Vignettes

Yesterday as I was dragging myself back to my apartment, I saw a store that had a big sign VINTAGE. There were fur coats for 50 Euros and fur hats for 20 Euros. I decided to take a closer look. While rummaging through the hats, a young couple came along. The young man, handsome with skimpy hair on his face--the style I guess--stopped at the hats and put one on. I said how handsome he looked and he blushed. At that moment the clerk came outside and asked the young man if he liked the hat, because if he did, there was a pink dress to match. Like a shot the couple disappeared.

Today I was waiting for my fish soup in La Tambour, our stamm locale. While waiting I read a magazine. Two men were sitting next to me. I know I was eavesdropping, but the tables are so close you are practically in each other's lap. They were discussing the heart throb of one of the men, who desperately wanted to ask this woman out. Did she feel the same about him he wondered. It would be demoralizing if he asked her and she said no. Oh, she must, the other said, from what you've told me.

I looked up when the food came, and there were two Englishmen, who were at least forty years old. The guy who was desperately in love had a pot belly and his hair was thinning. The conversation continued in the same vein through my soup and my coffee and paying my bill. I couldn't stand it any longer, and apologized for listening to them, but thought he might just go for it and ask her out. (And I was thinking put himself and the rest of the world out of misery.) Ask her. What can you lose? I asked. You don't have her now. Oh, he answered, but now I have hope. Then a moment of hesitation. But maybe you're right, he said, it's been two years.