Sitting in an empty apartment on New Year’s Eve eating tacos dripping with hot sauce squeezed from branded sauce packets. Only a little inebriated, just enough that the fast food tacos seemed absolutely delicious.
He took a bite and thought of the meme he’d seen before: "Every time I go to Taco Bell I get diarrhea." — "Me personally, I get tacos."
It had made him laugh because he’d never had any trouble with Taco Bell food. The only thing better was when a Taco Bell was inside a KFC. A taco, a piece of chicken, and a cola were the trifecta of satisfaction. Mashed potatoes and gravy and a biscuit only made things that much better.
He was alone but didn’t feel lonely. Not with a box full of tacos to eat and his favorite live-streamer to keep him company.
The year had been a shitty one for nearly everyone he knew, but he had hope for the year ahead. Especially with his new favorite streamer promising to post more.
It was a little thing, but it was a spark of hope. That even if the rest of the world went to hell in a handbasket, there would at least be a bit of fun to look forward to. That human nature would let someone find even the tiniest bit of enthusiasm to hold onto.
The coming year might be horrible or it might be marvelous. Might be like a fast food taco or a gourmet taco. But the sauce would always be delicious.
And if he was lucky, there might be metaphorical fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and maybe a biscuit with honey butter. Because life was always better dripping in hot sauce and with tasty sides to enjoy.
"Happy New Year," he said, and took a big bite of another taco.
=END=
~Harper Kingsley
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I used to think a box of Taco Bell hard tacos was the perfect comfort food, before I got alpha gal. But I can buy a box of taco shells and fixings and make a pretty good taco meat knockoff recipe substituting ground turkey.