Is here good?

The plans changed. We wouldn't float, cause it would be too expensive and annoying to have to lug around a midget to steer for us while we played and ate. Rather, we would anchor in the middle of the river at the most beautiful stretch we could find. Also, we wanted to have everything preped, so as to minimize the fuss of setting up a chess set, creating a seat for the painter in the bow, plating and eating a meal worthy of the place, all while in a very unstable canoe.

What to cook? That was the question. The more and more we thought about it, the more we kept coming back to the idea of a meal that complimented the fine beverage we brought along, kuurs, the banquet beer. The choice was obvious. Spam and cheese sandwiches on wonderbread with a canapé of cheetos. Perfect!

Unfortunatly I couldn't bring myself to actually purchase spam or wonderbread for that matter. Cheetos on the other hand I had absolutley no problem with.

We ended up with packaged presliced, with paper between each piece black Forrest ham and muenster cheese sandwhiches. You know the kind, the stuff you get when the deli line is way too long and you are in a hurry. You buy the presliced because its convienient even though you know its incredibly inferior to fresh sliced deli meats. Why is that?

Atmosphere Outweighs The Food

I waste much breath on the importance of food. I'll romanticize, I'll personify a skirt steak, a salty queso fresco. I'll argue its value over atmosphere. It is most certain, in my mind, that several Wellfleet oysters with a minionette can make any back alley dumpster seem like elegant dining ambiance  - but - the right atmosphere CAN make even paper taste wonderful.

     The idea was to have lunch relaxing and floating IN the canoe AND play chess at the same time. A painter, a poet, a retard or a nerd, you pick. The difficulty seemed to be in how we might steer the boat while eating a gourmet meal, drinking a bottle of wine and playing a game of chess. Another obstacle was prep. I've never sliced or plated anything in a canoe before. 

     I was facinated by the idea. It was so outrageous and rediculous sounding to me that it was perfect. It became one of the sales tools used against the painter, unbenownst to him, to convince his participation in the canoe trip originally. (not that he needed much coaxing)