(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)