Overcooked: Breakfast, Lunch & Denial

Jeff has managed Parker's Table & Bar for twenty-seven years. He knows the shortcuts, the staff, the regulars, and every way a shift can collapse before noon. He shows up anyway.

Out back, it's caffeine, profanity, and a crew held together by mutual suffering and stolen fries. The kitchen runs on spite and smoke breaks. The servers treat hygiene like a suggestion and side-work like a rumor. Boomer arrives with an expired VIP card and no intention of paying full price. Corporate wants to "elevate the brand." The health inspector has opinions.

Jeff has seen it all. He'll see it again tomorrow.

A fun, tongue-in-cheek read for anyone who's ever punched a clock in a joint held together by stubbornness and a side-eye approach to customer service.

Come for the disasters. Stay for the staff you'll recognize immediately. Just don't ask about the ranch dressing.

Michael P. Clutton has been creating stories and art since he could hold a pencil. What began with cartoons and short fiction grew into a lifelong pursuit of finding the absurd, the heartfelt, and the quietly human in every idea he touches.

Known for his dry humor and wry take on life, Clutton blends imagination, wit, and emotional honesty across genres-from comedy and sci-fi to horror, literary fiction, and even the occasional tongue-in-cheek how-to guide. His work invites readers to laugh, think, and occasionally wince in recognition.

He lives in Southwest Florida with his wife, where inspiration comes as easily as the humidity. When he's not writing, he's probably drawing, fishing, or pretending his poker face still works.