2001: A Taste Odyssey

PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart

2001: A Taste Odyssey

“The best part of space exploration is setting down on an unknown planet, shooting the first thing you meet and roasting it over a charcoal fire. Sitting back under alien stars and digging into some interstellar brisket, now that’s pure heaven.

“Sure, sometimes you accidentally bag a sentient, maybe even a kid. You can’t tell just by looking at some of those things.”

The eyes of the kindergarteners are wide with horror. A few are crying softly.

“That’s . . . fascinating, Captain,” the teacher says with a gulp. “Maybe you could tell the children more about your rocket ship.”

Thank you Rochelle for choosing my picture for this week’s prompt. This is from a restaurant in Baku, Azerbaijan called Karvansary. It is underground in a former caravansary, which was a stopover rest stop on the Silk Road back in the day.

28 Comments Add yours

  1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:

    Good one, David! Easy to visualize. I bet their parents get an earful when they get home.

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    1. Hopefully there wasn’t too much therapy involved later. 🙂

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  2. Hahaha! I can hear the voice of Jim Kirk right now! 🛰️

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    1. That’s kind of what I was going for, something between that and Zap Brannigan. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  3. James McEwan's avatar James McEwan says:

    Hunger comes in many forms. Poor kids, what happened to “Zoom, zoom, we’re flying to the moon”

    Great picture for the prompt this week.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. You give the story hour a whole new face. I love the photo. Makes me hungry. Interstellar brisket. Will potatoes come with that? 🙂

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    1. They might, but I don’t know if I’d trust interstellar potatoes any more. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. You have a point. Great FF.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. a little vetting of the speaker beforehand would, in hindsight, have been a good idea

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yeah, they’re stick to pre-recorded talks after this, maybe.

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  6. James Pyles's avatar James Pyles says:

    What you’d bag most likely wouldn’t have any nutritional value at all or could even be toxic.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. yeah, it’s a pretty stupid, macho thing to do, to be sure.

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  7. Dale's avatar Dale says:

    The excitement of space travel… might be great storytelling for those older than kindergarten… I’m with Neil – this spaceman shoulda been vetted before! So good, your story is!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Dale! I’m glad you liked it. This one keeps making me laugh.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Dale's avatar Dale says:

        With good reason!

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  8. Well, that’s different! Nice one, David

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Keith!

      Like

  9. Violet Lentz's avatar Violet Lentz says:

    And I am guessing who ever booked this guy is deathly afraid of drag queens! heheheheheh

    Liked by 1 person

    1. haha, maybe 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Dear David,

    Perhaps the captain could’ve left some savory details out, given his audience. 😉 Love the story and thanks for the delicious photo.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Rochelle. This was fun to write.

      Like

  11. elmowrites's avatar elmowrites says:

    Guest speakers are always a dice roll! Very real story, David, and a great photo, thank you.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Jen. 🙂 Glad you liked it. Yeah, if they go off script, all bets are off.

      Like

  12. Ok, this one made me LOL.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Dawn. It made me laugh writing it too. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Good one with a fun ending! At first I was like, oh my! Then I remembered that I eat veal, so who am Io judge?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yeah, I know what you mean. I feel like I shouldn’t meat, but I still do.

      Like

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