Heart of the Bay

I love San Francisco. This is where I grew up and helped shaped my outlook on life. So when I was commissioned by the Frito-Lay Do Us A Flavor Campaign to create my own chip flavour and write a short story around how it was inspired by the flavors of my hometown, I was more than thrilled to take the task and represent my hometown.

I hope you’ll join me in this fun contest by entering your own “hometown flavor” in the Frito-Lay Do Us A Flavor Contest a www.DoUsaFlavor.com. 

-boarders_

 

Ralph pushes the double doors wide leading from his home to the restaurant. Tying the knot to keep his apron in place, Ralph steers towards the kitchen where his nostrils flare up in response to the vast of fresh ingredients.

When he reaches the outline of the door frame, Ralph politely knocks three times causing his father to lift his eyes up from the cutting board to him.

“Morning,” he greets, sliding an arm over his forehead to wipe the beat of sweat forming. “Can you pass those peppers?”

He does so and passes them to his father. Ralph sneaks a glimpse at the crowd today. The same amount of people that came the previous days were here, so nothing was really lost, but at the same time their traffic wasn’t particularly astounding.

“It looks pretty decent.” Ralph chirps. “Just the same but who knows this day is only starting.”

“You said that yesterday,” his father points out. Ralph’s face falls as he desperately looks anywhere but his father. “And the day after that. In fact, I’m sure you’ve been saying that since we opened.”

“I should...refill those napkins at the front.” He was about to protest when Ralph beats him to a punch and scurries off in an effort to distance himself greatly from answering that shockingly accurate prediction.

For now Ralph is in the clear, but that still doesn’t mean his father isn’t going to hound him later on. At least he still has time to think of a proper response that doesn’t sound generic and well-disrespectful.

Moving into the city hasn’t been an easy journey for Ralph and his father, who’s dropped their comfortable life in Orlando to make a name for themselves in one of the most innovative cities, San Francisco. The fog city has been a lifelong dream of Ralph’s father ever since he saw it on a postcard as a child.

“Ralph,” his father calls out, interrupting him out of his thoughts. “Can you hand out these flyers for me? It’ll help generate more people and help get the word out about our great restaurant.”

Taking the flyers from his hand, Ralph zips up his jacket and nods his head. “Sure thing dad.”

“Wait,” Whirling around, Ralph looks at his father expectantly. “Don’t think we’re not going to talk about earlier.”

Ralph hangs his head, mutely bobbing his head up and down, mentally preparing himself for the amount of groveling ahead. The cool breeze collides with Ralph’s skin like miniscule snowflakes.

He tightens the hold on his scarf and battles the roaring wind, offering flyers to most of the tourists and ongoing passerby’s. Reaching out to a couple of established of food chains, diners, and booming restaurants, Ralph distributes them politely to the staff.

Down to his last few pamphlets, Ralph decides to head back.

“What can I get you today?” One of their waiters finally arrived and begin jotting down their orders as Ralph enters. The bells chime, signaling a potential customer.