Gemotions

The restaurant owner gushed, “This ‘Spicy Shrimp Scampi ala Giovanni’ is a sensation! Everyone raves about it!” Margaret, the cook, felt a tremor in her hand as she continued to stir the risotto. Giovanni. She almost laughed.

She had spent months perfecting the recipe, carefully adjusting the flavors, testing different shrimp varieties. She had called it "Margaret's Marvelous Scampi." She had even put it in the local newspaper.

The owner's oblivious joy felt like a personal affront. She stabbed at the risotto with her spoon, as if she could physically punish the dish for the injustice. The heat in the kitchen seemed to intensify. She wanted to quit, right then and there.