gova

(Continued from March 27, 2010)

Dessert had been served.  In addition to the chocolate mousse, there were some delicious-looking cakes and tarts.  There were also various kinds of fruit.

While we consumed the goodies, a conversation ensued about the possibility of a budding romance between Bob and the waitress.  Elsie remarked: “If those two start dating, the letter that Alice left on his kitchen table will have been written in vain.  He will be driven into alcoholism even more.”

“First of all, I don’t think the waitress will be interested in a habitual guzzler,” Alice responded.  “Alphonse was having a bit of rather innocent fun at Bob’s expense; but, my assessment of the server is favorable.  She strikes me as fairly well educated, a girl who is making extremely good money in a part-time job.  With her good looks, she most certainly gets generous tips.”

“I plead guilty to Alice’s claim that I was having some fun at Bob’s expense.  Furthermore, I agree with her evaluation of the waitress.  I judged her to be a college student with a major in psychology.  And, having done a bit of beer slinging myself, I know that gratuities can be considerable.”

Aunt Dorothy came to my young friend’s defense: “From the details that I have been able to gather regarding the man to whom you refer as the guzzler, I would say that he had set himself up for the treatment he received from Alphonse.  In fact, if the experience lowers the opinion he has of himself by a notch or two, it will be beneficial for him in the long run.  And, although I have never laid eyes upon the waitress, two concurring opinions suggest that she probably is either a college student or a graduate trying to pay down her student loans.  If she is indeed a psychology major, she will know that reforming an alcoholic is a real uphill battle.”

Since no one appeared interested in expressing any further thoughts about Bob, I asked my young friend about his exit from the pub.  I was interested in the dialogue that preceded Alphonse’s departure.

“After calling you from the washroom, I went back to the table and announced that I had to go on my way.  Bob asked whether he would see me again soon at the health club.  I said: ‘I noticed that the managers were having a discussion while they were looking in my direction.  So, I may give them a call, requesting free use of their facilities.’  I didn’t have to explain to Bob that I would be an asset for that gym.  Folks would wander over and ask me questions pertaining to proper body building.”

“When he requested my phone number, I told Bob: ‘I am cutting down on the use of my cell phone; I can’t afford the cost right now.’  So, he gave me his e-mail address.”

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 25, 2010)

“I am considering your remark to be a compliment,” Alphonse said with a smile.  “You couldn’t possibly mean that I make a habit of frightening folks, even though I did manage to give Bob a scare in the Mini.”

“You couldn’t have foreseen that Bob would react the way he did,” Alice responded.  “It is not normal.  And, yes, I did indeed want to give you a compliment.  You have put a lot of time and effort into building your body.”

Thea apparently didn’t think that a kibitzing session between Alice and her adopted brother was a good idea at that time.  She was enormously curious about the dialogue that had transpired between the two men.  So, she urged: “Tell us about the conversation that took place between you and Bob in the pub.”

“I asked Bob why the waitress had accommodated him to the extent of creating a spot for him.  I couldn’t help adding: ‘I get the impression that there is chemistry between you two.’  My remark obviously took him by surprise.”

“When he objected: ‘I have a girl waiting for me at home,’ he handed me an opportunity to commence a really interesting dialogue.  I told him that if he was two-timing with the waitress, he could let me in on the secret.”

“He assured me repeatedly that he had not given any thought to becoming romantically involved with the waitress.  So, I responded: ‘I think that she has given the matter some consideration.’  My remark made him look in the direction of the girl.  She noticed his glance and smiled at him.”

“I then asked Bob: ‘The girl who is waiting at home for you, has she ever complained about your habit of visiting the pub after a work-out?’  He admitted that there was some bad blood about that routine, which made me assert: ‘If the relationship ends because of your fondness for beer, you have a girl here in the pub.’  I then pointed out that the absence of a ring on her finger probably meant that she was available.”

Thea assumed her sister role and questioned: “Did you really think that there is chemistry between Bob and the waitress?”

“One can never be sure in a pub environment,” Alphonse replied.  “She is evidently interested in him from a commercial point of view; but, I thought that I could see a few sparks fly.”

That last remark made aunt Dorothy proclaim, with a big smile: “I think you have been a naughty boy.”

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 23, 2010)

“Of course, one never knows what the future holds for us, but slim are the chances that I will invite Bob into my Mini for a real ride.  Actually, he had little time to worry about any fright that my cornering might have given him.  The action that had developed in the alley was much more fearful.  From the pub’s vantage point, the other side of a huge dumpster was visible.  In front of that container, two young men were confronting one another with knives.”

“Did you run into the pub to get away from that horrible scene,” Thea asked.

“We did after I had shown Bob what good citizens normally do in such instances.   Although it must be said that remedial measures involved little of my time.  As is frequently the case around pubs, a police car was parked across the street.  From there, the officers could not see the fight.  So, I simply alerted them.  They seemed glad to get a chance to earn their pay.”

Alphonse had a way of making trivial incidents seem extraordinarily interesting.  All the ladies seemed fascinated by his narration as they sipped their liqueur; however, aunt Dorothy seemed especially drawn in by his talent.  It appeared to me that she had discovered what I had known all along–Alphonse would make a great salesman.

His demonstrations of Sophia’s capabilities would be the beginning of a great career.  Being in a position to learn engrossing details about various kinds of robots would be irresistibly attractive for my young friend and he would be able to convey that fascination to potential clients.

“Did anything out of the ordinary take place in the pub?” Elsie asked.

“I came to the conclusion that Bob has become an important persona in there.”

“What happened,” I asked, somewhat unable to control my curiosity.

“Bob wanted to sit in a certain spot, but other clients had already occupied the table there.  I could see that our would-be bodybuilder was reluctant to sit elsewhere and a certain waitress had also taken notice.  So, she persuaded guzzlers at three nearby tables to move over a bit in order to create room for a small two-persons’ table.   Although there were several empty tables in other areas of the pub, none of the patrons objected.”

“We can easily guess why no one took exception to being disturbed,” Alice said while she burst into a bout of laughter.  “With your imposing frame towering above them, the seated clients did not dare to make a fuss.  Saying anything that could be misconstrued would seem a risky move.”

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 21, 2010)

The monetary compensation that aunt Dorothy mentioned was so substantial that Alphonse was visibly astonished.  He uttered: “Never before have I been offered such a hefty sum for my services.  So, of course, I accept the job.”

The timing for the temporary employment could not have been better.  Alphonse had recently quit a position in a company where there was too much friction between workers.  He had asked my opinion about a decision that he needed to make.  My advice was: “If it happens, more than once week, that you get home at night as frustrated as you are now, it is time to put in your resignation.  Your health is a lot more important than the money they pay you.  If you need a loan to see you through to the next job, you know on whose door to knock.”

While aunt Dorothy and Alphonse discussed details about the job and the giggling girls were unsuccessfully trying to attain my young friend’s adroitness with the bar’s remote, my thoughts reverted to the scene with robot Sam.

From a practical point of view, Sam definitely outdid Sophia, the salad bar.  However, the mirth that had been created around the dinner table indicated that gadgets have many different uses and purposes.  It occurred to me that catering outfits could entertain a dinner crowd with a Sophia-like contraption.  I decided to mention the possibly new line of clients to my new daughter’s aunt.

Since we had all filled our bellies to capacity, we decided that some digestion was necessary before a special dessert would be fully appreciated.  The food server told us, with a big smile: “That is good news for the chef; he needs a bit more time to prepare his version of chocolate mousse as well as other goodies.”  So, Alphonse was urged to continue his tale about time spent with Bob.

Highly elated, because of the new job, Alphonse was ready to put his spin on the story: “When we arrived on the street, Bob pointed at an alley and said: ‘I usually walk to the pub through there.’  Since there were a number of unsavory-looking characters halfway down the alley, I advised him to accept a ride in my Mini.  After a few seconds of hesitation, he acquiesced.”

“During the short ride around the block, I noticed that the knuckles of Bob’s right hand turned white due to his extremely tight grip on the support.  I must admit that I took the corners a bit wildly, but a young fellow should enjoy an invigorating ride.”

“Never again will he get into your car,” Alice asserted.  “The guy with whom he catches a ride to work is the only person he trusts.  Bob has trained him to drive very slowly and carefully.”

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 19, 2010)

The food server had removed the soup bowls and reset the table so unobtrusively that it hadn’t interfered at all with Alphonse’s narration, but my young friend sensed that aunt Dorothy was about to make an announcement concerning the next dish.

“This chef’s chicken fettuccini creation is the most delectable that I have ever tasted and it probably is the most decadent as well.  However, you, young people, don’t have to worry about the extreme richness and I have my way of neutralizing the excessive calorie intake.”

Thea also praised the chef’s talent: “He has a way of bringing about a dish that has the familiar flavors, but it also contains a unique entity that increases the intensity of one’s sensory impression.  It is undoubtedly the combination of spices that he employs.  Anyway, this dish is only available here; it is not on the menu in the boutique hotel where he frequently plies his trade.  So, enjoy a unique experience.”

By means of the double-decked cart, the server brought six plates with steaming contents and, for second helpings, a large bowl filled to the brim.  Alphonse’s plate contained a double portion, which had disappeared before the other single amounts had been consumed.  Everyone had second and third helpings “in order to fully appreciate” the unique flavor that Thea had described so neatly.

In the mean time, a low-level salad bar came rolling toward the table; it was loaded with a tremendous variety of uncooked ingredients for creating a run-of-the-mill or a not-so-common salad.  Bottles, containing a dozen different vinaigrettes or seasonings, were securely held in a special series of compartments.  The server brought a remote so that the guests could wheel the bar around the table and serve themselves without getting up.

Because he had created his salad while the others were still eating pasta, Alphonse had quickly become familiar with the various settings of the remote and the ladies were quite happy being served by my young friend.

Attached to a lever, each container or bottle could be maneuvered in front of the individual who was in the process of piecing together a salad.  Consequently, there was no need for turning around or reaching.  One can easily imagine the laughter that resulted as the semi-tipsy ladies, one by one, made their creation.

“If our clients could see how easily the various components of the bar can be manipulated, orders would double,” aunt Dorothy proclaimed.  “Young man can I persuade you to attend the next board meeting in order to demonstrate, in front of other board members, the correct way of operating this salad bar?”

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 17, 2010)

“Thea told me about the lengthy letter that you left on Bob’s kitchen table,” aunt Dorothy remarked.  “That is a nice gesture.  Since you have given him specific reasons for the failed relationship, he may be able to avoid future disappointments.”

“I felt that it was my duty to implore him to seek help for his alcoholism and other related issues.  However, I am afraid that he will ignore my request.”

A silence of a few seconds ensued and I could tell that Alphonse was wondering whether more discussion of Bob’s problems was about to take place or whether the ladies were waiting for him to continue with his narration.  Thea clarified the situation for him: “What was the sequence of events in the gym after you two men had exchanged your initial words?” she asked.

“Bob stayed by my side while I finished my routine, which took about ten minutes.  I appreciated the fact that he didn’t say anything during my exertion.  As I gathered my things, he said casually: ‘I’ll see you in the changing room.’  Since he had to go back to get his stuff, I got into the locker room a bit ahead of him.  That allowed me to update you folks.”

“The shower facilities in that health club are probably not the same as the ones in the army,” I said.  “I mean such modern places have individual shower cubicles, isn’t that so?”

“Yes, and I was fully dressed when I stepped out of my stall.  I didn’t want to intimidate him with my naked torso,” Alphonse joked.  “I am not one of those guys who like to walk around in their briefs and pose in front of the mirror.”

“Did Bob strike a few poses in front of the mirror?” Elsie asked.

“No, but I think he would have if he had been in the room with a smaller guy.”

“What happened next?” Alice questioned.

“He told me about a draft sale ‘in a nearby pub.’  He then asked me if I would allow him to buy me a drink; and, it seemed to me that my immediate affirmative response took him by surprise.  Obviously, I made a point of being casual about going along with his request.”

“Next, I pointed out that I would be driving and, therefore, wouldn’t be able to partake in the draft beer.  He replied that he could easily handle a jug of the draft by himself and he suggested that I could possibly have a non-alcoholic brew.”

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 15, 2010)

After a moderate quantity of champagne and wine, Alphonse’s tongue was at its nimblest.  So, in answer to aunt’s joke, he quipped lengthily: “There was no introduction and he failed to show proper respect for my elaborate demonstration.  Bob then lowered himself to becoming part of a long list of preceding inquirers; they all ask the same question: ‘How many years have you been working out?’  And, I always give them the same discouraging answer.”  After those words, my young friend set to spooning down the remainder of his minestrone.

“I am curious about that ‘discouraging answer’ to you admirers,” Elsie remarked.  “Please tell us more.”

“I tell them that I have been at it for ten years; and, sometimes, when I feel sorry for them after witnessing their crestfallen state of mind, I elaborate.  I explain to them that many so-called instructors promise body improvements that are not realistic.  I was born with a heavyweight frame, which allowed me to already look impressive after putting on a few pounds of muscle.  Guys with a lightweight frame need a lot more pounds to have the same impressive appearance.”

“Did you give Bob a more elaborate explanation?” Alice wanted to know.

“No, I don’t consider him a serious bodybuilder.  Anybody who consistently replaces liquid, lost trough exercising, with gallons of beer is just deceiving himself.”

At that point in time, Alphonse told me later, he had decided to eat large portions and drink very small quantities of alcoholic beverages for the remainder of the evening.  He said that he did not want to say something that he might regret later.  When he revealed the reason for that decision, I had to admit that it was a wise move.

It had occurred to Alphonse that neither he nor I knew to what extent aunt Dorothy was familiar with the complete story regarding Bob.  Did she know that al three of the girls had been involved with the guy?  The fact that Alice had asked my young friend, in front of aunt Dorothy, to talk about his contact with and his observation of my neighbor did not give us much insight concerning aunt’s knowledge about him.

“What did Bob say after you dropped the ‘ten years’ shocker?” Alice asked.

“He sort of snickered and said: ‘Then I’ll have lots of time ahead of me to get to your condition.’  And, I got the impression that Bob really believed that.”

“He is deceiving himself about several issues,” Alice then observed.

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 13, 2010)

“Evidently, the vintage from this bottle has the anticipated flavor,” Thea stated.  “It brings a smile to your face; and, I imagine, it also brings back a number of goodtime memories.”

I told her that she was right on both counts, which prompted her to fill some of the other glasses.  I foresaw her intention; so, I emptied my glass to be ready for the tasting process of the next bottle.

During the pouring of the wine, the server waited just outside the kitchen entrance for a signal from aunt Dorothy, which she received the moment the last glass had been filled.  Two minutes later the girl arrived with a two-level cart; there were three bowls of minestrone on each level.  Apparently, aunt had brought in an Italian chef for the occasion.

Since the soup was hot, we had to spoon carefully.  Alphonse simply waited for it to cool down; I knew that he preferred to eat quickly.  His temporary idleness gave Alice the idea that he could possibly commence the narration of his experience with Bob and she didn’t hesitate to make the request.

Alphonse had been waiting for the opportunity to tell his story, which I knew was interesting in its divergence from the anticipated development.  So, I was happy that my young friend moved right into the thick of the action.

“I was lifting my weights at a certain distance from Bob and I could see from the corner of my eye that he glanced at me occasionally.  I was not surprised by his interest in my efforts; I usually draw the attention of novice bodybuilders.  Since I have worked with equipment for more than a decade and have been taught by a good instructor to do so correctly, I can safely start with what would be the maximum for guys like Bob.”

“I can almost visualize Bob’s amazement as you kept on adding more weights,” Alice uttered as she burst into her familiar contagious laughter.

“He was so fascinated by what I was doing that he stopped his own routine; and, when I took a breather from my exertion, he came over for a chat.”

Alphonse stopped his narrative to spoon down his minestrone.  He had stopped at a suspenseful moment for the girls.  They were curious about Bob’s opening remarks.

“Did he introduce himself properly or did he skip conventionalities and start by expressing his amazement?” aunt Dorothy joked.

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 11, 2010)

“Here is a good example of the negative aspect of blogs,” Elsie observed.  “They help criminals in taking advantage of good, honest citizens.  I imagine that we need to make an attempt to prevent the culprits from making more victims.”

At that moment, the bodyguard appeared in the lobby of the boardroom.  He held a strip of paper between tweezers.  “This is from the inner layer of the bag,” he explained.   The telephone number on it was the same as the one that Alice had just called.  Apparently, several of the fragments, remaining after the robot had done his job, displayed the phone number.

“It appears more likely now that the clothes are part of the aforementioned extortion scheme,” aunt Dorothy said.  “We will write a detailed report of everything pertaining to the ‘case’ and hand it and the garments to the police.  Hopefully, they will find time to deal with the criminals.  There are probably more than a hundred similar schemes in operation.”

While we dealt with the various issues relating to the nightgowns we had continued to nibble on the appetizers.  The few remaining ones were placed on a counter that was a few meters away from the large table where we had all taken place.

Aunt Dorothy had directed each of us to a seat of her choosing—a formality that I enjoyed.  As expected, my chair was beside Thea’s and she took pleasure in pouring a bit of red wine in my glass, requesting that I assess the quality of the vintage.

Aunt Dorothy, who was seated across from her niece, commented: “I understand that you have spent some time in France; and, while you were there, you became acquainted with a wine enthusiast.  So, we consider ourselves privileged to have a connoisseur at our table.  Apparently, there can be quite a difference even in bottles from the same barrel.”

Pointing at the bottle from which Thea had poured, I observed: “Fortunately, I am familiar with the various crus from this winery.  Therefore, I would be able to reject a bottle, containing an inferior wine.  A mix-up can occur, but it happens very seldom.  The French are usually very careful when it concerns export.  Since there is a worldwide glut of wine, they cannot afford to lose overseas customers.”

The wine that Thea had poured into my glass was excellent.  My taste buds immediately recognized the flavor.  Some say that les grand vins don’t travel well and never completely recover from the trip, but I agree with those who feel that, after a period of repose in a proper cellar, they will regain their original quality.

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 09, 2010)

Alice had no problem obtaining the blog’s URL from her colleague and the contact telephone number for the apparel entrepreneurs was readily available.  One did not need to circumnavigate all sorts of security measures to get to it.

Aunt Dorothy advised Alice to use one of the boardroom’s landlines.  “It has an unlisted number and the person, on the other end, will get a fake one.  Then, if that individual tries to phone back, the set will register the date and time of the attempt.”

When Alice made the call, she was surprised to hear a male voice.  She immediately switched to speakerphone and his voice boomed throughout the room.   The man spoke in very fluent English but his accent was difficult to recognize; it was definitely not North American.  He very easily identified the various nightgown labels.

“If you drop off the gowns at our shop, there will be a substantial reward waiting for you,” he said.  He then gave the address of the establishment.  When he asked at what time she would be coming by, Alice answered: “I will call you back.”  And, before he could say another word, she hung up.

Aunt Dorothy praised: “Good girl, you handled the matter admirably!”  She continued: “Obviously, the situation is not what we had expected it to be.  Fortunately, the bodyguard was right when he used a stick to show the labels to us.  He also assured me that he would use gloves to pack the garments in another bag.  In case the police needs to become involved, or for some other reason, none of our fingerprints will be on the clothes.”

“The address is in a somewhat run-down area of the city,” former cabdriver, Alphonse informed us.  “However, I must emphasize that I have never witnessed a crime there and I have always received my fare without any complications.”

“A taxi driver with a less imposing physique might not have been so fortunate,” I observed.  And, while I had the floor, I told them about an extortion scheme that had drawn my attention on the web: “Folks would return goods that they had found.  Then, as they handed over the items, they were accused of theft and threatened of police involvement—if a considerable some of cash was not paid.”

“Our garment collection could easily be a part of that extortion scheme,” Thea declared.  “Other ‘victims’ probably didn’t take the precautions that the guard took; so, they would be more easily intimidated.   Although the criminals’ claims would not stand up in a court of law, some people would be inclined to pay in order to avoid time-consuming complications.”

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 07, 2010)

Elsie remarked that she agreed with Alphonse about there being no evil intent in the teenagers’ prank.  “The bag probably fell out of a vehicle that had previously been parked in the pub’s lot,” she added.  “Inebriated people can be quite careless.”

A frown on Alice’s forehead indicated that she was giving the matter considerable thought.  “I may know about the owners of the gowns,” she said pensively.  “One of the girls at work was talking about a number of nightgowns that had been stolen from three college students.  She had read about the theft on a blog.  Apparently, the students would model and sell the apparel to affluent ladies.  The profit would pay for their college expenses.”

“It appears that we might be able to return the gowns to the rightful owners,” Aunt Dorothy observed.  “Alice, you can perhaps phone your co-worker and find out the blog’s URL.  Then, you can use one of the computers in the boardroom to determine the best way to contact the college girls.”

“Aunt came up with a marvelous idea,” Thea said.  “The students would be able to describe the gowns in a very detailed manner, allowing us to make sure that they are indeed the rightful owners.”

A cool breeze had begun to blow across the estate, prompting aunt Dorothy to suggest moving to the boardroom.   So, the server started to fill her platter with the remaining appetizers while we, carrying our plates and glasses, sauntered toward the impressive building.

On the way to the boardroom, aunt Dorothy made a point of walking between Alphonse and me.  “Both of you appeared fascinated with Sam’s performance,” she stated proudly.  “Would you judge him to be a competent robot?”

“I was very impressed with him,” Alphonse answered.  “In fact I would be very interested in taking a closer look at the little steel marvel.”  I promptly seconded my young friend’s request.

“I don’t believe that you would want to spend time with Sam if you had the opportunity to view his much more advanced cousins.  Furthermore, the guard would not be able to answer many of your questions.  Therefore, I will schedule a visit to the atelier, where research for a still more progressive model continues daily.”

She then explained that robots had been one of her late husband’s passions; and, although producing them was not as yet a good source of revenue for the company, the board considered the future possibilities to be limitless.

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 05, 2010)

Cutting the string, that held the sizable bag and its mysterious contents attached to the Mini’s bumper, was another precision act.  By means of the goggle’s small screen, the guard was able to place the blade right against the cord, at the most advantageous place.  The object that had appeared to be a knife, from the partying group’s vantage point, turned out to be a sort of miniature jigsaw.  A few in-and-out movements of the razor-sharp blade severed the string and the bag sagged neatly onto the wire mesh of the right arm’s improvised container.

Although the robot’s handiwork had steadily held Alphonse’s gaze, my young friend had not neglected his Champaign-serving routine.  We were well into the second bottle of the bubbly.  I had also been watching the contraption’s maneuvers intently.  Therefore, we boys had not as yet savored the great variety of appetizers. The ladies, on the other hand, had all filled their plate and were happily munching away at the delicacies.

Since the robot was distancing itself from the vehicle at a slow pace, Alphonse and I were able to fill our plates before the robot would commence the unveiling of the goods.  Up to that point, the ladies had been moderately interested in the tasks that the device had performed.   However, they were obviously looking forward to a revelation of the bag’s contents.  There were glances, now and then, to gauge the contraption’s progress.

The robot had reached a dry and clean spot at the farthest edge of the paved area.  The guard explained later: “If involvement of the police would be necessary, it would be better to have the evidence in a good place.”

The robot used a utility blade to cut the top off the bag, which was made of three layers of heavy paper.  The left arm then descended along the inside and came up with the point of the blade toward the outside.  After it had repeated that task in several places, the strips of paper fell away from the contents.

A colorful bundle of intermingled clothing became visible.  The robot returned the utility blade to its breast pocket and with its forceps spread the articles of clothing.  They turned out to be flimsy nightgowns.

Alphonse was the first to react to the unusual display: “That explains the snickering of the teenagers in the pub’s parking lot.  My guess is that they found the bag, had no use for the contents and decided to ‘shock’ someone.  They choose the Mini because its back bumper facilitated the attachment.”

The ladies decided to take a closer look at the gowns and quickly agreed that the elegant garments were top-of-the-line apparel.

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 03, 2010)

Alphonse totally rose to the occasion.  He managed to make the cork fly and pour the foaming liquid into my glass, without spilling a drop, while keeping an eye on the robot.  A great example of multitasking!

“One always feels good when a hunch comes true,” Aunt Dorothy exclaimed.  “When I saw Alphonse’s strong hands, I thought that cork is not going to misbehave.  Then, during the wire removal, at no time was the cork pointed at his face, or at anybody else’s.”

After he had also filled aunt Dorothy’s glass, Alphonse started to walk to the right, where there was a large picnic table.  Temporarily placing the bottle at the far end of the table, he handily took the young server’s heavy load and put it in the center of the marble surface.  He had undoubtedly convinced the ladies that the weight of the enormous platter had been his only concern.  I knew that there was an additional one.

The robot had gone around the Mini to the back bumper, which was not visible from where we had stood.  My young friend did not want to miss any detail of the robot’s handiwork.  He continued to fill the glasses at the far end of the table, from where he would, at the same time, be able to watch the device’s antics.   Alphonse’s exceptional adroitness showed that he still possessed certain skills, acquired during his college years.  He had been a waiter in an upper-class neighborhood pub.

The robot’s arms moved very slowly, possibly due to the guard’s extreme caution or his lack of practice.  The forceps of the contraption’s left arm had retrieved a knife from a breast pocket.  After its minutes-long journey toward the dangling bag, the glittering blade came to a halt within centimeters of the bag’s string; and, immediately, the right arm began to move toward the attachment.  It stopped under the bag and spread the prongs of its forceps.  Seconds later, a small roll of wire mesh popped from the arm and unfolded across the prongs.  Then, very slowly, the shallow sieve-like container moved upward.

Because of the considerable distance, the Champaign-drinking folks could not perceive that there was a fraction of a centimeter space between the right arm’s “safety net” and the bottom of the bag.  The guard, who was at least as far away, had not experienced any difficulty in achieving that very slight space.

The man was equipped with a special set of goggles; an electrical cord connected it to the remote.  As the mesh was approaching the suspended bag’s bottom, a decreasing series of numbers appeared on a small screen within the goggles.  The guard decided that two millimeters would assure a gentle drop.

(To be continued)

(Continued from March 01, 2010)

After I had expressed my delight about having been invited to the soiree, we continued with some lighthearted conversation.  There was no barrage of questions relating to my personal life.  Obviously, aunt Dorothy was much too classy a lady to give in to such a despicable practice.   She realized that, within the next days, her niece would voluntarily furnish her with innumerable details about me.  Thea’s happy demeanor had tipped her off.

An unusual rhythmic clicking-sound made everyone’s gaze turn to where the Mini was parked.  The bodyguard had brought in reinforcement in the form of a small robot.  The technically very advanced contraption was heading toward Alphonse’s compact vehicle, guided by the guard’s remote control.

Alphonse was most thoroughly affected by the sudden appearance of the device.  He had evidently been totally in his element while chatting with the ladies.  A causal onlooker might have commented: “Nothing can make that young fellow discontinue his causerie.”  I would have been the only person, on the estate, in a position to call that statement into question.  I had previously experienced my young friend’s unconditional love for advanced technology.

“I don’t believe this!” Alphonse cried excitedly.  “The party proper hasn’t started yet and I am already having the time of my life.  Surrounded by beautiful ladies, I am privileged to be witness to an unusual security demonstration.”  Then, turning to me he joked: “Did you, somehow or other, tie that bag onto my bumper to provide me with this great thrill?”  Not waiting for my answer, he concluded poetically: “Can anything increase the delight of this moment?”

“Turn around and feast your eyes on what is approaching us,” I said, pleased that circumstances had furnished me with an appropriate one-liner.  In fact, a girl dressed in a fancy white blouse, a knee-high black skirt and dark purple stockings had almost reached us.  She was carrying a large platter, containing a bottle of Champaign, high-stemmed glasses and an assortment of appetizers.

Later, when we happened to visit the washroom at the same time, Alphonse confided: “The setting, the girls, the robot, the Champaign—all that made me believe that we had suddenly been placed in a scene for a movie.”

Aunt Dorothy was not going to take any chances with the Champaign bottle’s possible idiosyncrasies.  She motioned to the server to hand it to Alphonse while she remarked: “There is no ceiling here, so you can let the cork fly as high as it wants to go.  And, please, fill your friend’s glass first.”

(To be continued)

(Continued from Feb. 27, 2010)

A well-built man, whom I assumed to be the bodyguard, was directing traffic.  He led the Mini to a parking spot that was far removed from those of the other vehicles.  “My modest automobile is being isolated because the guy is not used to seeing such minute units,” Alphonse joked with a loud laugh.

The man came walking toward us as we alighted.  He asked: “Are you aware that there is a small bag dangling from your back bumper?”

Since Alphonse had backed into the stall, we hadn’t noticed the bag.  However, my young friend knew immediately where he might have picked up the attachment. “Oh, that is why those teenagers in the pub’s parking lot were laughing and waving at me.   They probably tied it on; otherwise, they would have told me about it.”

“You are probably right about that,” the man said.  “However, we have to ascertain that the attachment is indeed completely innocent.  You can go and join the ladies.  I will take care of the situation.”

“A silver-haired lady had joined the girls; and, she had apparently told them to remain near her.  We heard later that she had remarked: “The older gentleman, over there, looks somewhat like my late brother, Thea’s father.”

“What do you know about aunt Dorothy’s late husband?” Alphonse questioned while we were walking toward the ladies.  “The existence of such a stylish boardroom suggests that he was a part of a quality management team.”

“He was the owner and CEO of a company that continues to flourish today.  The firm employs between one hundred and one hundred fifty workers and that architecturally beautiful building is still used for board meetings.  In fact, aunt Dorothy is a member of the decision making body.”

We had almost reached the girls and I became aware of the older lady’s continuous fixed look at me.  Evidently, Thea hadn’t exaggerated.  So, I prepared myself for her emotional reaction.

“Aunt, I like you to meet my former neighbor.  Can you see a slight resemblance to my father?”  Before her aunt could answer–as if the likeness issue was not significant– she introduced Alphonse.

Aunt Dorothy turned to Thea proclaiming: “This gentleman is your father’s exact doppelganger!”  She added, with a happy laugh: “I must admit, though, that you are playing your pretending-not-to-notice game splendidly.”  Then, turning to me: “Sir, I am extremely pleased to meet you.  Welcome to my home!”

(To be continued)