Inktober 12: #Spicy

In which a conflict over ribs brings a friendship to the brink

When I was in graduate school, one of my housemates was Gregg Hecimovich. You may know Dr. Hecimovich as an august scholar and the chair of Furman University’s English department (he’ll be on The Habit Podcast next week talking about his much-anticipated book, The Life and Times of Hannah Craft). But back then he was a regular twenty-something knucklehead.

When my girlfriend Lou Alice came to town, I cooked some lovely short ribs. They were sweet and #spicy and tender. I made more than enough—not with the intention of sharing with my housemates, but with the intention of having leftovers for my own self.

After Lou Alice left town, I looked to console myself by eating leftover ribs. But when I looked in the refrigerator, they were gone! Gregg had helped himself to them.

Reader, there was a scene. I don’t know that Gregg and I ever had another fight, before or since. But we had one that day. Also, I sent him a poison-pen letter or two. In one letter, I remember, I shared Scripture: “He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself. — 1 Cor. 11:29" That gave him something to think about.

#inktober2023

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