Aurora 2024

Al Groves

Katsudon

All six of my guests sit around the island of my kitchen, chatting away as I stand over the stove and pour a slightly beaten egg over a pork cutlet. I cover it and turn to my friends to tell them that dinner will be finished soon. They’re all glad, but Jason seems to be especially so as he smiles and pumps his hand in the air. I can’t help but notice the My Little Pony bandaid on his index finger from where he made the rice. The egg is soon done, and I turn the heat off and put one of the pork cutlets onto a bowl of rice. I am about to give it to someone when I’m stopped. I completely forgot to garnish it. I give Amy a smile as she hands me a small knife. I sit the Katsudon down onto the counter, and as everyone watches, eager to start eating dinner, I raise my left hand above the bowl, take my knife to it, and shave off small, decadent slivers of my pinky onto it.

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