Lisa pointed to one of the drinks on the menu. “Why is this called ‘A Meal in a Mug?’”
Sally smiled. “That’s something were actually famous for around here. Few years ago Hobs, the owner, decided to do something different with Thanksgiving leftovers and put turkey scraps, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce into a blender and liquefied it. It grew to be very popular around here, so now we make it with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie filling. Good choice to start with, miss.”
“Wait!” Lisa exclaimed. “I didn’t actually want to order it…” But the waitress had already walked away, out of earshot. Amazing! Lisa thought. How could the fattest town in the world have a concept like leftovers?
Before Lisa could get over her initial shock a woman walked in and sat across from her. At first, Lisa thought the woman was skinny, but then she realized that the woman had a belly on her that flared out from her thin frame so ridiculously that she looked pregnant. But a pregnant woman, Lisa thought, wouldn’t be wearing things like a restrictive belt, a short miniskirt and thick soled combat boots. The woman appeared to be Lisa’s age or a year younger, and had shoulder length orange hair and the creepiest makeup Lisa had ever seen. She wouldn’t describe the woman as being goth, but she was disturbing.
“Shh…” whispered the mystery lady. “You’re the journalist that’s trying to figure out why everyone in this town is so fat, right?”
The surprise on Lisa’s face gave her away. She had only gotten into town today, and she was sure her assignment hadn’t leaked out of the company. The woman continued. “You can call me Tilly. And you are defiantly going to need my help.”
“Hey Tilly.” Sally the waitress walked past. “The usual?”
“Yeah. Make it cranberry juice this time.” Sally walked to the kitchen.
Lisa tried to regain her composure. “So, Tilly, you want to help me. Why?”
“Let’s just say both you and I have an interest in…secrets.”
“How did you even know that I’m an investigative reporter?”
Tilly smiled. “That’s just one secret you’ll have to figure out.”
Sally came back with a tray laden with drinks. “Here you are, miss. One ‘Meal in a Mug.’ Anything else to order?”
“No, I’ll just finish this first.” Lisa looked at the glass. It was taller than any other glass she had ever seen in a restaurant, and it was filled with what looked like a brownish-yellow milkshake. Sally put the rest of the glasses on Tilly’s side of the table. Lisa counted one chocolate milkshake, three glasses of cranberry juice, a glass of milk, a glass of beer, and a glass of water.
“Thirsty?” She smirked.
Tilly glanced at her. “I’m a bloater; someone who likes to bloat and distend their stomach with liquids. I can handle the big meals here when I have too, because of my large stomach capacity. Better leave this to the professionals.” She reached over and grabbed Lisa’s meal in a cup. Lisa stared in amazement as Tilly guzzled the drink and emptied it in about ten seconds. She reached for her pen and paper.
Tilly licked froth off her lips and shook a finger. “I wouldn’t do that. You might scare the locals. Just be patient.”
Over the next few minutes Tilly took deep, long drafts from her various beverages, mixing them up so she avoided the odd aftertaste that comes from mixing juice and milk. Finally she stifled a belch and patted a bloated gut. “So, do we have a deal?”
If I’m really going to get to the bottom of this, Lisa thought, it’ll help to have a local with me who knows the history. But how exactly did she figure out who I was so quickly? If I stay with her, perhaps I could solve more than one mystery.
“If you want to know the secrets come with me,” Tilly said.
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