BEFORE A FRENCH MEAL 1973

A MAN AND WOMAN IN PARIS IN 1973 AND BEFORE A MEAL OUT.

Sonya and I ate out
in some Parisian restaurant
outside in the air
at a small table
candle lit
wineglasses
menus in French

what you having?
she asked

you later I hope
I said

no now I mean to eat
she said

I scanned the menu
can't make out
what's here my French
is poor

so she told me
what was there
in her broken English
(she was a Danish dame)

I'll have the soupe au pistou
followed by that quenelle
I said
and white wine

she scanned the menu
then called
the waitress over
(a nice dame
with a nice a*s)
and ordered our meals
and drinks

the waitress walked off
with a neat wiggle

Sonya gazed at me
do you always watch
women so intently?

yes pretty much
all the time
I said

even when you are
with another woman?
she said

I only look and compare
I said

compare what?
she frowned
(beware of women
that frown)

how they look
and carry themselves
and hold their heads
and walk and how
their hair is and so on
I said

but you are with me
am I not enough
for you to look at?

a couple nearby smooched
his hand on her knee

of course you are
but just because
I have a beautiful Rubens
art work doesn't mean
I can't look at other artwork
I said

she watched
the couple smooching

I gazed at her
at her eyes
(lovely icy blue eyes)
her nose
her lips
her chin
how her breast
was neatly held
by her dress

their first date you think?
she said

probably is
I said
glancing at
the smooching couple
(his hand was on
her upper thigh)

Sonya sighed
why do men do that?

do what?

get all amorous
at the wrong time
Sonya said

you mean there's
a wrong time?
I said

yes it is wrong here
she said

o I see
I said

Benny this is for meals
and eating not for foreplay
she said

the waitress brought
our drinks on a tray
and put them on our table
and walked away
(neat a*s)

have you finished
that Russian novel
you were reading?
she asked
(changing the subject)

almost  just the last chapter
I said
how's the sexy book
you are reading
coming along?

she looked at me
and smiled

you will see later
she said

(I did later
in bed).