Episode

SIX

I am considering inviting you to dinner when I leave here. This is not an invite, only a consideration, but now you know. I am thinking about you and sometimes have conversations with you in my head. When I see you, I will start a lot of sentences with, “Have I told you this before?” I know it makes no sense that I would have, but I am telling you now and in so many ways, that is the only reality I have, so the conversation sticks. Here is what I think we would have. We would share it of course, because we have been apart so long that we wish everything we do is together.

Course 1: A nice salad, light, but tasty. We won’t stoop so low as croutons, but get the crunch from a fine nut nicely caramelized. There is cheese, something stinky which overwhelms our senses and we wrinkle our nose, but keep eating.

Course 2: Seafood. A mussel or clam or oyster dish. I will let you choose. Okay, I will eliminate one and make it easier for you. Mussels or oysters, whatever you prefer. This one we take slowly and intersperse a slice of bread, which we tear from the loaf like a wishbone. We prefer butter over oil and vinegar. We take it slow.

Course 3: Steak. Medium rare. Bernaise and fries. I used to try to make bernaise sauce myself. I never achieved it. Most often it would curdle and I would have a sour version of scrambled eggs. I would love to make the perfect bernaise sauce on my own, but until then, I relish the opportunity to have someone else provide it at will. I may take another slice of bread to dip in the sauce if there is enough. I will offer the other end of the loaf to you and we will look in each other’s eyes and smile as we tear things apart.

Course 4: I’m getting full and must skip to dessert. You like tiramisu and I like creme brûlée. We will order both and finish neither. This is how we will share the end. Each will indulge and smile as the other smiles and walk away knowing my satisfaction and yours.

This is the dinner we will have. Have I told you this before?