Page 7 of Caught in a Christmas Conundrum

Phyllis has goneto get the supplies we need. I have to admit that Lucas was right about that. Maybe having someone around who isn’t afraid to challenge me, to say they have a better idea, and to share it, talk about it, and potentially help me be better, is something I need and didn’t even realize it.

I cast a covert glance at Lucas who is working beside me. He’s mixing up the spices for the rub he’s going to put on the Cornish hens.

I love that little bit of beard, his strong nose, the determination to keep working until he gets it right. That determination is part of the reason that he’s won the barbecue contest the last five years. He is always trying to get better, too.

Why haven’t I noticed before this that there’s so much to admire about him? I guess I was so busy disliking him that it never occurred to me that perhaps there were things I could like.

Don’t we have a tendency to do that to people? I look at the sweet corn cupcakes that I’m dropping into the cupcake holders, just before I put them in the oven. My mind is swirling with thoughts. I know I have a tendency to look at someone, dislike them, and only allow myself to see the bad in them. It’s so hardto want to look at someone I don’t like and see good. What will it take for me to change my opinion? Why am I like that? I know, intellectually, that there’s good and bad in every person. Yet why am I living like there’s not?

“You’re awfully quiet,” he says as he adds a dash of what looks like paprika into his mixture.

“I guess I was just thinking about how sometimes when my mind is made up, it’s hard for me to change it.” I suppose I don’t have to be honest about what I am thinking about, but I’m a big believer in honesty. Unless it hurts someone. In that case, sometimes you’re better off just keeping your mouth shut.

I definitely agree with that, but some people absolutely refuse to say what they’re really thinking or feeling, and I’m not sure I understand why anyone thinks that’s a good idea.

If it doesn’t hurt someone else or isn’t going to cause any problems, I guess I don’t understand it. Although it’s hard to be vulnerable, and sometimes the truth makes us vulnerable. We don’t like that.

“I suppose I’m like that too. I can be like a dog with a bone. When we’re talking about creating new barbecue recipes and making them the very best they can possibly be. I don’t like to give up until I’m satisfied that my recipe is the best.”

“And that’s why you win the barbecue contest every year,” I say, and I find myself not feeling as much animosity as I expect. How could I? The man is looking at his biggest payday of the year, and I needed help, and he didn’t even think about it. He dropped everything, just so he could come help me.

“You’re not going to have as big of a financial return on the festival.” The thought just occurred to me, and I realize how much he is giving up for someone he doesn’t even like.

He lifts a shoulder. “I want to see you succeed.”

I stare at him. Does he really mean that? I feel like he couldn’t possibly. After all, I’m his competition.

“So what’s the catch?” I ask, trying to infuse some humor in my voice, like we’re just joshing with each other.

His head jerks up, and he blinks. He’s truly surprised that I even suggested that there might be a catch. His brows draw down, and he shakes his head.

“There’s no catch. I am serious.”

I feel bad. He’s convicted me. Obviously, since I assumed that he was joking, I implied that I don’t really want to see him succeed.

“But you’re such a competitor,” I finally stammer, unsure what else to say.

“That’s true. I am. I like to compete. I like to win. But we’re both in the same small town together. Doesn’t it benefit both of us if we’re both a success?”

“How?” I ask, and I am a little bit perplexed. After all, I see customers walking into his door, and if his store wasn’t there, they would have no choice but to come into mine. So, isn’t he taking my customers?

“If there are two good places to eat in Christmas Tree, people will be more inclined to move here, visit here, stay here for an extended period of time. After all, they come to my place once, and I’m not saying that people are fickle or easily distracted, but once is enough for a lot of people. Then they want something new. If there is another place for them to eat, they could stay for two days and hit up both of us. If there’s just me, would they even plan to come to our town? They’d find a different town where there are lots of choices.”

“Choices paralyze people,” I say, knowing this to be true. I walk into the grocery store sometimes, and without a list, my mind feels like it’s going to explode.

“True. But we often make decisions about where we want to visit based on choices. If there is a place that has a whole lot of places of interest around it versus a place that has just one thingyou want to see, it makes more sense to go to the first spot, where you have lots of choices, right?”

He’s making a lot of sense, and I’m kind of ashamed that I never thought about it like that before. I truly saw us as actual competitors. Maybe, Lucas has a few things he can teach me.

six

. . .

Lucas

Kate started this conversation.I’m just giving my opinion. It seems to be bothering her. I have the feeling that she didn’t believe that I truly meant that I want to see her succeed.

“I feel a little ashamed. Like I should have thought about that before, but I didn’t,” she says, and I can tell that she truly does feel bad. I can also tell that she’s thinking pretty hard about what I say, which I really admire. Sometimes people latch onto their own opinions, and there’s nothing that you can say to dissuade them from believing something that is absolutely wrong.

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