Arianna

On Saturday I bought bagels at Wegmans.  Normally, you wouldn't need to know this, except that the last one I had went stale a couple days ago.  My roommate threw it in the freezer to at least prevent mold from stealing it away from me.

After a quick search of the kitchen for the obvious brown bag, I find it in the door of the freezer.  Strange how even paper bag gets cold when it's in a cold place.  My fingertips warm little dots on the surface, making the bag feel damp in my hands.  I crinklecrinkle open the bag and pull out the thoroughly frozen, already stale bagel.

I stand there.

And think.

"This wouldn't be an issue if I wasn't craving bagel this morning."

I try plunging a knife into the side, and miracle of miracle, it works.  But then I can't move the knife to split it, so I just pull it out.

I open the door to the toaster oven, (squeak-SLAM), then set the bagel in the middle, turn it to medium toast and wait.  The toaster counts down the minutes in typical clock fashion while I get a plate and the cream cheese out.  I take a glob and slap it on the plate, using the edge of the plate for resistance.  

Waiting takes too long, so I walk away and get distracted, but soon I hear a distinct high pitched ding, head back to the kitchen and hope that it worked.  The bagel comes out piping hot - too hot to touch, though I try.  I plunge the knife back in, try to split it again, but I rush since it's so hot and cut through the back.  I decide to try the tear and dip method, which works out well.

The bagel doesn't really taste all that bad.  The heat helped with the inevitable chewiness, the "everything" on top still leaves that garlicky aftertaste, and the cream cheese helps.  A lot.

Craving satisfied.