The King's Meal

“It’s the best spaghetti there is. My secret recipe. Well technically my great grandmother’s secret recipe but she was hag,” Colin said. Him and his 5 other rich friends gather around for a supper time meal. It’s 5:30, the perfect time for a 40 something rich man or woman to feast and also the perfect time to discuss business. This wasn’t entirely about business however. At least 4 of the 6 friends are under heavy allegations as rich folk are in the 21 century, and even if only one gets convicted it makes them all look bad. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves I’d like to at least give myself a chance to be full off the salad,” said Linda, the owner of a yoga business that seems to be on its last leg. “I don’t think we are here for just the spaghetti. I think we’re here because Colin as always is thinking about himself,” said the bank owner of the group, Washington. There is always a bank owner in these groups. The Lumber Company CEO fires back saying, “I don’t think it’s fair for us to say he’s just looking out for himself when we are also being benefitted by his care for the subject.” Although none of these companies have much in common, they are all companions in the media. They are soul bonded behind doors. But companionship is what really hurts them because the media controls reputation and jail time. “I’m not the one with allegations. Nobody is going to talk on my behalf.” “How do we know that Colin? I mean we know that. But do we really?” Richard, or the lumber guy, sure didn’t mind making Colin seem like he had something to fear. “Maybe if you guys weren’t such fucking pigs we wouldn’t be in this mess,” a part owner of Gucci and multiple real estate companies said. Everyone stared at him. “Excuse me?” “I’m just saying I have never touched anybody that didn’t want me. I have never participated in helping someone do it either. Now I know you guys have your needs and you know I’m with you guys until the end but it has got to stop. Otherwise you got to own up and take responsibility.” Mr. Gucci as they called him was getting balls. “Do you think they don’t want it? Gucci you got to be fucking kidding me. I don’t care if you have my back, I refuse to sit here and feel like I’m doing something wrong due to accusations of my own friend,” Washington said. “Oh cut the bullshit. You can’t actually think this is right. I know life is meaningless and finding what is right and wrong when you’ve cut down so many people is hard. I get that just as much as the next person,” Mr. Gucci is cut off. “Then why are you sitting here patronizing us if you get it. We know what you’ve done. And we know that you’ve known this whole time. About everything we’ve done. Everything. That includes us helping you steal millions of tax payer’s dollars,” Linda said. “Shut up Linda we all know you don’t help with shit. The only reason you’re here is because most of us want to at least have a girl in the room while we’re railing underage boys.” This was the first time Zariah spoke. When he spoke everyone knew he wasn’t going to bullshit. “What Mr. Gucci is saying is true. If you get caught you have to face the consequences. No need to bring each other down. However we aren’t caught yet. What we are trying to say here is every sin is equal in the eyes of the lord. If you purposefully send us to hell to save your own skin we will have no choice but to bring everything into gaze during the court of God. You stick by our side. You defend us until the end. Nobody’s asking you to admit wrong doing. But we are saying that you saw nothing. Kapeesh. Everybody on board? It’s really not that hard folks. Every rich person to ever get convicted had another rich person vouching against them. This is common knowledge. They have nothing.” Everyone at the table went silent for a while. The spaghetti was now halfway done on most people’s plates. Richard is already done. I guess the lumber really tires him out. Something about the food calmed them. Even when they got heated, being near each other as they share a meal seemed to make everything okay. As if all the mean things said fell by the waist side for the greater good of the team. Thankfully Colin thought of things before everyone came over. He always fell victim to being a good friend. That’s what he thought at least. As narcissist goes he was the biggest of them all. “You’ve been awfully quiet Colin? Got something to say?” Richard said. Colin took a deep breath then decided it was time to stop being such a ‘good friend.’ “Do you see that crown over there on display? That’s a real king’s crown.” “You’ve mentioned it to each of us individually we know,” Linda said. “Don’t cut off your king. It took a lot to get that crown. A lot of people died to make me king. And as long as we are in my home that is who I will be. There aren’t many things you can count on in this world. But if you work to earn something and you gain the respect of others the least that can happen in this cruel world is that you get recognition,” Colin said. Before it seems he was done, everyone’s starts to drop dead except for Linda. “The secret in the spaghetti was a very potent poison. Even more potent than I thought. I told you my grandmother was a hag. It’s too bad I couldn’t finish my speech.” Colin was still pleased. “Why did you keep me alive?” said Linda terrified. This was a new feeling for her. She had lived her whole life around evil men. And she had never felt so trapped. “Because I like having a woman around. My queen.”