“The wine will be cheaper than your Coke.”
“Our kisses cheaper still.”
Raincoat licks some blackened brûlée from The Professor’s lip, and lingers.
“With that little bit of ketchup on your dress collar, and the custard on your sleeve, you are a Monet, my love.”
“Oh, not a Monet. I’d dissolve clean away if you got too close.” Raincoat drums her fingers dully against the table. “I’m pretty sure the French don’t approve of ketchup. Our waiter looked quite disgusted with me. Look at him over there, wiping at nothing. And us here waiting.”
“Disgusted? I just thought he was looking at your breasts, and pretending not to speak English.”
“That was you.”
The Professor drops his napkin. Gets down on his hands and knees to retrieve it.
“But I’m serious. We’re like a different species here. An American abomina—”
Raincoat sucks in her breath, as the heat floods her face.
“What are you doing?”
“Painting your legs. Watching you dissolve.”
She grips the bottle’s throat, as a red heel succumbs to the floor.
I touch the bill inside my pocket, and turn toward the kitchen.
Lunch is long in Paris.
And Americans so loud.
11 comments:
Found you at Jason's place. I really like this one. Definitely suited to Vic's House.
I love how this is told from the waiter's perspective. Lovely writing.
These last three pieces feel like a series, perhaps not in the traditional sense, but a common spirit. A common build.
You certainly captured the flush of these people. It's like getting lost in their energy.
Again, very well portrayed (of course). :)
BTW, thank you for the link! I will be updating my own links soon and would like to add you to mine.
Thanks, Victor! I enjoyed your piece for Jason's contest.
Jaye, I was stuck on this piece until I thought of telling it from the waiter's point of view. Then it all came together. Thanks again for your kind words.
Jason, I do think of these vignettes as a series united by a common romantic spirit, if not the same characters. The last novel I wrote was Paris-centric, and it seems I still haven't gotten it out of my system. ;)
Thank you for the lovely words, and I would very much appreciate a link from your site! Of course. :)
You love Paris, don't you? And you're a master of surrealistic nonchalance. Kudos Sarah!!! Can't make it to your blog every day due to exams, but I'm sure I'll spend a long time on your blog later in the month, relishing your sublime experiences.
Thanks again, Abhinav!
Good luck on those exams...
The last novel I wrote was Paris-centric, and it seems I still haven't gotten it out of my system. ;)
Tell me more about your novel. I didn't know about it. But I should've guessed ;-)
Hope you make a book out of all these splendid posts. A friend of mine did that. Her blog is at Aparna Kar
BTW thanks for the link (and pardon my shamelessness).
My novel is a love story between an American woman and a Frenchman. Inspired by the film, "Before Sunrise," it takes that "what if we only had one day?" conceit and extends it a little bit further.
I was also very interested in portraying outsiders' view of Americans in this Iraq War era, so political and cultural differences are addressed, too.
I have an agent, and he's been submitting the novel since June. I had one interested editor at Penguin, but the editorial board shot it down. It's looking to die a long, painful death right now. Ah, well.
Thanks for asking, though. I read about your friend's book, and it sounds quite interesting how it came about.
:)
Best luck with your book Sarah. I hope I get to read it in print. :-)
LOVE the twist at the end--that it is from the waiter's perspective! I like this couple, too. And I am so going to like your novel!
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