(Continued from April 24, 2010)
The general consensus among us was that the chef’s omelets were delicious. They were solid and lightly browned on the outside and slightly runny on the inside. However, concerning those tasty creations, there was another detail that Elsie indirectly clarified: “Although one of these constitutes a complete meal for modest eaters, I will indulge in a second one.” Everyone else followed her example.
Halfway through the second round of omelets, aunt Dorothy casually remarked: “The chef will also prepare a batch of his renowned pancakes. They are very light and fluffy and contain chunks of all kinds of fruits.”
That piece of information discouraged all but Alphonse from ordering a third omelet. The server returned with a messaged from the chef written on the back of my young friend’s leaflet: “Would you like large, regular or small?” Alphonse chose the regular size.
The large dish that contained the pancakes had four compartments. For each one, there was a tag attached to a skewer indicating the kind of fruit used. The covered dish was sitting on a warmer. Therefore, the pancakes were consumed in a leisurely fashion, along with gulps of coffee or tea.
Because of the pleasant ambiance that had permeated the area around the breakfast table, Alice and Elsie were in no hurry to get up and run off to work. They both had an understanding boss; and, since they very seldom arrived at work after nine, they were not worried about negative repercussions.
Thea did not have a job. She lived comfortably from what her late father had bequeathed her. Aunt Dorothy’s accountant had helped Thea invest the large insurance payout and he had reviewed the investments that her dad had made in the past. My daughter spent a lot of her time engaged in charity work.
I had occasionally considered becoming involved with one or two charitable organizations, but negative reports about the large sums that some managers pocketed, had held me back. However, times had changed for the better. My daughter and her aunt were already connected with organizations that had been investigated thoroughly. I would be able to lend them a hand in their efforts.
It was obvious that Alice and Elsie would have enjoyed remaining somewhat longer at the breakfast table. However, as responsible employees, they did not want their tardiness to go beyond an hour. So, they stood up from the table, fetched their belongings from the bedrooms and, after thanking Aunt Dorothy heartily, they walked toward the exit door. Alphonse followed at a short distance. His manual had taught him that the gate needed to be opened and closed.
(To be continued)