Andrew
December 23, 1995

Iwas on the phone with Greg, trying to make supper.

"These baked onions are amazing, Greg. Man, I'm nervous. It's my firstdinner for Eric since I moved in."

"Where did you find this recipe?"

"Mom makes it at the holidays every year."

"Speaking of Mom, what about the in-laws?" he asked sarcastically.

"Why would you even ask? Eric came real close to telling Mama the otherday, but he said he just couldn't do it. I feel horrible for him but..."

"But..."

"But, damnit, this is my life too now. I mean, how the hell am I supposedto feel if I'm like this, this weird roommate guy? Meanwhile...guess whoI bumped into again at the pool yesterday?"

"Again? What, are you hanging around there waiting for him? Watch out,Drew, you're gonna get webbed feet!"

"Are yousitting down? Eric invited him for a ëholiday dinnerí next week."

"Get the hell out of TOWN!!" Now it was his turn to be stunned.

"I know. And he hasn't told me."

"I gotta call Hugo."

"No, Greg. No."

"But this is so GOOD. Andrew spends first Christmas meal with live-inAND first love!"

"I said NO. I'm gonna talk to Eric tonight after dinner, then you cango ahead and gossip. But I donít need my love life plastered allover Hugoís column quite yet. Wait. Okay?" I sniffled.

"Okay, why are you crying, Andrew?"

"I'm peeling onions, Greg. "

*****
Margery McKinley's Baked Vidalia Onions with Chive Vinaigrette
FOR 2

2 Good sized Vidalia Onions
2 tbs. reduced Veal stock
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 tbs. butter
salt, pepper, raw sugar

Chive Vinaigrette

1 sm. medium bleached seeded tomatoes, diced
1 good cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs. c. olive oil
3 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. minced chives, with blossoms if possible

Score onions and peel towards the root end, leaving peel on.
Make a slice so opposite end will sit up. On separate sheets
of foil, place onion in center and 1 each of first five
ingredients around onion. Gather foil up with onion peel
coming out the top. Bake at 400 for 25 to 30 minutes.

Mix vinaigrette ingredients together. Pour juices from onions
into vinaigrette, whisk together. Serve onion on a plate with
small spoonfuls of dressing around in four piles.