Perfect and Free....

This is a tiny square of Manna for Nani. Chocolate and anis, a combination so delectable and perfect, it could only be tasted, well, unexpectedly.

This is how it found me......

One night, not so long ago, driving down the main road of Emerald Isle with my most beloved The Rock Star beside me, we came upon a shop, still opened, with a row of various, multi-colored, non-matching beach and rocking chairs alligned in front.

The later it gets, and as he is want to do, The Rock Star craves the coffee. Nani always craves the sweet: this shop said "ice cream" in the window. Oh yeah, we were going in.

Upon entering, I might have been momentarily distracted by the assortment of homemade chocolate fudge pieces by the door. I might have paused longer than necessary in front of the "pick your own" colored jellies and candies a few farther steps in. I might even have glanced fleetingly to the left as I passed the boxes of carolina toffees.....But still and somewhat, I was unwavering in my beeline to the back of the store and the ice cream section.

As I paced back and forth in front of the cold flavors there, I noticed a small basket of chocolate squares. Chocolate and Anis together, the two parfums together in a most splendid, bite size, package? I knew instantly I MUST INGEST! I picked through the cinnamon/curry and sweet/hot pepper combos and got myself a handful. Turns out these treasures were free as the "acquired taste" was never acquired by the natives or the tourists.....more for me...

In the end, sitting there, on a warm night on Emerald Isle, swinging in the chairs in front of this shop - we could only look out upon an asphalt sea of parking lot, but it didn't matter. I had a pocket full of the sweetest squares, shoulder to shoulder with The Rock Star, our ocean was beautiful and sweet....