Now, as it happened, Charles was a little drunk by the time Mr.Pruce picked him up, and Charles was not in a good mood. Bengiman tried to engage him in conversation asking question's about Leah and how they enjoyed the trip. He asked how Ol' John was doing and expressed his fondness for the man.
"You, know if it weren't for him I would still be smoking to this day." he went on as the two headed down highway 30, west to Fort Worth. "Did you notice a huge stack of wood by the lodge?" he asked and Charles did recall a massive stack of firewood, enough for several winters. Charles shook his head yes as Bengiman Pruce continued. "Every time I had a craving for a ciggy, he would send me out, for hours, chopping wood 'til the cravings passed." he reminisced "Took a long time, but after three trips to the lodge I was finally cured. "You know, if I weren't such a pig-headed, oaf I might have understood more of his wisdom." Mr.Pruce sighed as Charles gave him a strange look for he had never heard Mr.Pruce say anything negative about himself.
"He is an extraordinary man, I am glad to have known him." Charles added.
"Good ol' John, one of a few good men left in this world." Mr.Pruce sighed as they pulled up to the valet at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House. Charles grit his teeth as he unbuckled his seat belt and exited the vehicle. He had a bad feeling about having dinner with Xation so he tried to smile and be polite as he walked upstairs to large round table where Xation and Hays were waiting. The two men stood and shook hands with Charles and Mr.Pruce. All seemed well, no tension. Xation appeared relaxed, but that could be due to the nearly empty bottle of Shiraz on the table.
"Charles!" Xation greeted them as if they were friends; which they were not. "Come sit, have a look at the menu."
"Thank you Xation." Charles replied as he hurried to order a shot of Johhny Walker Blue from the attentive waitress.
"Now, they still have some of the Grand Champion steer from Live Stock Show. So we should order some fillets." Xation informed them.
"No!" Mr.Pruce said staring at the menu. "I want a Porter-House."
"Of course my friend order whatever you like." Xation smiled. "Do you know how much the steer sold at auction?" Xation asked going on about the animal they would soon be feasting on. "$116,000.00" he said answering his own question.
"Damn!" Hays commented. "Well that explains why these steaks are so expensive!" Everyone had a good laugh except for Charles who sat there gazing down at the bottom of his shot glass. He had a twisting, aching feeling in the pit of his stomach and the strange ringing returned to his ears.
"Charles?" Xation asked staring over at him from across the beautifully set table. "Are you feeling alright?"
"You, know if it weren't for him I would still be smoking to this day." he went on as the two headed down highway 30, west to Fort Worth. "Did you notice a huge stack of wood by the lodge?" he asked and Charles did recall a massive stack of firewood, enough for several winters. Charles shook his head yes as Bengiman Pruce continued. "Every time I had a craving for a ciggy, he would send me out, for hours, chopping wood 'til the cravings passed." he reminisced "Took a long time, but after three trips to the lodge I was finally cured. "You know, if I weren't such a pig-headed, oaf I might have understood more of his wisdom." Mr.Pruce sighed as Charles gave him a strange look for he had never heard Mr.Pruce say anything negative about himself.
"He is an extraordinary man, I am glad to have known him." Charles added.
"Good ol' John, one of a few good men left in this world." Mr.Pruce sighed as they pulled up to the valet at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House. Charles grit his teeth as he unbuckled his seat belt and exited the vehicle. He had a bad feeling about having dinner with Xation so he tried to smile and be polite as he walked upstairs to large round table where Xation and Hays were waiting. The two men stood and shook hands with Charles and Mr.Pruce. All seemed well, no tension. Xation appeared relaxed, but that could be due to the nearly empty bottle of Shiraz on the table.
"Charles!" Xation greeted them as if they were friends; which they were not. "Come sit, have a look at the menu."
"Thank you Xation." Charles replied as he hurried to order a shot of Johhny Walker Blue from the attentive waitress.
"Now, they still have some of the Grand Champion steer from Live Stock Show. So we should order some fillets." Xation informed them.
"No!" Mr.Pruce said staring at the menu. "I want a Porter-House."
"Of course my friend order whatever you like." Xation smiled. "Do you know how much the steer sold at auction?" Xation asked going on about the animal they would soon be feasting on. "$116,000.00" he said answering his own question.
"Damn!" Hays commented. "Well that explains why these steaks are so expensive!" Everyone had a good laugh except for Charles who sat there gazing down at the bottom of his shot glass. He had a twisting, aching feeling in the pit of his stomach and the strange ringing returned to his ears.
"Charles?" Xation asked staring over at him from across the beautifully set table. "Are you feeling alright?"
