A Food Truck Romance

Author's Note: This romance is based on lending a helping hand to someone in need, and being eventually repaid in kind. Readers, please be forewarned that "sex" is but a spice to enhance the flavor of the storyline. Simply put, if you're looking for immediate and obscene carnal escapades, forget it and read someone else's story. But if you're willing to read how a couple falls unexpectedly in love, then enjoy the telling of this unique romance.

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"Damn, there she is again," I thought to myself, "That part-Hawaiian girl. For the past few days, she has appeared on the fringe of the parking lot...watching...my food truck... and my customers...or more so what they throw away in my trashcan."

Always wearing that same old hoodie and torn jeans with her backpack and small canvas shoulder bag, she clearly stood out even though she tried her best not to. I knew that she was not an occasional beachgoer because she was here when I pulled into my registered parking spot early in the morning...not that I have any competition in this lonely beach park...and here when I left at the end of the day.

The first clue I had that she might be trashcan-diving for thrown-away food was that the trash can...or more so the area around it...was too neat. The feral cats that used to go through my trashcan strewed trash all over the place for me to clean up. However, since she showed up, there was nothing to clean up...and come to think of it, no stray cats in the area.

From what I could see, my mysterious hanger-on was young... standing about five-six...with a caramel complexion and dark brown hair that peeked out of her hoodie. Other than being slender but not super-skinny, I couldn't tell much more about her since she is always covered up no matter how hot the day was. Yet what captured my attention was that there was this "hungry" look about her...one that transcended the mere need for subsistence...and this proved curiously intriguing.

"Hmmm...I wonder..." I mused to myself. Business has been slow...no, actually dead... so, I decided to take a chance, Sucking it up and deciding that the day was over, I called out from my truck's order window to my mysterious girl, "Hey, there! Yes, you. Would you mind coming over? I would like to talk with you."

At first, my interest froze, and then immediately sought to disappear in broad daylight. Failing at that, she looked like she was about to bolt when I quickly added. "Come on. I won't bite...or try anything 'funny.' I mean, you know where I am five days out of the week."

To her credit, the girl of my interest got up and slowly but surely approached me. Each step toward me revealed the natural beauty of her Polynesian heritage. When she stood before me, she lifted her face and I was captivated by her rich chocolate eyes that spoke volumes of her loneliness and need. Without any makeup or otherwise enhancement, her natural youthful comeliness was readily apparent.

Then remembering to breathe, I mumbled, "Have you been going through my trash?" I knew I had struck a nerve when she involuntarily flinched, and after a pause, simply nodded.

"Are you hungry?" I asked even though I knew the answer. With downcast eyes, the young woman standing in front of my food truck nodded again.

Before I knew it, I had whipped up a plate with a generous heaping of chili over two full scoops of white rice and threw in two hot dogs on top of it all. Handing down the meal with a bottle of water to the girl standing before me, I said, "You do not have to do that anymore. Here, have this chili plate and bottled water."

With trembling hands, my unknown girl accepted my food and drink as if it was manna from Heaven. Then looking up at me with grateful eyes, her lips trembled before mumbling a grateful "Thank you." With that said, she tucked the bottle of water into her shoulder bag and began to ferociously devour her food.

"Hey, hey, slow down! The food will not run away. Sit down at the picnic bench over there. Eat slowly and enjoy what you are eating. Go on...sit. I will join you in a little while."

I exited my truck and sat across the table from this strange girl as she somehow managed to finish off the last of her food before washing it down with a good swig of water. "Here," I said as I placed saran-wrapped two spam musubi before her. "These are for you when you get hungry later on." She looked at me and then at the musubi before quickly grabbing and squirreling them away in her shoulder bag.

"Why are you doing this?" was the immediate question that slipped from her lips. "You don't know me....why?"

"You are right. I do not know you. While I don't know your personal story, I know when someone is down and out and needs a helping hand. Although I am barely making ends meet with my little food truck operations, I count myself lucky when I see someone like you...oh...let me j`ust say that helping you makes me feel good. Oh, and by the way, I am Mel...that's short for 'Melvin'...from my sick and twisted parents...Mel Chun...pure 'pake' (Hawaiian for Chinese). And you are?"

"Mattie...that is short for 'Matilda'...who was my mom's German great-grandmother. Talk about 'fucked up' parents (excuse the language)...but then again, I could have been named after my mom's mother, Mei Wei...yeah I'm part Chinese like you. We both snickered at our given names before she said, "I'm Mattie Akina...yep, Hawaiian to boot. I don't know much about my dad or his side of the family since I never met him."

When I began asking if she was homeless, Mattie cut me off by saying, "Well...yeah, I guess I'm homeless since I have no place to go or to stay. To make a long story short, my mom caught her longtime boyfriend trying to rape me...however, instead of believing me...she believed that I tried to seduce him. Calling me all kinds of nasty names, she threw me out of the house. I managed to grab and stuff a few clothes, my beach stuff, and my few belongings into my backpack before I was kicked out of the house and told never to come back. And that was less than a week ago..."

"So, where have you been staying? At the park's pavilion and bathrooms?"

"No way," Mattie said, "Those places are where the other homeless and young trouble-makers gather at night even though the park is locked up ...or at least its parking lot. A single girl on her own is victimized more than you may want to believe. When night comes, I hide and sleep between the concrete wall (of the house next to the beach park) and the hedges behind your reserved food truck stall. Fortunately, the weather has been nice with no rain...but...I don't know what I would do should it pour and drench me.

"Before you say anything, I want to thank you for the food and willingness to lend a helping hand...the chili plate and two musubi are greatly appreciated it. I really wish I had some money to pay you back...but...I'm a high school dropout who just turn eighteen and has no job or saleable skills...other than selling my body...which I am not about to do. Hell, I'm still a virgin...can you believe that?"

I instantly knew that I was at another crossroads with Mattie. I could in all good conscience tell myself that I had done my 'good deed' for the day, just shrugged, and let it go at that. Yet, something nagged at me not to take the easy way out and to do more.

Sucking it up (something that I seemed to be doing more and more with Mattie) I quickly threw out a far-fetched proposal. "Mattie, I know that we have just met and that you don't know me from Adam...but I have a 'good' feeling about you.

"I propose that you help me out with my food truck and I help you out with your life. Let me explain. First of all, my being a one-man operation has its drawbacks. I am hard-pressed much of the time to deal with my customers and cook at the same time. I could use another person to deal with the orders and more so with the customers.

"If you're interested, let me tell you upfront that I cannot afford to pay you because I am barely making ends meet. I can, however, provide you 'room and board' which will mean three square meals a day, all of the tips that our customers drop in the tip jug, a roof over your head, and more.

"On the last promise, let me say that I rent this small warehouse unit in a light industrial area that allows me to drive in and secure my food truck, and provides me enough space to prepare and store my food. There's a small living quarter in the rear that consists of entering a very small kitchen with an even smaller adjacent bathroom on the other side of the kitchen wall. From the kitchen, you enter a converted office that doubles as my living room, and then a bedroom big enough for a double bed but not much more.

"I pay the rental property manager a seven-hundred-fifty-dollars a month mainly because no one else wants to rent the space and because I am willing to keep an eye out for the other rental units at night.

"If you want...you can stay with me in and sleep in my office-living room until you find something better. I have a folding futon mattress (a three-segment covered foam-rubber mattress) with some spare linen, a blanket, and throw cushions. It ain't much but it's better than sleeping on the dirt behind the hedges and being exposed to the elements."

I immediately saw a look of suspicion appear on Mattie's face as her body instantly tensed. "Hey, I'm not that kind of guy...and don't come close to your mom's boyfriend. Sheesh! Give me a break! I'm not about to sexually assault you in my own home and business center when you can easily identify me and lock me up for a very long time.

"However, I understand your apprehension especially since you just met me. If it makes you feel safer, you can sleep in the front bench seat of my pickup truck...or even the food truck on the walkway. I'll leave my unit's backdoor unlocked so that you can use the toilet or shower."

"Secondly, 'no sex'...I know that this may sound strange. From what I can see, you're an attractive young woman...who would (if she has not already) will attract a lot of guys hoping to score with you. My offer to you doesn't have any sexual strings attached...and before you ask...yes, I am straight and into good-looking women. However, if you accept my proposal, you'll find that by the end of the workday you will...or should I say 'we' will...be so exhausted that any hanky-panky would be the last thing on our minds.

"I want you to fully understand, however, that if you accept my proposal, you will help me out with my food truck operations,. You will be expected to do a full range of duties...from prepping the food to selling, cleaning, and to shopping. You're going to earn your keep by busting your buns. Hey, there is no free lunch in town.

"Lastly, trust goes both ways. You will have to trust me that I won't try to molest you, and I will have to trust you that you won't rip me off or abuse my trust. I know that what I am offering you is spooky, and you'd be foolish if you didn't have doubts.

"You don't have to take it...and can just walk away. However, that won't stop me from trying to lend you a helping hand because somehow I feel you're worth it. Whenever you see my food truck, come on by and talk story. I'll always have something for you to eat. What do you think?"

"Hmmm," Mattie mused in disbelief at what I had just said, "Let me see...sleeping behind the hedges in the open air and trashcan diving for thrown-away food...or... having steady meals, a roof over my head...and a good shower...a comfortable place to sleep. Ummm...what a difficult choice for a girl to make. Okay, Mel, count me in. When do we start?"

"What's wrong with right now? Help me pack up and I will show you my humble abode."

"Aaah, Mel, please don't think badly of me, but could I ask you for an 'advance' of my service to you? I really need a good hair-and-body wash; a toothbrush; a razor to shave my legs, armpits, and other private parts...I'm getting kind of gross when I wear a bikini if you know what I mean... and lastly some clothes. I fled with only the clothes on my back and what I could grab on the way out of the door. Oh, and I need some feminine hygiene products...my monthly period will be due any day. Could you please buy me these things?"

Letting out a faux sigh of resignation, I murmured, "Okay, I did offer to lend you a helping hand...sigh. We'll stop by the Target store on the way home and you can shop for the 'bare'...and I mean the absolute essentials. When it comes to clothes...get the basics. Can't have you go barely descent around the house or in the food truck. However, remember that it's hot in the truck, so get something that will keep you cool. Hmmph!"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Oh, my Lord," sighed Mattie as she toweled dried, and then finger-combed out her long hair after a long hot shower, "I really needed that. Washing my hair and body thoroughly after nearly a week of not doing so... shaving my legs, armpits, and unmentionable parts...and brushing my teeth felt great. Shit, I must have been pretty rancid...what... that's why you rolled down all of the windows of your food truck?"

"Yeah...while you were showering, I sprayed down my front seat and set up an air freshener. Tomorrow we'll get up early to go in my food truck to the laundromat to beat the crowd...and wash our dirty clothes. That'll be the first part of my normal first day off routine."

"Okay," Mattie said as she began to brush her long wet hair. However, when she pulled back the hair from her face, and in so doing, thrust out her jiggling boobs as her thin t-shirt. I had to gulp and control my response. I immediately wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into.

To put it simply, Mattie was absolutely stunning, clad only in a borrowed thin white t-shirt of mine. With each stroke of her hairbrush, her seemingly full breasts on her slender form bounced enticingly with jutting nipple bumps as the hem of my t-shirt rose enticingly up her thighs emphasizing her shapely legs.

"What?" exclaimed Mattie as she caught me looking at her. "Is something wrong?"

"No," I hastily stammered in response. "It's just that you're a lot more pretty than I had imagined you would be now that you're squeaky clean."

"Why...thank you, I think. I hope that your discovery doesn't alter our agreement in any way."

"Relax, Mattie. I find you more attractive, but as I said before I'm not ready to go to jail and lose everything that I've worked so hard for. Come on, let's have a bowl of chili and rice... sorry, I can't afford to let food go to waste. While we eat, let me share with you how our two days off will be spent...assuming the surf is flat at the beach park. Hey, can't afford to miss out on some added business. I need the money to pay the rent, keep the business going, and now take care of you.

"Anyway, getting back on our schedule for tomorrow and Tuesday. The next thing to do after our clothes are dried and folded is to go to Costco to buy food and any supplies for the week. We'll gas up the food truck and its generator, and recharge the butane canister while we're there too. Then after storing the food in our refrigerator or locked in the outside freezer, we will give the food truck a thorough cleaning for the week. You can never tell when a State health inspector will show up."

"Wow!" gasped Mattie, "When do we have a chance to rest?"

"Mattie, I warned you that you'd work your butt off to earn your keep. I wasn't kidding. I normally start cooking a batch of chili on Monday night and freeze it in batches to last the week. Still, I wish I could offer more than chili, but...oh well, sigh...."

"But what, Mel?" asked Mattie. "If you could...what would you offer from your lunch wagon? Come on, tell me."

Mattie had hit a nerve in me and it took me a while before I felt comfortable replying. "Mattie, did you know that I have a fine-dining culinary background? I distinguished myself in my community college culinary program by being able to cook high-end cuisine to perfection. Upon graduation, I was hired to work in a high-end prestigious restaurant first as a line chef, and over a few years of relentless work, as a sous-chef...like a second in command in the kitchen.

"Yet in the culinary world, a top-notched restaurant is a high-pressure working environment that doesn't care for culinary talent or creativity. I quickly became disillusioned with cooking the same old menu...the constant demands....and the non-personable working conditions to make a buck.

"Then, just as I was struggling with my working frustrations, I happened upon the rather elderly owner of the lunch truck that I now call mine. Kamu...that was his name...was very understanding and supportive of my dilemma. He shared that he had a similar culinary background and experience as mine...the only difference was that he decided to call it quits before he burnt out. His chili venues (chili hot dog, chili bowl with rice, or chili frank plate with two scoops of white rice) were the result of his desire to go with the flow and keep things simple.

"To make a long story short, I bought Kimo's lunch wagon and took over his food offerings. However, I soon found out that I wasn't able to offer more or be creative because it was me and only me running every aspect of the food operations. There are times when I'd like to...aah, but that's a dream yet to be fulfilled."

"Well, you still haven't told me what you'd like to cook and sell," said an attentive Mattie.

"Aah, as far as what kind of food to sell, I really like to sell common local street food of the islands. The chili dishes are cheap, tasty, and filling for our customers, but it's common and on every food truck's menu. Maybe something more Asian...no specific cultural cuisine, but rather a mixture of all.

"When I was growing up, there were these little mom-and-pop 'okazuya' that although originally Japanese food stores, served a smattering of food from different Oriental cultures. Those stores have all but disappeared... but I'd like to have an Asian deli on wheels...that would be a unique niche on the food truck scene."

"Then why don't you, Mel? It is a great idea and your truck would be set apart from others."

"Well...there are several reasons as to why I haven't tried. The first is that I wasn't able to multi-task what needed to be done. I also was unsure of where to start when it comes to a new food venture. I was a little...no, a lot...afraid that I might fail and lose. But I think the major reason is that I've been so consumed with making ends meet that I don't have time or energy to plan out alternative food offerings and make them happen.

"Heck, look at me...I'm twenty-eight...I have no social life...cuz I'm so tired by the end of the day that going out is something that never crossed my mind. Not that it matters... especially since I don't have much money for dating... besides who would want to hang around...much less become intimately involved with...a chili food trucker? Jeez, do you know that you're the first member of the opposite sex to be in my home?"

This brought a grin to Matti's lips which made her even prettier. "Wow, so I'm breaking in a virgin house...who would have 'thunk'?

"Oh...yeah, well, enough of that talk about virginity. Let's clean up, brush our teeth, and turn in for the night. We've got two full days of things to do. With what we have in store for the next two days, we'll need all of the sleep we can get....believe me."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Living and working with an attractive teenager proved to be an "eye-opening" experience. Mattie's feminine presence made me realize more that "all work and no play" had made Mel a very dull boy.

In Mattie, I found someone content with...if not appreciative of...the simple (and more importantly, inexpensive) things in life. We talked for long periods as we'd indulge at the end of the day in a little white wine (hey, so what if Mattie was of legal drinking age...who would know) over our "tasting" dinners when I rediscovered the joy of cooking for another. Mattie willingly sampled my created dishes and after a while would tell me what she thought of them as possible additions to "our" (yeah, we began thinking of it that way) food truck's new menu.