Knight couldn’t even look at cream cheese. The smell of bacon turned his stomach. Just looking at the breakfast burrito picture on the wall made him feel sick. He swallowed bile, backed slowly out of the breakfast shop.
He was hungry, but his normal bagel with cream cheese and bacon sandwich didn’t appeal to him whatsoever.
He headed back to the bike and rode the couple of blocks to O’Keefe’s. There, he went in the back entrance which was already open. Paulie was in the house.
Knight walked in, looking around at the kitchen. His heightened sense of smell went right to his head. He changed the menu for today in his head, and went into the back of the kitchen to look for something.
“Knight,” said Paulie coming into the kitchen while Knight was in the fridge. “What’s today’s special?”
“Anythin’ without bacon,” he said. “At least righ’ now.”
“You okay? You’re pale.”
“My stomach’s not feelin’ too good.”
“Get some ginger ale from the bar.”
Knight did so, and drank a glass. Then he ran to the bathroom.
When he came out, he was more pale. “You going to be all right?”
Knight nodded. Christina, one of the bartenders, came in. She smiled at Knight. “Hey. Knight, you look like shit.”
“Thanks,” Knight said.
“Stomach’s bothering him.” Paulie said. “Maybe an antacid?”
“It ain’t that,” said Knight.
“I told him to drink ginger ale.”
Christina laughed, “Don’t you realize there’s no ginger in ginger ale? But ginger should help. I’ll go to the natural store for you and get you some real ginger pop.” She waved as she left.
“I gotta get started on lunch.”
Christina returned with a six pack of ginger soda. “Sip it. And I bought some ginger candy for you to suck on.”
Knight tried not to laugh, taking the statement differently.
She mused, “I got this stuff for my sister when she was pregnant.”
Knight froze.
“You’re not pregnant, are you?” Christina asked with a laugh.
“No, ‘course not.”
“Don’t drink so much the night before, then, or we’ll have to serve you Bloody Marys.”