Sitting at Cafetaria Enigma at twilight Chrisitmas light blinking listening to Elvis' gospel-honky tonk album alone with Shaggy the dog looking on. A vegetarian eating the best fried chicken in East Timor watching the clouds turn puffy purple and the kids throw rocks at ripe mangoes hanging over the restaurant wall. A grand UNHCR-flag-bearing window-tinted-black new Toyota Landcruiser passes slowly by. If only they knew how good Café Enigma was they might have stopped.

Shaggy, as I have began to call that polite dog who sits back and waits for her due, was jittery, moving back and forth on her haunches. At one point, as I was peeling off the last greasy skin and meat from the bone, she emitted something close to a whine. I was worred she might spoil it for herself, as I cannot give to beggars at the dinner table, children with pouty lips and crocodile-tearing eyes included. Luckily she piped down and I tossed her the enormous half-chicken bone, not picked up, so with plenty of meat on the bone. She had that 'Thank you Santee Claus' look on her face. Merry Christmas Shaggy!
posted by JG at 12/22/2002 01:05:00 PM