2020-03-01 - Impossible Burger is Impossible

It's a sloooooow Sunday evening at the Grizzly, which is to say there's not a single occupied table in the place at the moment. Bennie is standing at the counter, bent over it and resting on her elbows as she toys with her phone, the movements of her thumbs indicative of a text conversation rather than a rousing game of Angry Birds or something of the like. There's some Gregorian Chant music playing with a techno back beat, the blonde unconsciously popping and chewing her bubble gum to the beat.

The good thing about work, you don't have to think when you're busy. Which makes days off more of a curse than a blessing sometimes. Stepping in from the outside, Rick glances around for a few moments. When he sees none of the tables being occupied, he can't help but wonder if the place actually is closed, and so he lingers right inside the door for the moment.

Inflate. POP! Bennie's caught between greeting Rick and peeling cherry Hubba Bubble off her lips and the tip of her nose. So she just makes a panicked MMPH! noise and waves him in with her free hand as the other gathers up the pieces of gum and pops the wad back into her mouth. "Oh gads, please come in. I'm so bored I might actually start to clean something and then Gina will get suspicious I'm trying to give the place a good reputation."

Unable to hold back a bit of a chuckle as he hears that, Rick steps further into the room. "Ah, we wouldn't want that to happen, would we?" he remakrs, a bit lightly. Stepping closer to the counter, while glancing around. "Looks like it's a slow day?" he asks.

A short time after Rick arrives Alisha pushes up the door. She is still in full uniform, because even on duty officers need to eat. The food is great after all, no matter the service. First glance she is looking for a table and boy there aren't many people here. One she does know gets a nod of her head in greeting "Hey there." she says to Rick. Then another nod for Bennie as she starts to head for a seat.

"Then I'd get fired! Though I already tried to quit once - long story - but she didn't let me. Even sent me a fruit basket with some brass knuckles with bears on them. So I'm pretty sure if I did get fired, I'd be rehired with in the same breath, so maybe I should clean something. At least then this menu wouldn't be sticky." The one Bennie is handing to Rick as she rambles in circles. "Yeah, this place is D-E-A-D." The blonde actually spells the word in a hushed whisper, because this is Gray Harbor after all, and no sense summoning bad juju. And then Alisha enters, recognized at least as the FD shares a building with the PD, and Bennie's alter ego is an EMT. She gives a happy wave. "But it's starting to look up!"

"That sounds like a complicated workplace situation, getting fired and hired at the same time," Rick replies, unable to hold back a bit of a grin. "Sounds both nice and scary at the same time." He looks around for a few moments, noticing the other cop present, and he offers a brief grin. "Hey." He takes the menu from Bennie, looking at it rather carefully, as he moves over to one of the other seats, so he can sit down.

Alisha thinks twice about getting a seat alone. She really hasn't connected with many people and she's trying to change that. Heading over to where Rick was going to sit "Mind if I join you?" she asks not just going to take a seat. Of course it does dawn on her that she's since Bennie around, just probably not as a waitress "At least you wouldn't be bored I guess. What is the story behind you trying to quit? Is that would let to the firing? Sorry only heard the tail end but that has to be a tale."

"You guys should totally..." Bennie holds out her hands and then smooshes them closer together. "Sit together. Not, like kiss or anything, if that wasn't clear, otherwise the hand gesture would be more like..." Her palms grind together in demonstration. "But then you wouldn't run my poor feet off if you were right next to each other and I would be able to see you both with out..." She whips her head back and forth, her ponytail alternating which cheek it whaps.

While Bennie's doing that maneuver, Alisha seems to get the same idea and when Bennie realizes it her hands thrust over her head with a little YAY! "You guys want coffee? I'm drinking coffee." Like that's news. "Oh, um. Quitting. Yes. I, uh. Had a spat with your El Capitan. Well, more like I was spatting and he was frowning. But I totes apologized later."

Rick smiles as he hears that, nodding a bit. "Sure," he replies, pausing for a few moments at Bennie's words and hand gestures, offering a brie chuckle. "Wouldn't want to make things more trouble for you," he offers to her, before he adds, "And coffee sounds good." He listens to the story about the quitting, rather thoughtfully.

Alisha with being smooshed closer and Bennie's quick train of words she chuckles "I do try not to kiss people I work with. But thanks I'll keep it in mind if I ever see your other hand gesture." taking a seat when Rick confirms it's okay. "How have you been?" she asks him. There are still a few other things she needs to reply to "Coffee would be great. And really you don't say you may have had a cup or two. Couldn't tell." more than a little bit of a amused laugh at her story "I would have loved to the look on the captain's face. Had to be priceless."

"Oh, it's pretty much like his face all the time, so you've already seen it. Sort of like a disappointed parent. That's the worst. But when you can get the man to smile? Sheesh, it's like, wow. Seriously." Bennie clunks down two cups, fills them up without spilling a drop (kind of amazing with how much of a spaz she is right now), and spins over a sweetener caddy between the pair of them.

The door opens and the sound of footsteps signal the entry of a new person at the diner as a ponytailed brunette enters, in skinny jeans and a red sweater, her long winter coat covering the outfit, though it's left opened. She decides to walk up to the counter to order something to bring back to her place. She sits down at the counter to wait for someone to help her, surveying the diner as she waits.

Rick raises an eyebrow as he hears Bennie's words, "Wait... are you saying the Captain actually smiles?" There's a bit of a theatrical shocked expression on his face for a few moments, before he shrugs at Alisha's words. "I've been... I don't know. All good when I can bury myself in work, I guess." It's offered a bit quietly as his gaze goes to the new arrival, studying her for a few long moments for now.

Alisha laughs a bit more at the continued tale. "That's a look I know all too well. Have to agree with him, the captain smiles? I think the world is ending." she is sort of amazed that Bennie didn't spill any. Still it wouldn't be her job to clean it up even if she did. Raising her cup to take a sip. Looking back to Rick "I don't know if probably a good word for it. Work yeah it helps, some other time you want to grab some drinks? If there are things you want to talk about. I can promise to listen." giving a head shake before going to a safer topic. "What are you thinking of getting?" the new person does get a brief look over. Before her attention is back on the table.

Bennie points a pointy finger at Rick then ticks it over to Alisha, "Don't ever tell him I'm the one that told you or I'll never see it again." She chomps her gum for another moment, tongue poking into the center of it before another big bubble emerges. POP! At least this time it doesn't end up splattered all over her face. "Hiii!" She chirps at the newcomer, offering Katherine a thousand watt smile. "Welcome to the Grizzly. Tonight's special is coffee, coffee, and coffee with a side of caffeine. Also the new Impossible Burger, because it's impossible they believe plant based protein actually tastes like meat."

Katherine smiles at the introduction and says, "I need a real burger, double bacon cheeseburger, with fries, chicken fingers with waffle fries, two milkshakes, vanilla and caramel. Was doing a bit of work at home and I needed to get some food for entertaining. I'm not planning to eat all of it by myself." She looks around to the others in the diner and waves. "Sometimes, you're just too damn lazy to cook after a long day."

Rick's gaze remains on the new arrival for a few moments longer, before he shrugs a bit at Alisha's words, "Drinks sounds quite nice," he offers, before he shrugs once more. "Not sure. I think I'd want to know what's recommended before I decide," he says, thoughtfully.

Alisha holds her hands up, admitting defeat to Bennie "I'll never breath a word of it. Promise." before offering a wave to Katherine in return. "Drinks make everything better and easier to deal with. We'll set it up." she hmms a bit "Depends on what you feel like. Have you never eaten here before? Word of advice most of it is great don't have the omeletttes though. You'll regret it." she's likely eaten here enough times to know to avoid them.

Bennie goes to draw a pad of paper out of her Beadazzled apron, but gets distracted by the glow of her phone. A little titter of laughter escapes her lips before she turns the screen so the others can see. It's a text message from someone labelled 'One True' on her phone, and a video of wiggling little Corgis is playing where they are going under a bar in their path instead of hopping over it.

"Sorry. Puppies. So distracting." Bennie slides the phone away, and replaces it with paper and pen, scribbling down Katherine's order. "You disappoint me. I thought that was all for you, and I was going to declare you my personal hero. Though I'm considering putting away an entire cheesecake after my shift." As to what's recommended, she answers. "The Denver scramble is my favorite and we have fresh venison sausage to go in it, if you want breakfast for dinner or we've got a great turkey pot pie tonight."

"Nope, not worthy of your hero worship, just entertaining a date at my place," Katherine says volunteers with a smile, as she recovers from the adorable corgi video. "I try not to overindulge too often but everyone has a vice. Mine just happens to be a dozen red velvet cupcakes." She glances at her own phone with a smile.

"Ah... And I think I have eaten here before, I just can't remember when," Rick replies, before he offers a smile. "And drinks tend to make things better. They did in the past, at least." He looks over at Katherine as well, offering her a brief nod and a smile. Smiling as he listens to what's being said about recommended food. "That scramble sound rather good," he says, after a few more moments.

Alisha does catch a glimpse of the screen and shakes her head. "Probably wasn't all that memorable then. Such is life though not every memory is a treasure." she says to Rick. "Oh yeah they do. At the very least dull the pain you know?" a smile on her face as well. Considering what she wants before speaking up "You know I think I'll try the impossible burger. If nothing else it will be interesting."

"Ooooh, a daaaaate." Bennie draws out the teasing word like a middle schooler as she turns around to the pass through window and sticks up everyone's ticket. "Need a covered double moo with oink and a clucker basket taken on a walksies. One Mile-High and a W-T-F." She calls out, much to the annoyance of the kitchen who would have to spend more time trying to figure out what she's saying than just reading the ticket for themselves. Setting about making the shakes, her attention is taken away for a moment to the blender.

"Yes, a date. Casual, just getting to know someone. I just...didn't get a chance to cook." Katherine smiles as the order is given to the kitchen to put together, then she says, "It's the first prospect I've had since I've gotten to Gray Harbor. What do people do on dates here?"

"Dull the pain," Rick replies, nodding a little as he hears that. "It can dull it, but it's strange how you can't run away from your pain, no matter how far you travel." It's said a bit thoughtfully, although his expression turns distant for a few moments. Grinning as he hears Alisha's order, he chuckles. "You're far braver than me, at least when it comes to that particular meal," he offers.

Alisha pipes up at Katherine's question "Same thing as other places, I'd imagine. There is Starlight Theater, a few places to go dancing, bars, and restaurants. I wouldn't recommend a romantic trip through the woods though. Easy to get lost." sure that's the reason. Her head facing Rick again "A touch strange sure. Distance means nothing when you carry all the pain inside. How far can you really travel from yourself?" in a rare moment of introspection from her. She shrugs her shoulders "Braver maybe. You wouldn't be the one to regret it later though if it turns out badly." she says before she chuckles.

Bennie turns back from making shakes just to make a hand gesture back at Katherine in answer. Two palms pressed against each other and grinding which is Bennie's way of demonstrating kissing once more for the newcomer. "Vanilla and Caramel, sitting in a tree..." She sing songs as she goes back to making the two different flavored milkshakes.

"You are such a dork!" The brunette teases the blonde, it's a real Betty and Veronica type of aesthetic, though they're both pretty friendly and not competing for the same guy. "I'm Kate by the way. That's what I'd prefer to be called. I'd rather not be known just by my milkshake selection."

"See, you willingly taking that risk is quite brave," Rick replies to Alisha's words, rather lightly, before he looks over towards the others again. "You mean being known just by your milkshake selection is a bad thning?" he asks, rather lightly.

"Guess so." Alisha says as there is a buzz from her pocket. Pulling out her phone she and checking the screen she frowns. "Could you make mine to go?" she asks Bennie. Quickly finishes off her coffee and starting to stand. "Sorry my partner can't find his own ass with both hands and a map." she apologizes to Rick "Drinks though right? You know where to find me."

"Pretty much!" Bennie declares of being a dork merrily as she sets down two to-go cupped milkshakes in front of Katherine. "Kate. Kate is good, it's better than having to decide if you're caramel or vanilla. Coming right up!" She declares to Alisha, turning back to the kitchen window to retrieve wrapped up orders, passing them over along with checks. She taps the counter in front of Rick, "Yours will be out in two shakes, but I'm going to pass it off to my relief for the night. I have a dog to snuggle and a man to walk." She pinches up one eye, makes switchie motions with her hands and then excuses herself to the back.

When her order is ready, Kate leaves with her order. "I'll see you around." She turns to leave but then says over her shoulder, "I'm caramel." With that, she walks away.

Rick nods a bit as he hears that. "See, every time he'll turn around, his ass would still be behind him," he comments rather lightly to Alisha, before he offers her a grin. "Drinks," he agrees, before he nods again. "And I know where to find you." Nodding to Bennie as well, he offers her a grin, "Enjoy both of those," he offers, before he grins at the leaving Kate as well. "Take care," he offers.

Alisha takes her order, paying for it of course and leaving a decent tip. Giving a snort laugh to Rick at his comment and with plans confirmed for later she is out the door. Annoyed she has to eat in the car again!