Hello Dear Readers. Well it’s Tuesday and that means it’s time for the Trifecta Writing Challenge. This week we have been challenged to write our response to the third definition of the word path: 3 a : course, route
b : a way of life, conduct, or thought
On the Way to the Rubber Plantation
“What are we eating mother?” Randall asked.
“Oh something quite different!” Erica tried to keep her voice cheerful. “We’ll be starting off with a Piranha Pâté, followed by Wild Monkey Bourguignon and Jellied Plantain Salad Mold.
Randall picked up his wooden utensil and poked unenthusiastically at the Jellied Plantain Salad Mold.
Erica watched her son and was greatly worried. Randall had been growing steadily weary of the limited culinary choices available to them since they had become hopelessly lost in the Amazon jungle on their way to the rubber plantation.
No matter how hard Erica tried to keep things as they were at home in their California Bel Air mansion — calling on every culinary trick she could ever remember having watched on Iron Chef America — Randall remained glum.
“Randall, dear, I fixed a Sugar-cane Soufflé with Mango Sauce for dessert tonight!” Erica announced brightly. And Randall smiled. But Erica knew that smile. It was Randall’s brave smile. The same smile he had donned when he came back from the dentist that day with news that his teeth had been whitened to capacity, and he would just have to “live with them the way they were.”
Erica shuddered at this unhappy memory as she took a bite of the Piranha Pâté. Mmm . . .a slight gaminess but the texture was interesting, and the flavor was intriguingly fishy but not in an overpowering way . . .
“Oh Randall! You simply must taste this Piranha Pâté! It’s wonderful!”
But Randal was walking off into the jungle now. “I can’t take it anymore, Mother! I’m walking into the jungle, and I’m never coming back!”
Erica wasn’t surprised. Somehow she knew all along that this was the path Randall would inevitably take.
Erica absently took a bite of the Wild Monkey Bourguignon, and was immediately blown away by the exciting yet subtle flavors of the wild meat tamed by an açaí berry marinade!
Oh if only the Iron Chef Chairman could taste such perfection!
“Ah, come on,give us a smile Randall.”
“No I’m never smiling again!”
Until next time . . . I love you
Gotta get me recipes for those muahahah
I always suspected you were an Amazon Foodie!
Fresh and very much organic lol!
Well, I suspected as much. I love your new gravatar btw!
Thank you, I figured it would reflect my never ending thinking mind
Yes, I can see that in him, Andy. Definitely!
Thank you
You always cheer me up!
Ah so glad! So sorry you are feeling stressed with all the wedding to dos. They say it’s one of the most stressful times in a person’s life (Sorry that’s probably not helping you feel any less stressed!) But I’m sure everything will turnout splendidly and will be tons of fun!
What would Gordon Ramsey say?? He’d say, “You call this your signature dish??? You donkey!!” That means he likes it but not as much as I liked this story.
LOL Addie!! Gordon Ramsey is definitely going to have to show up in part two!!
that’s a tough choice eat that crap or wander into the jungle…lol
Isn’t it though? Poor Randall!
yes Randal needs to go home!
I love this! Your stories are so much fun.
Thanks Deanabo. I always enjoy yours too!
Thank you!
I think she’s lost it, a touch, there in the jungle, somehow!
Haha! I think you’re right yerpirate!! She’s definitely got a touch of Jungle Fever!
yes, rather! ..and PS.new challenge if you’d like to have a go..http://ligoeditions.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/the-ligo-haibun-challenge-prompt-melt/
Just checked it out. Looks quite intriguing. I’ll have to give it a go! Thanks for the heads up yerpirate!
In a strange twist of irony, moments later, Randall becomes a delicious dish to a family of Hyenas. LOL!!!! If I were him I would have been more worried about my afro than my teeth, am I wrong in this?
Oh I love it! I many have to make a part two for this one just so I can get in the strange twist of irony, Lisa! LOL!
You are a wily, creative woman! Hard to beat, Linda! I know I didn’t do it!
Haha! Thank you so much. I’m so glad you joined our challenges. They are a heck of a lot of fun don’t you think?
This weekend’s was a bit of a PITA, though
The same smile he had donned when he came back from the dentist that day with news that his teeth had been whitened to capacity, and he would just have to “live with them the way they were.” HAHAHAHA. I can’t stop laughing at this story! I will say the jungle recipes did sound quite delicious. Even the Jellied Plantain Salad Mold.
Haha honey! I’ll fix that for your birthday next year!
Live with them the way they are? Dear God, no!!
Haha! Well I guess he could always smile with his mouth closed. Poor Randall!
HAAAAAAAAA! I love your posts! Please publish a book of these stories!
So glad you enjoyed it Dianne. I’m getting close to enough to fill a book.
I love these entrees! Totally fun.
Ah thank you so much Bee!
And thank you for coming by to check it out! 
As a retired chef, I have to compliment you on your menu choices… Brilliant; any chef would be proud of the way she used local products to enhance the freshness, and authenticity, of the dishes. I chuckled all the way through it…. though I did wonder why she insisted on watching Iron Chef… those guys are all too impressed with themselves….
You’re on a roll, lady….
Thank you so much Ned. Coming from a professional Chef that’s high praise.
Oh you are so right about the Iron Chefs being impressed with themselves!! I prefer the Iron Chef wanna be show. I can’t remember the name of it there are so many now. But I do enjoy most of them. One of my favorites is Sweet Genius. Because I love the desserts!!
My first time here (via Trifecta) and I found myself smiling throughout this piece.
My only concrit is I pictured Randall younger, and expected alarm instead of acceptance with his announcement to go into the jungle
For some reason the final description of “was immediately blown away by the exciting yet subtle flavors of the wild meat tamed by an açaí berry marinade!” sent me into giggles.
Well done!
Welcome to the Trifecta Challenges Kelly K! I certainly have a ball writing them. I’m so glad you found yourself smiling through this one. I can see how you were a little alarmed if you were thinking of Randall as younger. Probably wouldn’t hurt to go back and make it clear he’s older. Thank you for the suggestion.
Randall was never heard of again.
But even today, travelers to the remote corners of the jungle bring back tales from the tribes of the wild haired gentlemen with the blinding smile.
No other evidence of his existence is found. Except for a vague likeness featured on a menu from the deepest jungle’s only French restaurant – the one featuring exquisite dishes like Tarantula Tartare and Caterpillar Canapes – yes, the splendiferous eatery, Ma Mere.
LOL!!! Thank you so much El Guapo! With that ending I think we could enter it in some sort of prestigious short story literary contest or, failing that, at least have it read by aloud by Chef Boyardee!
Such a strange, delightful little story haha (:
Strange and delightful. HA HA! I consider that high praise indeed Draug!
haha yes i think the lady had lost it.. i wonder where Randall thinks he’s going? Awesome, light and fun, well-written piece
Thank you for coming by kz. I have no idea where Randall thinks he’s going. Maybe they are at the San Paulo city park which they have mistaken for the Amazon Jungle. Hey maybe I’ll have to write a part two now!
Ha!
This was fun, a good sense of humor needed for jungle life.
Haha! Yes definitely Katie. One must never lose one’s sense of humor when lost in the jungle. I think Tarzan might have said that!
THAT was hysterical! Reminded me of some of the Jane Austin parodies I read.
Jane Austin parodies!! Be still my beating heart! I’ll have to google that one. I didn’t know such things existed!
Thanks for coming by Elizabeth! 
The teeth whitening got me. Hilarious.
So glad you got a chuckle out of it! Thanks for coming by and checking it out! Much appreciated!
Bel Air meets the amazon… too much, Linda!
So glad you enjoyed it Kymm. I appreciate your always taking the time to come by!!
He really should have tried the pirhana pate – I bet it had some bite to it
LOL!! Touche Janna!
OMG Linda,I was in splits reading this-read it out to my daughter too & had her giggling as well!What a story you wove-loved munching on each & every gastronomic or should i say “humoro-literonic”bit?;-)You are too good!
Ah!! and you read it to your daughter too! Oh that just makes my day Atreyee!! And I’m am so glad you enjoyed my little foray into the culinary jungle!! HA!:D
Yes,I usual do read out thgs that i like -to her-she is also my sounding board,lol!She just did a short story yesterday-chilling ,with a great build up-will send it to you once i finish typing-that is if you would like to read it
I would love to read it!! Oh and I especially love a chilling story!!
Ha!Ha!Well my id is mukherjee.atreyee@gmail.com,just send me yrs-so that i can fwd it to u as soon as i type it out-she is very busy with her oncoming school leaving exams-so she just wrote it by hand-i have promised to type it out(i type with one finger-pre-historic,lol!)
Ah! You are a good mom, Atreyee! Can you send it to me at lindavernonhumor@hotmail.com! I would love to read it.
Thks-hope am doing an ok job at it:-)Sure will as soon as I type it out-looking fwd to your post this week;-)
And yes,i have a gut feeling that you are an excellent chef too;-)
Oh I wish!! I do okay. My problem is I hate following directions! But I’m excellent at watching the cooking shows and an excellent eater so I feel that kind of makes up for not following recipes very well. LOL!
LOL!I am like that too-i mean i cannot follow directions very well -not a great eater either-though looking at me now,ppl will find tht hard to believe-hypothyroidism has seen to that my weight more than doubles in the last 15 yrs;-)I was a terribly amateur cook whn i got married but have picked up some good skills-at least to keep my daughter happy:-)
Very witty, I love it.
So glad you enjoyed it Kitty. And thank you so much for taking the time to come by and check it out. Much appreciated!