Emmy And Me

I'm having serious problems with work and near zero free time. When I do finally get home I've just been too tired to write anything. I think I've only managed about a thousand words of this latest chapter in the last week.

I'll keep chipping away, but I don't see work easing off for at least another week.

To meet the word count minimum, here's a little chunk from way back:

It turned out the burger place was actually the guy's back yard. He had a big outdoor grill setup on one side and he and his two helpers cranked out burgers, fries, and nothing else as fast as they could. Most orders were to go, but Stephanie and the three of us took one of the plastic patio tables and ate our lunch there.

"This is just what I wanted," Angela said as she devoured her double-double.

"Sometimes a good hamburger really hits the spot," Stephanie agreed, sipping her Mexican Fanta.

"How did you find this place?" Emmy asked.

"Somebody told me, just like I told Leah," Stephanie said. "And, seriously, don't just go sharing it on social media or anything," Stephanie said to Angela, who was probably going to do that exact thing. "John has more business than he can handle now. I wouldn't want to swamp him, and then never be able to get in because it's so crowded."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Leah, you have that look in your eyes," Emmy said with a laugh.

"What can I say ?" I asked with a shrug. "It's worked before."

"What has?" Angela asked.

"This is almost exactly like how our barbecue restaurant in Texas got started," Emmy said. "We went to a backyard barbecue, and next thing you know, we opened a restaurant with the man who cooked lunch."

"At least let me give this guy a card and let him know I develop restaurants," I said. "If he's interested, great. If not, that's O.K., too."

"When you say you develop restaurants, what exactly do you mean?" Stephanie asked, interested.

"It's pretty simple. We go to a guy like this who has an idea, or maybe even an existing restaurant that has potential but can't realize it, and bring in capital, and food service experts to manage the business aspect. A lot of times a guy like this can cook, and has a compelling story or idea, but has no clue on how to run a profitable restaurant or night club. So we handle that aspect, and let him, or her, do what they do best. It's ostensibly their restaurant- we're just silent partners. We take the stress of the commercial aspect away so they can let their creativity shine."

"This is exactly what I do with my bands," Stephanie said. "I take care of all the grown-up stuff that they have no clue about."

"So you understand, then," I said. "So, like, I might talk to this guy today and get him thinking. He might call me tomorrow, or maybe next week, or next month. We'll talk about it and maybe work out a deal, or maybe we won't and he'll try to make a go of it the old-fashioned way. If he does that, odds are stacked against him. If we do make a deal, he'll have his restaurant. It may still fail, but not because of inexpert business understanding."

"Interesting," Stephanie said. "Well, if you do open a restaurant with John here, make sure I get free lunches for my finder's fee."