The fire was so hot, I swear the sweat dripping down my face was boiling. I had put in another twelve-hour day doing my thing over the wood-fired grill. The smoke wafted through the kitchen and teased my nose with the delicious scent of the barbecue that had made me a legend. I watched Santressa clear the tables and then stop to take three more orders. Even though it was well after midnight, the customers were lined-up for more than a block waiting to get in the joint. I didn't know if we could keep up with throng of patrons that had overwhelmed us every since the restaurant was featured on "Living It Up with Patti LaBelle."

Patti had visited one night about two months ago. A friend had told her about my sauce and Patti fell in love with my barbecue immediately. The next thing I knew, she was back a week later with her television crew to do a segment on her TV One network show. I won't say I didn't appreciate the publicity. Standing next to Patti in my kitchen was a dream come true. I'd never been that close to a celebrity and she stayed so close to me I could see the sparkle of the garnet necklace that plunged deep into her cleavage. Patti tried to get me to divulge the secret of my sauce but I wasn't about to reveal that it all revolved around using crushed pomegranate seeds. An old quadroon woman, that I had once rented a room from in a Louisiana boarding house, had shared her secret with me. She told me that anyone that ate the sauce made with the pomegranate seeds, would feen for it.

But things had gone beyond crazy with the crowds. I wanted to grab a megaphone and tell everyone to go home. Now! Yet, another side of me was enjoying all the fame and not to mention the fortune. We made so much money that first week, I had 20 dollar bills stacked high as a totem pole. Santressa, my girlfriend and business partner, told me to go with the flow and enjoy the success. I had to admit that she could always make me do as she pleased. With her shapely figure, witty personality, and amazing skills in the bedroom, I was willing to work all night if that's what she wanted me to do. Just as I was pulling another slab off the grill, Santressa handed me another stack of money and told me the cash register couldn't hold it anymore. Yes, this success had gotten outta hand.

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This piece was created for the Serendipitous Nouns Game from the Discussion Board utilizing the following words:

totem, garnet, quadroon, Pomegranate, megaphone, sparkle