Alissa stretches as she gets out of bed. She stumbles into the bathroom and takes a nice hot shower to wake-up. Today, she was going to go and visit her Uncle’s old BBQ partner. She wants to learn how to make barbecue like her uncle and sell it from her hamburger truck.

Once she is done with her shower. She gets dress in a pair of nice blue jeans, a baby blue blouse, and black ankle boots. She slips her favorite necklace on that has a picture of her uncle and mom in it.

She heads down to the kitchen and makes herself a nice cup of coffee. Just before she leaves the house, she checks on her uncle’s old smoker/cooker. She runs her hand over the surface of the metal and can only imagine her uncle cooking with it.

She grabs her car keys and drives over towards her uncle’s old partners house. She remembers where it was as she pulls up in front an old pale white ranch style house. The front yard was cut, and it looked like someone was preparing the flower beds in front of the house.

She gets out of her company van and walks up to the front door and knocks on it. She looks out towards the neighborhood and remembers the first time her uncle brought her here to the house. She had been out of the hospital for two months and her uncle dragged her out of the house.
She was scared to come out in public after everything that had been done to her.

She knocks one more time on the door. She hopes Alexander will talk with her.

“Who is it?” Alexander normally didn’t get visitors and the ones that did visit him. They always wanted something from him.

“It’s Alissa Spencer, You and my uncle use to cook barbecue together.”

Alexander opens the door when he hears Alissa voice. He looks at the five-foot woman with curly brown hair standing at his front door. The last time he saw her, was the day they buried his best friend.

“Come on in Alissa.” He steps aside to let her in.

“Thank you.” Alissa steps in.

Alexander shuts the front door and escorts Alissa to the kitchen. He was in the process of making his coffee.

“So, how has life been treating you since your uncle died?”

“It’s been alright. I started a catering service and graduated from culinary school. My friend and fellow classmate Gregory Brown is my partner in the catering business.”

“Oh? What type of food do you cater?”

“All sorts. I don’t limit myself to only one style. Plus, I make everything from scratch.”

“Would you like some coffee?” As Alexander steps behind the counter and pour himself a mug.

“No thank you. I already had a cup before coming over here.”

“Well, then you know what my next question is for you then. Why are you here?” Alexander takes a sip of his coffee.

“I was wondering if you could teach me how my uncle made his barbecue so tender? I’m thinking about having a food truck that specializes in
hamburgers and one of those burgers I’m hoping to do is a barbecue burger. Basically, a hamburger with shredded barbecue piled on and top with a vinaigrette coleslaw and hot sauce.”

Alexander loved the idea of the burger. It would be something he would try to do.

“So, what is the problem? Didn’t your school teach you how to do barbecue?”

“Not really. They taught us how to do it in the oven, but I want to do it the way you and my uncle use to do it. I know what spices he used in the rub, but I don’t know how he and you made the meat so tender.”

Alexander looks at Alissa and wonders if he should help her. She was a nice girl and she had such high ideas and hope.

“I can show you, but the best way for you to learn is to enter into a barbecue contest. Do you still have your uncle’s smoker/cooker?”

“Yes sir, I still have it. I’m having the food truck my uncle uses to sell barbecue from, fixed. That way I can use it to sell burgers from.”

“Well, if you’re willing to learn. I think the best way for me to teach you is to enter us into a barbecue contest. That way you can see how it is done. Do you have any others that would be willing to come along?”

“Yes, sir. I have three other people I can call on to help.”

“Good. Do you want to try?”

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind learning by entering in a contest.”

“Good, would you mind if I look at the old smoker/cooker before we go any further?”

“I don’t mind. I’ve been keeping it in storage since Uncle Pemton died.”

“Good. Let me finish my coffee and we can go over to your house and look at it. If its still in good condition, I know of a barbecue contest going on this weekend that we can enter.”

“Okay.”

Twenty minutes later Alissa and Alexander arrive at her place. Alexander stops as they walk up the driveway. Memories of his best friend come flooding back as he recalls the days of them sitting in the driveway on a nice sunny day and drinking beer. Just watching the neighborhood children ride their bicycles and skateboards.

Alissa notices Alexander just standing and looking at the converted garage.

“Is everything okay?”

Alexander recovers and looks towards Alissa.

“Just remembering the days that your uncle and I would just sit out here while the smoker was going. We would drink beer and watch the neighborhood children ride their bicycles and skateboards. Now a day you don’t see that. They are either inside playing their computers games or binge-watching movies on the televisions.

Parents are more concern about making money, so they can brag about having the biggest television or playing games themselves. Instead of getting their butts and children outside to enjoy mother nature.”

“Times are different nowadays, sir. Companies are more concern about business and making a profit, then letting couples enjoy life.” Alissa was glad she worked for herself.

“Not to mention youngsters like yourself feel they are owed things that use to take your parents and grandparents most of their lives to acquire.” Alexanders grandchildren felt that way.

“Not me sir. I value things more than your average person my age. My uncle taught me that if I want something, I need to work for it. I’ll enjoy it more if I earned it.”

Alexander smiles at Alissa. That would be something he would expect his friend to instill in his niece.

“So, where is your uncle’s old smoker/cooker.” He hopes she didn’t leave it out in the yard.

“Right here.” Alissa unlocks the garage door and lifts it up, exposing the smoker/ cooker, along with several other items that her uncle used.

Alexander walks over and looks at the smoker/cooker. It was still in the same condition as the day it was put away.

“I tried to keep it clean. I come in here once a week to dust it and oil the joints.” Alissa walks over and stands next to Alexander.

“I know your uncle would be proud of you.” As he lifts the top and checks inside.

He could still smell the wood smell that clung to the sheet metal. He inhales the familiar smell and just holds it.

“I’ve missed that smell.”

Alissa was just standing back and watching. Alexander reminded her of her uncle when he would just come out to smell the scent of the wood smell from the smoker/cooker.

“Here, let’s pulls this out and take a look at everything.” Alexander starts unlocking the wheels on the smoker and pulls it out into the daylight.

Alissa helps him pull the smoker/cooker out. She was still amazed how easy the wheels moved.

“You’ve kept this in good condition.”

“I figure I might need it one day. So why would I just let it get dusty?”

“Good answer.” Alexander walks around the smoker/cooker inspecting.

“So, what types of meat will we be cooking at this contest?” Pulls out a small notebook to take notes.

“Ribs, Chicken, Brisket, and pork butt which is used for pull pork.” Alexander was satisfied with the condition of the smoker.

He looks over towards Alissa as she wrote everything down. A smile appears on, his face because he realizes she is serious about this.

“You said you remember what your uncle’s rub is? Do you have any of it or will you have to make some?”

“I have a quarter of a container and I can make some more myself. If you don’t mind, I could whip up a sauce for the ribs and chicken I think you’ll like.”

“Make up a small amount and let me taste it. Sometimes judges can be a little picky.”

“Alright. Do the judges provide the meat or do the competitors?”

“You're going to have to buy the meat. I’ll come with you when you go to buy the meat. I know a nice butcher shop I think you’ll like.”

“You don’t like the meat in the store?” Alissa was curious why.

“Nope, I prefer freshly butchered meat. It won’t have any preservatives. Also, we’ll need to pick up some Hickory, Mesquite, and Maple woods. The Hickory has a bacon flavor to it. The Mesquite has a strong flavor to it and the Maple has a light sweet flavor to it. You’ll need the hickory for the brisket. That is one of your uncle’s secret. The maple was used for the ribs and chicken.”

“Could I use them to cook hamburgers and such?” Alissa had an idea.

“Yes, you could cook or smoke your hamburgers.”

“Cool. Hey, Alexander have you ever heard of a person putting cut brisket on top of a hamburger patty and cover it with pepper jack cheese?”

“Not that I know of. You could do a straight Brisket sandwich. That would go over well with your hamburger ideas.”

“I like the idea. So, what else will we need for the competition?”

“Why don’t we put the smoker away and sit down to talk about it.”

“Sounds good. I’ll make lunch for us.”

“I hope you’re a better cook then your aunt was.”

“I am. I learned everything my uncle knew and expanded on it.”

Alissa helps push the smoker/cooker back into the storage area and closes the garage door. Alissa escorts Alexander into the kitchen.

“Are subs alright?”

“Yes. If you have roast beef or corn beef. I could go for one.”

“I have both. I’ll make you a nice corn beef sandwich.”

Alexander sits down at the small kitchen table in the kitchen. He watches as Alissa goes about fixing them lunch.

“I remember when your uncle converted this. I thought he was foolish, but he said he was doing it for you.”

“He knew I wanted to have my own catering business. I had a few jobs while I was in school and I was driving him crazy using the kitchen. So,
he felt I needed my own kitchen to cook in. So, he decided to convert his garage into a kitchen for me.”

“Well, he did a good job. How busy does your catering business get?”

“Some weeks we are so busy, that we sleep in the spare room here. Other weeks we are so slow, that I and my partner go around to some of our former clients to remind them we are still around. We also, try to make new clients as well.”

“So, in other words, Yes?”

“Yes.” Alissa finished making the sandwiches.

“Here you go, enjoy.” Alissa sets the plate with the sandwich down in front of Alexander.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Alissa sits down at the table with her plate.