The inquisitive one picked up the menu and scanned through it. Unbelievably, there was only one item on the menu that did not include gashbphigi berries. That item was the boiled leeches, which the i.o. wasn’t in the mood for.
“Do you know what you’re going to order?” the inquisitive one inquired.
“The gashbphigi berry special looks great!” said the i.o.’s dining companion. “Have you decided?”
Just then, the waitperson appeared beside the table. “Are you two ready to order?”
“I’ll have the gashbphigi berry special,” said the dining companion.
The waitperson turned expectantly to the i.o.
The i.o. hesitated, having recently been reading about gashbphigi berry collection. It happened to be the case that, on average, one mythopoetic being—just like the inquisitive one, only less fortunate in circumstances—suffered horrific, continuous pain and disfiguration, not to mention loss of their mythopoetic powers for a period of 1,000 years, and separation from family members forever, for every gashbphigi berry successfully imported to the DC area.
“I’ll have the chia seed and gashbphigi berry pudding. But please, no gashbphigi berries.”
“I gotchoo!” said the waitperson and whisked away.
Soon enough, the dining companions’ meals arrived. The inquisitive one gaped in horror at the pudding, which, contrary to the i.o.’s clear instructions, was dotted with hundreds of tiny gashbphigi berries.
“Does everything look good?” inquired the waitperson.
“Yes, wonderful!” said the dining companion.
“Eek,” muttered the i.o., so quietly that no one could hear it.
That was when the inquisitive one, lacking any good options—since the meal would be tossed into the garbage if the i.o. uttered even the smallest protest, thus making all that suffering and loss completely pointless—ate the chia seed and gashbphigi berry pudding.
It was delicious.
