The Look Of Hope

Chapter 48: Chicklets

The next day, Johnny met with Mary to discuss the chocolate sale. As they met, Mary peppered him with questions. 

"How did the first meeting go? Lydia said you tried really hard. But then she added, you're not me. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. "

Oh, he knew what she meant. It was bad. But then he's only doing this until she pops the twins out. "The meeting was fine. I tried to be normal and all sweet and crap. Worst five minutes of my life. They wouldn't listen. So I had to go full Sensei on them," he told her. He took a bite of the lemon blueberry scone she had given him. It's hard as a brick and it needs more cream. He slathered it on.

Does she even want to know what full Sensei means? Ignorance is bliss as they say. She went on to tell him the details of the chocolate sale.

"First you go early and set up the table. You have the put the red tablecloth on it. Every Nature Girl's official chocolate sale must have the red tablecloth. Then you strategically place the chocolate boxes for customers to see. Do not for any reason put the orange cream ones on the top. No one ever buys those. They're expensive and no one cares for the taste. The parents usually end up buying them at the end. Are you getting this?" She looked at him in the eyes.

With a shake of the head, he remarked "Table cloth on top, nasty orange on the bottom. Got it. What else?"

Clearly, he has fast processing skills. She usually has to tell Bobby several times. "Keep boxes of peanut butter cups, coconut cream, and fudge truffle on the top. They need to be on display at all times. Those are the top sellers. The parents will drop the girls off after school, so be ready for them. Mr. Fred at the grocery store is kind. He lets the girls potty inside his market. Tell him Thank you."

Johnny looked at her. "Umm, no. Not happening. The chicklets are selling their cocoa candy in front of my dojo. I can keep an eye on them while my Scorpions train. I told them last night and informed their parents too."

Wait, what did he say? "That's not a good idea. Main Street is Bobcat territory. They're really possessive about it.  I tried to get them to give us the other side of the street. We could share. They basically told me to kick rocks."

He laughed. "Kick rocks... No rock kicking will happen on my watch. If they bother us or try anything, I'll kick their rocks."

With a sigh, she exclaimed "I hope you know what you're doing. Bobby will drop Lydia off after school. The table and candy are in the garage. It's already boxed for you."

Telling her thanks, he got up. Before he exited the kitchen, he heard his sister-in-law's voice. "If you eat it, you buy it." Dang!

Once he gathered up the boxes of chocolate, and the table, he struggled to find this red tablecloth she spoke of. He felt his irritation rise. Looking through several boxes, he grabbed the first red thing he could find resembling a tablecloth.

Car packed out, off to the dojo he went. Setting the table up outside, and leaving the candy inside the dojo, there's about an hour until the chicklets arrive. Paperwork, more paperwork, and karate magazines it is.

The hour passed by slowly as he hates paperwork. More than once he stopped to take a break and flick his beer pop tops. By the time all of the paperwork was finished, the first batch of girls showed up. They entered the dojo and greeted him. "Hi, Mister Troop Leader Sir." 

Nodding with his cool head nod, he noticed some of the mothers eye him suspiciously. He waved. "Don't worry ladies. No one's going to die today," he informed them. That raised a lot of eyebrows. After telling the moms when they can pick their kids up, he helped the chicklets carry the boxes of chocolate outside.