[ WP ] A Chinese restaurant whose fortune cookies always come true , even if its only vaguely related to what 's on the paper .

Leather shoes trudge through the city streets with tan socks hiding behind their cover. The soles of these shoes finding water where there is little else. The ends of a fine pair of pants damp from a particularly deep puddle, the man curses. He seeks refuge in a convenient alleyway illuminated by a neon sign, the sign read “ New Yung Foo ”. The man does not think twice on this strange occurance, a place to dry and nothing more is what he sought for. The click of a metal knob gives way to a darkened room lit by aged lanterns hanging from the rafters. 
 
 The man steps forward cautiously taking in the worn red paint lathered upon the walls, the gold that has tarnished with dust and grown sticky with the oil in the air. The wood that once traced ornate shapes through the restaurant has long since begun to rot, the red lacquer failing to conceal the age. He moves a hand towards his mouth as though to protect himself from the scent of decay. His hand is grasped by another long before it completes its transit. 
 
 “ Hello sir, my name is Jin-Lan ” the young oriental man said “ will you be dining with us today? ” 
 
 “ Ah, hello, I'm just looking for a place to dry. ” the man replied. 
 
 “ Your name, sir? ” Jin-Lan inquired. 
 
 “ Jim. You can call me Jim. Where could I find your bathroom? ” he replied dismissively. 
 
 “ I'm sorry sir, customers only. ” Jin-Lan responded reflexively. 
 
 With a disgruntled sigh, Jim took Jin up on the offer to dine if only to see that his pants would fully dry. He had no intent of staying when he had entered and even now he would much rather leave as quickly as possible. There was a strange feeling that welled up within him as he was drawn to the dining area. His server had motioned towards one of the tables towards the front of the house and drawn up a menu. 
 
 “ Now, about that bathroom... ” Jim began. 
 
 Jin-Lan pulled a towel off his arm, “ Here you are sir, we've been waiting. ” Jin said handing over the towel. “ Let me know when you are ready. ” he said as he walked away. 
 
 Jim was quite dumbfounded by the server's response. He wiped off his hands and then his pants while mulling over the situation he found himself in. Eventually he thought to himself, “ Nah, he's just pulling my leg. ” and thought little else of it. “ Surely he said it in jest, with a place like this I'm sure it gets rather dull around here. Well, if he does a good job I'll make sure to leave a large tip. ” 
 
 In the center of the table sat a golden bell that was anchored to a rich wood platform. The light shone down onto the bell and caught Jim's eye. Glancing over the menu, he decided to give it a ring. 
 
 The server emerged from the shadows, holding a large platter covered by a dome on one arm and cradling a smaller tray of drinks with the other. “ Yes? ” was his reply. 
 
 “ I've decided what I will have. I believe I will go with the house special and a nice cup of tea. ” Jim replied with a smile that would soon give way. 
 
 With a swift hand Jin removed the dome from the platter, laying out a bowl of thick beef broth studded with vegetables wrapped in silky noodles. This bowl was paired with a small rectangular plate of crisp and succulent egg rolls that filled the room with their aroma. The food had far outclassed the place in which they were made and completely baffled the customer. His mouth stood agape as Jin-Lan placed a delicate cup filled with pitch-black tea and turned to leave. It was then that Jim piped up, lost in the atmosphere of the place and the enigma of their service. 
 
 “ What are you trying to pull here? ” Jim spoke with a raised voice. 
 
 “ Yes sir, I'm quite sorry. ” Jin responded placing down two small saucers brimming with sauce. “ It is rare that I forget such simple things. ” Jin-Lan said with a smile as he slipped away. 
 
 Jim sat in silence for several minutes and had yet to touch any of the items nearly half an hour later. This place was surely one of a kind and filled him with unease. The strange feeling that once welled up within him now formed stones that weighed heavily in his pit. These emotions he tried to drown in the food and drink that lie before him with no success. The worse he felt, the less he could taste the immaculate course. He ate for several hours, the food never depleted fully as he gorged upon the feast. 
 
 Blindly bright lights slashed before his eyes for but a moment and then they were gone. He sat down the food so that he could wipe away the residue that had remained upon his eyes. He began to clutch at his meal once more when he heard sirens in the distance. A common occurrence that Jim thought little of. As he bit into another egg roll, he heard a terrible crash just outside the restaurant which caused him to leap from his seat. Jin-Lan appeared at his side once more. 
 
 “ Is everything to your liking? ” Jin asked. 
 
 “ Yes... yes, I do believe so. ” Jim lied still reeling from the commotion he thought he heard outside. “ Did you hear that awful racket? ” 
 
 “ No sir, it's been very quiet tonight. ” Jin replied brandishing the check. “ I can not remember a night that it has been this profoundly silent. ” 
 
 Jim paid the check in full with several dollars to spare for the young man, and began to head for the exit before Jin stopped him. He was holding a very small plate that held a single cookie in the shape of a cloven hoof. A slightly sweet smell waft from the golden shape to Jim's nostrils. He reached out and took the cookie from the plate while the server explained. 
 
 “ This is a fortune cookie, our finest treat. Inside this cookie you will find a piece of paper, be careful not to eat the paper itself. Read it silently and tell no one, finish off the cookie and see that your fortune comes true. Those are quite popular here and we've yet to receive a complaint. ” Jin said with a satisfied look. 
 
 Jim did as Jin had instructed, reading his fortune as he munched on the crunchy treat. “ Conquer your fears or they will conquer you. ” was written on a pale scrap of paper in dark ink and circulated through Jim's mind. He breathed in through his nose, bypassing the fullness of his maw. The air was sharp and made him cough heavily, he winced at the bright lights just above his face. He tried to move but could n't, focusing instead on the distorted sounds around him that came in as though he were trapped underwater. Slowly faces came into focus as he slipped back into the lobby of the restaurant. 
 
 Jim thanked his server and headed for the door, clutching the piece of paper in his right hand. He remembered what he had feared most. Death. He struggled to return to the scene where he lay, the faces and voices of others calling out to him. He wondered how he had arrived there and found himself in such a predicament. With a great deal of effort, he was able to bring the fortune to his face. “ We ca n't help everyone. But everyone can help someone. ” He finally remembered the face of the little girl that he had thrust out of harm's way. Her blonde hair fell about her tiny shoulders and her eyes so full of life. He had to help her, he had to save her. 
 
 Through pained gasps and broken words he asked, “ Is she okay? ” 
 
 “ Yes ” the medic replied, “ Just lay still, help is on its way. ” 
 
 Sirens rang out in the distance but Jim Adamson had made his peace. He walked into the brilliant lights before his eyes filled with warmth and fearing nothing, not even death. He led the way as he passed on that Thursday night at the age of forty-two. His memorial will be held on Saturday and donations will be made to the nearest Children's hospital. The event will be catered by New Yung Foo.
