15 INCH WINE REFRIGERATOR

Jimmy Sr looked into the bucket and gave it a kick to flatten out the chips.
- There's enough in there now, I'd say, he said.
- Yeah, said Bimbo.
They took a handle each and carried the bin through the house out to the van. They'd a job getting it up the step, and in; the water made it very heavy and it was slopping over the sides. They were all set; tonight was the night. Everything in the van was gleaming; nearly everything. They'd had to buy some new equipment, some of the trays and the basket for the deep fat fryer. Bimbo bought it; Jimmy Sr hadn't a bean to his name. They put the bin under the sink. That was the best place for it, because it got in the way anywhere else and the sink was fuck all use to them.
- We should just pull it ou' altogether, said Jimmy Sr.
- Ah no, said Bimbo. - Not now, annyway.
The thing got on Jimmy Sr's wick, a sink with no water; it was about as useful as an arse with no hole. He let it go though. They'd other things to do today.
- Will we put the rest of the stuff in? said Bimbo.
- We might as well, said Jimmy Sr.
They didn't want to leave anything in the van for too long. Some of the stuff from the freezers would go soft or even bad if they took it out too early. The timing was vital.
- The difference between a satisfied customer and a corpse, Jimmy Sr'd said.
They'd laughed, but it wasn't funny.
They got out, and stopped to look at the burger on the side of the van again. It was a huge big burger, a bunburger with BIMBO'S BURGERS above it and TODAY'S CHIPS TODAY under it.
The bottom bit was Maggie's idea.
- I still don't like tha' ketchup, said Jimmy Sr. - It's too like fuckin' blood. It'll put people off.
- Ah no, said Bimbo, - It's nice an' bright.
Maggie's brother's kid, Sandra, had done it; she went to some painting college or something.
- The bit o' meat sticking ou’ as well, said Jimmy Sr.
He pointed to it.
- It's like a fuckin' tongue hangin' ou'.
- Well, to be honest with yeh, Jimmy, said Bimbo. - I've never seen a tongue made of mince.
- It's the same colour as -
- Look it, said Bimbo. - She put all those little black speckles on it to make it look like mince.
He went over and touched them, showing them to Jimmy Sr.
- They just make it look like it's gone off, said Jimmy Sr.
- It was your bloody idea in the first place, said Bimbo.
- D'yeh know why I don't like it? said Jimmy Sr. - An' annyway, I do like it. It's just the colours I don't like. D'yeh want to know why?
- Why then?
- Cos the young one tha' done it is a vegetarian, that's why.
He had him now. Sandra's told him that, when he was talking to her while she was painting; a lovely-looking girl, she was, but a bit snotty; a good laugh though.
Bimbo looked lost.
- Sabotage, yeh dope, said Jimmy Sr.
- Wha'?
- Sabotage, said Jimmy Sr. - Animal rights.
- Wha'd'yeh mean?
- Is it not fucking obvious?
- Eh - no.
- A vegetarian, righ’, paints a picture of a burger an’ wha’ does she do? – She paints it horrible colours to put people off buyin’ anny.
- Sandra?
- They’re all the same, said Jimmy Sr. – Fanatics, for fuck sake. Sure, they’re putting bombs under people’s cars over in England, just cos they experiment with animals.
- Hang on now, said Bimbo. – We’re not experimentin’ with animals.
- No, said Jimmy Sr. – But we’re slappin’ them up on the hot plate an’ fryin’ fuck ou’ o’ them. An’ then getting’ people to eat them.
Bimbo gave this some thought. He looked at the burger.
- Ah, I don’t think so, he said.
- Please yourself, said Jimmy Sr. – It’s your fuckin’ money. Come on or we’ll be late.

My dad used to live in a house on 35th street, in Sarasota. This was taken there. Some of my best memories of him were born there. This is my favourite christmas photo EVER. I can feel every second of it, down to the comforting strength of his arms and the too-tight waistband of my corduroy pants. The tree was a bottom branch we'd rescued from our best-friend-neighbour's tree. In the freezer behind us was a tarantula we'd been petsitting for a friend - he died (the tarantula, not the friend). I petted him every day because he was so soft, and I felt so bad that we'd let him down. This was shortly before my dad left the country with my stepmom.