Curry Favor

Příběh, jež Vám budu nyní vyprávět se vskutku udál, jakkoliv se tomu nechce věřit.

I was only 13 years old when everything unfolded. I had hopes, I had dreams, and not a care in the world. Until I found myseld confronted by the hardest decision I have ever taken in my life.

“Original or Spicy?” Asked the guy at the counter. My meals had seemed bland lately, but could I handle the heat? “How spicy is spicy?” I asked. “One extra spicy, coming up!” It happened so quickly, and I was not ready.

For a moment, I considered speaking up, but how spicy can it really be? Oh, how naive I was. It burned like hellfire on my tongue but I could not show weakness in front of the guy at the counter, staring at me with a devilish smile.

“Hot enough for ya?” He said to me, still grinning with a mischievous look. Almost choking and barely able to speak, I managed to say “It’s…. not hot at all…… I’m ok….” I knew he could hear the pain in my voice. I barely cared. He stared at me in disbelief.

As tears from the spiciest rolled down my face, and with eyes as red as chili peppers, I forced myself to smile. “Give me more! I’ll tell you when it’s enough! You don’t know me and you’re not my dad!” Glaring, I know that this will not end until one of us passes out…or taps out.

"Actually," the pepper-giver said, "I am your dad." Suddenly, the tears streaming down my face were not from spice, but from joy. "Dad?" I stammered, "I thought you were in Brno." He smiled, "I was. I got you this." He held up a t-shirt featuring the Czech actor Július Satinský.