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(Continued from August 19, 2010)

The wine that the girls had brought was also excellent.  It came from aunt Dorothy’s cellar.  Thea told me that she wouldn’t feel good about buying a bottle in a wine store.  “I wouldn’t know whether the clerk is really knowledgeable or whether he is just a smooth talker,” she said.  “Next time, when we know a few days in advance about our get-together, you and I will go to a wine store and you will point out the wines you used to enjoy in France.”

“Did aunt Dorothy recommend this white wine?”

“No, she phoned up her chef who has a list of all the different wines that she has in her cellar.  He was in the process of preparing my fish when he received the call.”

“So, I presume that this wine is not just suitable for fish in general; its flavor will enhance the taste of cod fillets in particular,” Alice remarked.

“That is very possible,” I said.  “Aunt Dorothy’s chef, who has been in the gastronomy industry for many years, probably jots down notes about the reaction, favorable or non-favorable, of his clients.  The suitability of a certain wine with a certain kind of fish will definitely be recorded.”

“Both of you have possibly been participating in an experiment.  The chef will, in all likelihood, ask how you enjoyed the combination of the cod and that particular wine.  He will then record your remarks in his famous notebook.”

“We could possibly repeat the experiment when you are not the designated driver,” Alice replied.

While Alice and I very slowly sipped the Calvados, Thea showed me the basic functions of my new cell phone.  Both girls complimented me on my structured manner of learning.  I took detailed notes of all the instructions.  My computer dealings with Alphonse had taught me that my memory could not retain more than three complex directions at one sitting.  Furthermore, if I did not jot them down within the hour, I would confuse one with the other.  Therefore, taking notes at the outset was the way to go.  It obviously was also the opportune time to ask for further explanations.

I had the intention to review the cell phone notes before going to bed that night, so I placed them in a conspicuous spot.  Next, I gave the girls a comprehensive overview of Doug’s e-mail message.

“Did Doug mention a specific date for their journey to the North West?” Thea wanted to know.

(To be continued)

(Continued from August 13, 2010)

The content of Doug’s e-mail was pretty well what I had expected.  There was a lengthy description of the excitement that my message had created.  Thea’s farm had provided the focal interest.  Before her beautifully undulating acreage had come into play, there had been some hesitation on the part of Doug’s wife concerning the best time for a trip to the North West.  It appeared that shortly after she had grasped the farm’s wealth of possibilities, she decided that as soon as possible was the best option.

Since Alice still had a copy of the common-area key, the girls were able to walk right up to my condo entrance.  I could hear the faint sound of their laughter in the hallway, which, I reasoned, was caused by the strange sentiment of passing the former dwelling place of an ex-boyfriend.

I had swung open the door seconds before they had reached it and the pleasant aroma of food preceded them.  They each carried two bags, which they set on the empty surface of my dining room table.

Alice’s hug was relatively short compared to Thea’s lengthy embrace.  I got the impression that they were wearing the same brand of perfume.  It had been a long time since a fragrance, which one associates with ladies, had been able to permeate the air of my apartment.  Since the girls would stay for a while, that pleasant smell would linger for days.

“Can you wait until after dinner?” I asked Alice as I pointed at the bottle of Calvados.

“Yes, I want to build up a strong longing for that liquor by staring at the bottle now and then,” she joked.  “In the meantime, you and I will be able to sip from the white wine which we brought.  The main dish will be fillets of cod tonight.”

“I will be the Perrier sipper tonight,” Thea asserted.  “I’ll try to be as good a sport about being the designated driver as Alice was during our visit to the French restaurant.”

We set the table together.  I took the dishes, the glasses and the cutlery out of the cupboard and handed them to Alice.  She passed them on to Thea who gave them a quick rinse. We all got involved in the act of drying the items.  It provided me with the opportunity of showing off the colorful dishcloths that I had brought from France.

Minutes later, we were enjoying the cod fillets and the pan-fried potatoes.  They were delicious.  Apparently, Thea had ordered everything from the restaurant of aunt Dorothy’s chef.  The green salad and the dessert were also excellent.

(To be continued)

(Continued from August 04, 2010)

“I remember Bob talking about his enterprising aunt.  I got the impression that she knows the particulars of her profession very well.”

“That was a correct evaluation.  She was telling me about mortgage matters and she really seems to know what she is talking about.”

“Experienced real estate agents know exactly which mortgage brokers will come up with the desired results.”

“Bob’s aunt was saying that it will be easy to arrange a new mortgage for him when he buys his next apartment.”

“Undoubtedly.  As a unionized construction worker, he earns big money.  Anyway, I am happy that he will no longer be in your apartment building.  I have been wanting to see your condo and Alice wants to come along for the first visit.”

“My guess is that she has a special reason for wanting to be here for the first visit.”

“That is a good guess.  She wants to get a taste of the Calvados that you brought from the French restaurant.  Do you remember that she didn’t get any because she was the designated driver?”

“Yes, I do remember her selfless behavior of that afternoon.  You can tell Alice that I have put the bottle in a place that is out of sight.  That way I won’t be tempted to take a sip now and then.”

“Alice has nothing planned for this evening and I can easily delegate my chores.  So, we would like to visit you tonight and bring along dinner.  Would that arrangement suit you?”

“It would suit me very well.  It just occurred to me that I am out of a number of provisions and it is a bit late for going shopping.  Anyway, dining together is more fun than doing it alone.”

“I will also bring along your new cell.  This evening will probably be a good time to bring you up to speed on the various functions of the phone.”

“And, I will provide you with all the details of Doug’s e-mail message.  He just sent me a short text-blurb via his I-phone.  He indicated that there will be a lengthy response from him within the hour.”

“I am looking forward to that!”

(To be continued)

(Continued from July 24, 2010)

“Coincidentally, I happen to have a piece of news that may well do the trick.”

“You are making me extremely curious.  It is not a detail that refers to your sons because you would already have mentioned it.”

“I won’t make you wait; I’ll give you the news in a few words.  Bob has moved out of his apartment.”

“That is very surprising news.  How did that come about so quickly?  Alice didn’t mention that Bob had intentions to relocate.”

“Sometimes circumstances that one cannot control force a person to make a decision.  Apparently, Bob had an accident at work and he will be in the hospital for some time.”

“That is hardly a good reason for selling an apartment of which one is extremely proud.”

“It appears that Bob was not sufficiently well insured and the equity he has in the condo will just about cover the additional medical bill.”

“I am stunned by the fact that you were able to gather all that information about Bob in such a short time.”

“I was on the way to my mailbox; and, when I passed by his apartment, I noticed that his front room was practically empty.  I got a good view because the entrance door was wide open.  Then, at that very moment, a lady came down the hall.  She told me that she was a real estate agent.”

“The situation is becoming clear to me now.  She was undoubtedly more than willing to supply you with any information that you wanted to know.  It is part of her job to talk to strangers because one never knows who will bring around the next potential buyer.”

“She told me that Bob’s work buddy was willing to store the furniture and that the moving needed to be done immediately.  Apparently, the man was about to go on holidays.”

“Bob and his work buddy are indeed very close friends.  They will do anything for one another.”

“And, the real estate lady will give Bob special treatment.  She is his aunt.”

(To be continued)