I wondered what it was about.
`Excuse me, David ± I won't be long,' I said.
`A minute is a long time when you're gone, Anna,' he
said. His words were like conversation from a bad movie.
But I kept quiet about it ± he was my boss, after all, even
if he had gone crazy.
When I got to the lounge I took the phone. I noticed
someone waving their arms at me from another phone
across the large room. I could see it was that waiter again ±
there were bits of cake all over his trousers.
Now what could he want?
I soon found out.
`Miss . . .' his voice was excited at the other end of the
line. `. . . I know I am only a poor waiter but love makes
me brave . . .'
Why did everybody sound like bad movies tonight?
`When I saw you just now,' said the waiter, `I couldn't
stop myself from falling in love with you. You are so
beautiful. Please tell me you will see me . . . I know I can
offer you more than that rich fool you're sitting with. I may
not have his money or his looks, but I love you far more
than he ever could. Please be mine!'
`Wait a minute, Romeo,' I said. `Why don't you just
calm down and serve the lobster, like a good little waiter?'
It was the perfume, my fruitcake special again. The
waiter had a good smell of it when he had passed by earlier
and now he thought he was in love with me, the poor man.
It wasn't his fault. I told him that if he loved me he would
not talk loudly about it.
`Of course, my love. I will not embarrass you . . .
darling!' the waiter said.