Blame It On The Homesick Texan

"hey, danny." cardigan greeted the the owner of Poor Yorick's Pub as he hurried in from the blustery wind outside. "what're we eating tonight?"

"beanie wienies," blake replied.

"beanie wienies? that sounds surprisingly good."

"it is, trust me." blake handed him a bass ale.

"i always do, danny boy, and i'm still alive." cardigan took his beer over to join the regulars. "what's up, guys?"

sierra was munching on cotton candy. "we're bored."

taylor had beanie wienie stains on his Russell athletic hoodie. "there's nothing interesting going on."

cardigan noticed the Lurker simply milling around and turned to marian, who was making funny faces in a mirror. "do we have to have anything interesting going on? can't we just enjoy a nice quiet evening of drinking a beer and eating beanie wienies?"

blake walked up to deliver cardigan's beanie wienies. "no, we can't. we're a blog. people expect something interesting, or at least mildly amusing. we can't just standing around saying 'beanie wienies' all night."

marian snickered. "well, that at least is mildly amusing." she turned to taylor. "how were the beanie wienies, taylor?"

taylor opened his mouth to show the rounded end of a hotdog stuck onto each fang. "fangtastic."

cardigan rolled his eyes. "i see you two are getting along well."

marian shrugged. "meh. he's good for killing bugs."

"there are no bugs in my pub!" blake stated flatly.

"you know," the brown-haired Lurker piped in, "in bram stoker's 'Dracula,' the Count's little helper Renfield ate bugs."

"i am not eating bugs!" marian made a face.

"ooh, i like that one!" sierra complimented her. "did you just come up with it?"

"yes," marian replied happily. "i think it conveys a healthy balance of revulsion and defiance."

"i don't need a partner who eats bugs," taylor said, accidently knocking his fork to the floor.

"how about ants?" sierra suggested. "as in, ants climbing a tree?"

"yay, i'll eat that! can you make it, danny?" marian asked blake.

"i could," danny grumbled, bringing a new fork. "but it might be kind of messy for some," he noted, looking pointedly at taylor. he then walked over to the Lurker and handed her a cup of tea with lemon. "here you go. you look like you've had a rough day."

the Lurker looked at him gratefully, leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek. "thank you, danny. i had a little too much wine last night at karaoke."

blake walked back to the bar, his face as red as the Lurker's hair, muttering under his breath.

"make something interesting happen, cardigan," sierra demanded. "you're the man of action around here."

cardigan shook his head. "not until i've finished my beanie wienies."

marians giggled. "he said 'beanie wienies' again!"

"so did you," taylor pointed out.

at that moment, tucker walked into the pub carrying his guitar case. "hey, danny. what's on the menu today?"

"beanie wienies."

"beanie wienies?" tucker echoed in surprise.

"yeah, beanie wienies. want some?"

tucker shook his head. "not yet, man. i've gotta write a song about beanie wienies first."

"yay!" marian clapped her hands. the Lurker and taylor exchanged a high-five. cardigan and sierra, having both been the subject of a tucker song in the past, both grimaced.

beanie wienies, beanie wienies
i wish i had a plate-full of beanie wienies
everyone is dining on caviar and blinis
but i've got a hankerin' for beanie wienies...

"i'm never making this again," blake sighed regretfully.