Nature Of The Business

Something About That Gold Chain

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!"

Carmen could hear the nightmare from outside The Beef itself...What was going on in there? Why are patrons confused, and dissatisfied? Did Mikey ever deal with this even on his worst day? Did he experience what Carmen was about to walk into?

Hair tousled carelessly, bleach white shirt hugging his stocky frame, gold chain securely clinging to his neck; Carmen pushed open the door to The Beef, his nostrils immediately assaulted by the intoxicating aroma of sizzling meat and fried goodness. The shouting adding to the ambiance that soothed his brain. He looked around in disbelief, did his absence create such a stir? Why the fuck did you hang up on me? He kept replaying his conversation with you in his mind, the calamor around him adding a backdrop to his thoughts. He quickly put his belongings away in the office, changing into his arpon, preparing himself for the circus outside the office doors. The moment he took in the space around him, beer googles off...this was a fucking nightmare.

"Wha- what the fuck, Richie! What the fuck is this?" Carmen's words carried a potent blend of disbelief and irritation. He knew preparation for today may be late due to his absence, but he figured Richie would take the reigns on this one.

Richie, sleeves rolled up, his expression a mix of exasperation and resignation, turned to Carmen. "Ah, the prodigal son returns!" Richie's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Welcome Back To The Madness, Cousin."

Carmen's eyes darted around the kitchen, taking in the orchestra of clattering pots, shouted orders, and the general mayhem that had taken over. His fists clenched at his sides, his frustration mounting with each passing second.

Tina's voice pierced through the veil, a heated argument with a line cook reaching Carmen's ears. He zeroed in on her, his brows furrowing at the sight of her cursing the cook out for filth.

"What the actual fuck, Tina?" Carmen's voice was laced with incredulity. "Whatever it is, chill out and get back to work!"

Tina shot him a viscous glare, her hand still pointed accusingly at the line cook. "Eh, what was what Jeffery? Where the hell where you when these pendejos, decided to screw with the orders? Huh? We had to 86, three orders because these idiots don't know how to speak up!"

"Hey, Carmen, glad you could join the shitshow!" Marcus called from his station, the stress in his voice oozed out of his mouth like a ganache as he tried to salvage a cake that seemed to be unsalvageable.

Carmen's patience, already paper-thin, snapped. "Marcus, I swear to all the fucking saints, if you ruin one more cake, I'll-"

"Save the threats for another day, Carmen," Richie interjected, his tone verging on annoyance. "We got a kitchen full of hungry assholes waiting for their orders. We can shake our dicks after we get through this rush."

Carmen's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched so tight it was a wonder it didn't crack. "Oh, you find this funny, Richie? Fucking hilarious that this place is a goddamn zoo?"

Richie threw his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just trying to keep this shit moving."

Carmen's jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring with every breath. "You're a real fucking comedian, you know that?"

A brief pause settled over the kitchen, the tension nearly tangible. Carmen's gaze swept over the kitchen once more, his frustration practically radiating off him.

"Alright, everyone shut the fuck up and listen up for a second!" Carmen's voice cut through the chaos like a blade. "We've got orders piling up, customers waiting, and a kitchen that looks like it was hit by a bunch'a Cubs fans after a loss. So, cut the bullshit, get your heads out of your asses, and let's turn this shit around!"