I could not help overhearing
from the stylishly fashionable
and seemingly civilized couple at the next table,
reminding one another more and more aggressively
where fault lay in a matter that eluded me
and other spectators who could only surmise
the quarrel had to do with love or whatever passion
compelled these two to engage in a duel of words.
Each duelist insisted on the final word,
taking every “no” as a provocation
until their mutual insolence exploded
with such fury that the war of words
became a war in fact,
putting our close tables in the line of fire
as knives and forks, plates and dishes,
cups and saucers and the flower vase
flew like rockets and mortars.
We had no choice but to take shelter
beneath our tables to escape the hostilities
and call aloud for God or the gendarmes
to save us from witnessing murder.
Henri, the frantic maitre d’,
his face the color of blood,
implored the adversaries to see reason,
pity the damage to his business, the loss
of his clientele and his good name,
urging the ideals of decency and mercy
as he called out to his chef to come quickly
and bring a weapon of self-defense.
Having exhausted their ammunition and passion,
the combatants agreed to accept
a de facto truce, piling money
on their ruined table to atone
for their war crimes, and exiting
with a shout to the chef (who’d emerged
from the kitchen with a carving knife in hand)
on the excellence of his “exquisite sauce”
before departing arm in arm, smiling
and blowing the rest of us kisses
as if the loving couple had reconciled.
“Imagine what your grandfather could do
with a plot like that,” I told Hemingway’s granddaughter
when I described the incident to her.
“A plot like what?” she asked.
“Lovers turned enemies, a surprise ending
with lovers reunited, and a sting in the tail.”
“Impossible,” she shook her head. “When did you ever read a story of his with a happy ending?”
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2 Comments
We can’t trust our assumptions of people because we never know what is really going on. We all act out but are happy to make up and love someone in seconds. I really enjoyed the message of the story.
Love it! Another great tale.