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Helga has banned me from the kitchen for the afternoon, because last night I ate some of the sausages she needed for one of her new recipes. I have sought culinary refuge at a cafe. It is one of the nicer cafes, with pretty waitresses and a menu featuring hearty meals like mother used to make. I sit at a table by the window. A smiling girl takes my order and brings me a cup of coffee.
As I wait, I stare out the window...thinking about those meals mother used to make. It has been a while since I entertained thoughts about my family. I suppose I can disregard the last few years of my life with them as nothing but a nightmare, one that I can dissipate with a contemptuous wave of my hand...one that I must ignore when it comes back to bother me.
The girl returns with my lunch, setting down a steaming plate of meatballs and potatoes, a side dish of vegetables, and a bowl of warm gravy. I thank her. She smiles, chirps "You're welcome," and flits away.
As I partake of my food, I suddenly hear a familiar voice behind me. Sharp, loud, and American. There is only one man I know to whom that voice belongs. I turn around half-way in my seat, and I see Danny talking to the attractive woman behind the till. Though she blushes, she fends him off with oaths in German that he cannot understand, but it only seems to spur him on.
"Do you need any assistance, Herr Visconte?" I say aloud.
Danny turns around. A grin spreads across his face. "Heyyy, Herman!" he says and approaches me, his hand outstretched. "How you doin', man?"
I shake his hand and return the smile. "I'm doing very well, thank you. I'm just having lunch right now. Would you like to join me?"
He seems eager and willing. "Hey, yeah, sure, thanks!" he replies, settling himself into the chair across me and tipping his hat back on his head. He lowers his voice and says, "I ain't gonna lie, I was just in here 'cause o' her. I just might get a date outta her yet." He laughs his infectuous laugh.
( Read more... )
I watch him leave. As he passes the pretty waitress, he touches her back. She looks up from taking another customer's order, but Danny is already halfway out the door, leaving her with only a wink.
In the meantime, I sit finishing up my coffee, staring out the window, and contemplating my understanding of who he is. It is far from complete...but in many ways much greater than before he sat down to talk to me.
As I wait, I stare out the window...thinking about those meals mother used to make. It has been a while since I entertained thoughts about my family. I suppose I can disregard the last few years of my life with them as nothing but a nightmare, one that I can dissipate with a contemptuous wave of my hand...one that I must ignore when it comes back to bother me.
The girl returns with my lunch, setting down a steaming plate of meatballs and potatoes, a side dish of vegetables, and a bowl of warm gravy. I thank her. She smiles, chirps "You're welcome," and flits away.
As I partake of my food, I suddenly hear a familiar voice behind me. Sharp, loud, and American. There is only one man I know to whom that voice belongs. I turn around half-way in my seat, and I see Danny talking to the attractive woman behind the till. Though she blushes, she fends him off with oaths in German that he cannot understand, but it only seems to spur him on.
"Do you need any assistance, Herr Visconte?" I say aloud.
Danny turns around. A grin spreads across his face. "Heyyy, Herman!" he says and approaches me, his hand outstretched. "How you doin', man?"
I shake his hand and return the smile. "I'm doing very well, thank you. I'm just having lunch right now. Would you like to join me?"
He seems eager and willing. "Hey, yeah, sure, thanks!" he replies, settling himself into the chair across me and tipping his hat back on his head. He lowers his voice and says, "I ain't gonna lie, I was just in here 'cause o' her. I just might get a date outta her yet." He laughs his infectuous laugh.
( Read more... )
I watch him leave. As he passes the pretty waitress, he touches her back. She looks up from taking another customer's order, but Danny is already halfway out the door, leaving her with only a wink.
In the meantime, I sit finishing up my coffee, staring out the window, and contemplating my understanding of who he is. It is far from complete...but in many ways much greater than before he sat down to talk to me.
