The End of the Beginning

Vinny walked into Publix. The store had just opened. He looked right, then left. Already he loved it more than any Base Tranquility dining hall. His nose seemed to take over his other four senses. Before he knew it it had led him to the deli. It was glorious.

All the meat he could ever have was just below his savoring mouth within a shrine of glass in over the top food displays. He eyed the steaks he wanted for the teams get together that night at Vega’s. They were red mountains of deliciousness that seemed to reach inside his mouth and make his saliva run like a flash flood.

“I’ll take seven of these please,” he said, pointing the counter attendant to his prizes.

The captain was going to love them. Miles of bike riding and missing classes had already been well worth it. Vinny hadn’t had meat like this in months. The vegetarian lifestyle forced upon him by UNIRO was too much for him to handle anymore. He… “Excuse me?”

Vinny shot his head around when he heard the soft, bubbly voice. Standing next to him was a beautiful woman, about his age. She had olive skin, brown eyes behind sleek black glasses that matched her straight black hair. She was wearing a blue tank top and gray yoga pants. Most attractive to him though was the fact that she was taller than his short stature. Vinny immediately thought not to stare and locked onto her eyes.

“Um, yes ma’am,” he said, perking up his stance.

“Do you work for UNIRO?” she asked kindly.

“Um, yes,” Vinny said confidently, nearly fainting at the sight of her smile. “Yes, I do indeed work for UNIRO. Rescue Officer Vinny Mckay. How may I rescue you today?” Vinny bowed a little and extended his arm playfully. The woman looked at his white uniform and beret. She chuckled.

“Wow, I’ve always wanted to meet someone from UNIRO,” she said. “My sister wants to work for them. Tell me, have you rescued anyone yet? How many lives have you saved?” “Um, none yet actually, ma’am. Our first mission isn’t for several more months. We’re currently going through some brutal training to prepare ourselves mentally, and physically.” Vinny leaned on the glass counter trying to flex his left bicep. He hoped she could see it through his uniform.

“Oh that’s okay. You have already saved countless lives,” the woman said with praise.

“Umm, I have?” Vinny asked with some confusion. He just told her he hadn’t started missions yet.

“Yes you have! Isn’t everyone that works for UNIRO a vegetarian? You people don’t eat meat. In doing so you have saved countless animal lives across the world. As a vegetarian myself I admire that so much, you have no idea. People so often forget animals are just as important as we humans, but you guys don’t. You really do save everyone.” Oh boy, thought Vinny. He had to roll with it. This girl was too hot to let go. That dangerous bike ride down the interstate was becoming more worth it every second.

“Oh yes, of course. We’re all vegetarians, some even vegans. We at UNIRO rescue everything. I haven’t eaten meat for years since joining. Hey, I’d love to tell you more about UNIRO over dinner... a vegetarian dinner of course. On the island somewhere perhaps, eh? Or even on base?” “Oh really,” said the woman with joy. “You’d let me come onto your base?”

“For you, yes.”

Suddenly over the loudspeaker came, “Mckay. Vinny Mckay. Your seven sixteen ounce steaks are ready. Vinny Mckay.”

Vinny shuddered in embarrassed fright. The counter attendant plopped his seven steaks next to his leaning elbow all wrapped up and ready to go. The woman’s smiling expression turned to anger and obvious betrayal.

“Listen… Uh, listen…” he stuttered. “These are for a friend. I -”

The woman nodded with disgust and began walking away.

“Hey, wait! Wait!” cried Vinny.

With a whip of her hair the woman turned around. She pointed back and forth between them and said, “You can’t rescue this asshole.” “I hate myself sometimes,” sighed Vinny.