Trics. I finally got up the nerve to ask him. With a laugh from his little jiggily body he told me, “The missus had read in a magazine article that I am good for people so she decided to give me a try. But so far, she hasn’t got up the nerve to spring me on her hubby! I’m sure I’m safe for quite awhile!”
The day flew by as we visited with every one, including Jorge, a blue rubber gecko that is placed on whatever food the missus wants her hubby to eat up at lunch. From Jorge we found out what more of the world beyond the darkness looks like, including the whole other closet in the kitchen, known as a pantry. It is where Jerky, my second-cousins lives.
When the missus got home, we hardly noticed any change in her usual routine until she started to get out dishes while mumbling to herself, “We had decided we should use the china at least once a month and here January is almost gone. There’s still enough of that nice little roast to slice it thin and serve it for dinner along with mashed potatoes, gravy and a veggie. That will be a meal worthy of thc good china. When I arrived at the table, the room was lit up with candlepower. The missus had Andy Williams on the stereo, crooning softly. I thought, “You know if you got go you might as well do it with style and grace!”
Epilogue
Tofu was relegated to the vegetable drawer, a safe ‘out of sight out of mind’ place and is said to have survived two of the missus refrigerator clean outs. During the third one, his demise was quick and sure.
