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------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- “This is nice, Morris. I never eat out.” ------- “I do,” Morris said. “I’m a lousy cook.” ------- “You’d get better with practice. It’s so expensive to eat in restaurants.” ------- “I have money, I....” He laughed. “Sorry,” he said, “it’s been a while since I asked anybody out.” ------- “It’s been a while since anybody asked me,” Terry said. “I really like to cook. I could give you some simple recipes.” ------- “Simple would be good,” Morris said. ------- “Oh, I didn’t mean...” ------- “I know,” Morris said. “Maybe we’ll both get better at this with practice. I’m sorry you had to give up your job” ------- “I’m not,” Terry said. “You can’t really talk to people at a teller’s window. The candy store is the sort of thing I’ve always done. Like I told you, Morris, I haven’t had a lot of luck.” ------- “Life’s not fair,” Morris said. “No reason your luck can’t change.” -------“I wasn’t complaining, Morris. I’m not an unhappy person. How about you? Have you been lucky?” ------- “I don’t like to talk about my life,” Morris said. ------- “Me neither, “Terry said, “but then we won’t have anything to say to each other.” ------- “We can go on saying dumb things,” Morris said. ------- “Yeah, we’re doing great,” Terry said with a grin. “What are you going to have?” ------- “You want lobster?” Morris asked. ------- “No, it makes me sad to think of them in boiling water.” ------- “You’re right,” Morris agreed, “it’s not nice. I think I’ll have the mussels for an appetizer and the broiled bluefish.” ------- “You like mussels,” Terry said. It was almost an accusation. ------- “Yeah, but the pilgrims didn’t like them,” Morris said, “or lobster either.” ------- “I’ll have the clam chowder and the fried scallops,” Terry said. ------- A waitress appeared on cue. ------- “My name’s Mindy,” she said. “Can I get you something to drink?” ------- “I’ll have a Sam Adams,” Morris said. “Terry?” ------- “Sure, a Sam Adams.” Terry said. ------- Morris had almost finished his mussels. The evening was going much better. “These are good, he said. “Want to try one?” ------- She didn’t, but she’d be a good sport. He was counting on it ------- “Here,” he said. He put a mussel on her plate. “Use your fork to take it out of the shell and dip it in butter.” ------- “Oh, look!” Terry said. She reached into the shell and took out a small but perfectly formed pink pearl. ------- “Whoa!” Morris said. “Talk about luck!” ------- Other diners and a waitress had overheard Terry’s excited voice. Soon the manager was at their table. “Is everything all right?” he asked. ------- “She found a pearl in her mussel,” Morris said. ------- “That’s....amazing,” the manager said. “You don’t usually find pearls in salt water mussels. In fact...” He stopped himself and grinned at Morris. “In fact, I’ll bet you could have it set it in a ring for the young lady. Enjoy your dinners, folks, and good luck to you.” ------- Terry was looking at Morris, but Morris had played poker with crime bosses. Then he made a decision. ------- “I thought your luck could use a boost,” he said. ------- “Oh no, Morrie,” Terry said. “It has to change by itself, because that’s why they call it luck, and it just now did.” ------- ------- |