I arrived back at the retail space to a small miracle. The cart had transformed the shop into a restaurant version of Bag End.

  My table and chairs now looked like they were stolen from the movie. My paintings hung on the walls, but also there were framed photographs of our trip to Hobbiton in New Zealand.

  The walls! The walls were smooth plaster with curved wooden supports.

  The station lights not only worked but were framed as false windows, with warm light streaming through them.

  A large bookcase was inset into the wall opposite the table, and it was filled with books.

  My copies of Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, Bill Watterson and of course Tolkien.

  The walmart floor lamps had been transformed into iron lanterns that hung from the ceiling.

  The kitchen area was slightly separated from the dining room by a large wooden framed circular doorway.

  “Well, damn. This is nice. Great job cart.”

  I walked back to the kitchen. The cart had become a large bar. I had the hot dog roller and deep fryer next to a three foot wide skillet.

  A sneeze guard protected the customers from oil splatter, and the food from the customers.

  At the end was the food counter, menu and payment kiosk.

  Behind the bar was my kitchen fridge. I can now store cold ingredients and let them age! Pickles here we come! A stovetop, and ingredient storage shelves.

  “You've really outdone yourself, Cart. I don't think I'll ever want to leave. “

  I sat down in my now elvish carved chair, at my long table and just allowed myself to be overwhelmed.

  “Question, can I get replacements from the shop for the books on the shelf? Some of them are sentimental.”

  [100 system credits]

  “Done.”

  The books on the shelf were replaced with hardback versions that all shared the same bindings. They all were dark blue with gold embossed titles on the spine.

  “Very nice,Cart, let's get cooking!”

  —

  “Jake have you heard? People are saying there is a new restaurant opening! The doors are locked but there are a lot of weird noises coming from inside.” Nog said as he sat next to his best friend, legs dangling off the second floor of the promenade.

  “Did you hear anything interesting?” Jake replied.

  “Just the hu-man singing and the sound of burning meat”

  “You mean he's actually cooking? My Grandpa cooks too. I wonder if he will let us watch?”

  “Let's go ask, and if he says no, I think we can sneak in. That shop was pretty damaged, the doors might not lock still.”

  “What do you mean still?”

  “Nevermind let's go!”

  The two boys jumped to their feet and ran to the other side of the promenade. Very nearly bumping into a figure wearing a dark cloak with the hood pulled over his head.

  —

  I was in the process of loading three pounds of corned beef into the pressure cooker when the door chime rang.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “We aren't open yet!” I yelled out, forgetting that the computer put my voice on intercom.

  “We know, we just heard you were cooking and wanted to watch.”

  “Yeah, let us in!”

  “Who is we?” I said, already recognizing the voices, but deciding to play along.

  “ Nog and Jake Sisko”

  “He's the son of the station commander and my uncle is the Nagus!”

  “Oh, I'm honored to have such esteemed guests, but the shop isn't open yet. Unless you are the two workers I asked for.”

  “No we..” Jake started before being interrupted by Nog.

  “We might be, what are the workers supposed to do? And how much are you paying?”

  “I need the store swept and dusted before opening, and it pays 5 BPGC each.”

  “7 BPGC” Nog negotiated.

  “ 4 and a meal”

  “Done” replied Jake

  “ I would have rather had the credits. Hu-man food upsets my stomach”

  The door hissed open and Howard Shore’s Shire started playing softly though the sound system. The speakers were… somewhere integrated into my space Bag End.

  I walked up to the two boys and held out a broom and some dusting rags. They didn't even see me. Their eyes were darting around the room just like mine did about an hour ago.

  I cleared my throat, and they jumped. I suppressed a chuckle.

  “All right, I need everything cleaned up before we open, can't have an unhygienic restaurant now can we.”

  I walked back into the kitchen and pulled out a few hot dogs and put them onto the grill. I also grabbed my basket steamer and purchased some ingredients I had been thinking about for tonight's dinner with one of my new cleaners and his father.

  I heard the boys whisper in the other room.

  “Nog, this place is already clean. We don't have anything to do.”

  “ Shh, if he hears you he won't pay us. Just sweep something like my dad does when he wants my uncle not to notice him.”

  “What's he cooking?”

  “ I don't know, I can't see.”

  “Me neither, let's go pretend to clean closer to the kitchen so we can watch.”

  “Good idea”

  I pretended not to notice that the only place getting cleaned was the doorway to the kitchen.

  While I was dicing onions, Nog had the brilliant idea to start dusting the glass guard in front of the grill.

  “What's that you're cooking? It smells good.”

  “The hotdogs? They are a beef sausage.”

  “No, I've smelled those before. Jake replicated some the other day. It's something else. I think it's from that steaming basket.”

  “Oh, you must mean my special dish I am making for you and your father tonight. Steamed silkworm pupae. Want to try one? they should be done.”

  “Sure” said Nog.

  I skewered one on a toothpick and held it over the counter to Nog.

  He took a sniff and then a careful bite. His eyes lit up.

  “This is good! How did you get a new type of Ferengi food?”

  “Believe it or not, it's an Earth dish. Comes from a nation called Korea.”

  “They must be the best chefs. Far better than the ones who make other Earth food.”

  “ Well I'm glad you like it. I can give you a bowl of it for your payment meal. Jake would you like some too.”

  “No thanks, could I have one of those hot dogs instead?”

  “Coming right up. Why don't you boys set the cleaning supplies against the wall and take a seat. I'll bring out the food when it's ready.”

  “Is it not ready now? Mr.. what's your name ?”

  “Not quite, and you can call me Egman.”

  The two boys sat at the long table and I plated their food.

  For Jake, I served up a hotdog and sweet potato fries.

  For Nog I served a bowl of beondegi, steamed silkworms, with a puree of tubegrub and mayo dipping sauce. I set the dishes on the table and then brought over the bottle of mustard.

  “Thank you Mr. Egman” Jake said and then elbowed his friend.

  “Thank you” Nog said with a mouth full of food.

  I pulled out my Polaroid camera and asked the boys for a picture with my first customers.

  I set the camera on the bookshelf, activated the timer and we posed for the photo.

  I pinned the photo to the wall next to the bookshelf. Then wrote “first customers” on the bottom tab in sharpie.

  “All right boys here are your credits, if you show up and clean every other day I'll pay you the same.”

  “All right!”

  I opened the doors and set the command on the controls to have them stay open.

  “Computer register this restaurant as “Hole in the Wall” and set status to open.”

  —