Cat Burglars

They cheered together for next competitor. Randall Vicoff entered the arena, his muscles tense and bursting from his uniform. His expression was blank facing forward as he walked towards the platform. Terry nudged the guy next to him.

“That’s my man. He’s been training for so many years, he’s got this on lock.”

“Oh yeah? I’ve been following him on social media for awhile. His bulk has been crazy to see.”

“Dude! We had to double our grocery budget just to get enough food in the house for the calorie increase. Ice cream before bed every night!”

“That’s the dream! I gotta start putting in the work for those numbers and reward myself with some ice cream haha!”

“Randall’s deadlift skyrocketed once we hit 3500 calories per day. It was an ego adjustment to see the number decline a bit when we cut back. But, after a couple weeks the strength came back.”

Randall stepped up to the platform for his first pull. The crowd grew silent as he set up. He outstretched his arms, looked up at the ceiling with a deep breath, then pulled his elbows to his sides and flex his whole body. With a sharp exhale he folded forward to grab the bar. He lifted his head with a big inhale, then pressed his legs into the floor lifting the bar and straightened his back to complete the lift.

“Down!” the judge called after the longest moment at the top.

700 pounds crashed into the platform and the crowd exploded in cheers and applause. Terry grabbed the shoulder of the guy next to him and shook him excitedly.

“There it is!”

“Woo!”

Terry spilled his beer down his own arm in his excitement. Liquid dripped down his arm onto the ground. Luckily, no one was close to his beer-side. He slowly bent down to set the nearly empty cup into the cup-holder of the chair.

“Dang, this sucks. Hey I gotta get another one, you want one buddy?”

Terry’s new friend chugged his current beer and crushed the cup in his fist. “Of course! I’ll come with, since its a rest period.”

They navigated their way out of their row to the stairs. The stands were about half full for the competition. The echoes of the roaring cheers made it feel like it was full.

“I didn’t catch your name in the excitement.” Terry turned his head so his voice reached his new friend, but his neck couldn’t quite turn enough to look at him walking behind.

“Joe. I feel a little starstruck meeting someone so close to Randall! This is the first competition that I’ve only spectated. Usually, I try to compete myself. But, some injuries set me back this year.” Joe lifted his shirt to reveal a cloth back brace.

“Its not too bad now. But, I want to baby it now while its not a major deal.” He adjusted his shirt back over his lower back.

“I get it man. Those small injuries add up. Better to take it easy earlier and heal up. The recovery from major damage can be demoralizing.”

They arrived at the top of the stairs and looked out at the food booths. Only the Taco Shack and Burger Joint were open today. The other 5 booths did not open up for this event since the arena did not fill up. There was a line for tacos and the burger booth had a sign up “Back in 5 minutes.” No one seemed to be waiting for the employee to return.

“Yooo! You see that?” Joe froze and both men stopped in their tracks. There was an empty high top table overlooking the arena. It had a pink box with light blue polka dots sitting on it. The top of the box had the logo that everyone knew. It was mischievous looking black cat face with one fang peeking out with an overbite. They both knew Sugar Nips when they saw them. The butter cream frosted delights were legendary.

They looked around. No one seemed to be paying attention to the table. They looked at each other and floated over to the railing next to the table. Close enough to watch it, but not too close in case the true owner came back.

Terry whispered. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” He kept his face out towards the arena.

“We have to rescue them. Clearly abandoned.” Joe stole a glance at the table again. Now they were close enough to see the box was slightly open. The sugary scent of butter cream and blueberries wafted towards them.

They stood up straight in unison. Together they walked parallel to each other. Terry provided cover on Joe’s left side as he was a bit bigger. Joe strolled next to the table on his right with Terry pinned to his left side. Joe’s hand struck out like a lightning bolt. He swiped the box off the table without a sound and transferred it to his left hand, between himself and Terry.

They quickened their pace. This was the most dangerous part. They needed to get away from the scene of the crime. Them with the box in their hands. The empty table. Anyone could come up now and accuse them of grand larceny.

They turned down the first set of stairs they found and moved into some seats between two crowds of people. They were near some of the master class competitors that competed yesterday and a big group of supporters for a female competitor named Klara it seemed based on the giant yellow and blue banner they held.

Joe set the box on the arm rest between their seats and opened it. The smell of butter cream revealed peanut butter to their noses. The blueberry was a more natural fruity scent underneath the blanket of peanut butter. There was only one cookie left, the size of one of men’s fists. There was a nibble taken out of one side. Disrespectful really. One does not eat only a piece of a Sugar Nip. The shortbread cake base had crumbed partially, but remained mostly intact. The men looked at each other, then back at the cookie, their mouths watering.

“Halfsies?”

“Deal.”

Terry took the cookie in his hands as Joe held the box. He broke it at the base, as close to half as his could, careful to keep at crumbs that fell in the box for later distribution. The blueberry jam and butter cream stretched between the halves and eventually broke apart.

They each grabbed their half of the cookie and delectable ecstasy ensued. The peanut butter creaminess complemented the tart blueberry and was held to together with the firm airiness of the short bread. The short bread seemed to absorb the flavors and redistribute them through a breaded filter creating all new flavors as one chewed.

Terry and Joe looked down at the arena from their new seats. Randall was looking up towards their old seats from the platform smiling with a gold medal in his hands. A slight look of confusion appeared as his eyes scanned the stands for Terry.

Terry smiled down at Randall in amusement thinking about recounting the story later. Then suddenly stopped eating to save half of his half of deliciousness for his champion.

Joe finished his half with an exhale.

“Wooo!! Go Randall!!”