Fred Aiken Writing

“Miss, is this correct?”

“Are you talking about our menu? Because if so, then yes, I’m afraid it is.”

“All you serve is beans?”

“Well, yes, that’s why the owners call this The Beanery.”

“How can you possibly stay in business?”

“I don’t know. I’m just a server here. But I imagine because beans are so cheap the profit margins can remain relatively high.”

“Well, do you guys do anything unique with y’all’s beans?”

“We certainly specialize in cooking them in some unique manners. I guess beans are typically thought of as a side dish, and we like to make them a focal point here at The Beanery. We can do anything from a black bean quinoa salad to a mediterranean chickpea gyro, though my favorite is the tikka masala cannellini bean casserole.”

“So, essentially, it seems like you replace the protein of staple dishes from these different cultures and appropriate beans to them?”

“I guess if you wanted to simplify what we do, then certainly it can seem that way.”

“Well, I guess I’ll try your favorite dish, the tikka masala.”

“Awesome. You won’t be disappointed.”

“Yeah, probably not. I certainly didn’t anticipate a truck stop being so niche, though.”

“I get that a lot. But I think the owners have been here for nearly forty years. I think they just sort of noticed a trend that a lot of their truck-stop patrons were ordering more and more beans. Maybe it was because of the economy tanking, and all people could afford was beans, or maybe their patrons’ tastes were simple changing more and more gradually to the point that they completely redid their name, concept, and, well, everything.”

“Yeah, you think so? Huh. Well, what was the original name of this place?”

“All Things Kidney.”