OH LAWD chapter 36

A Double Wedding
courtesy photobucket.com

 

The Army had controlled my life for the last few years, and the only thing left was receiving my discharge papers setting me free.  

 

I had been relieved of all my duties, and just laid around the house relaxing.

These last few years didn't seem real for it was like I had been in a fog. With so much to do and no time to myself the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years just ran together as one block of time.

My sister, Marly was engaged to an ensign who was being reassigned to San Diego.

Linda had been going with a West Point graduate, and he was to stay at the Pentagon.

 

When they found out I was leaving they decided to get married immediately.  The chaplain conducted both ceremonies the morning I was to leave.

Before I left I gave Marly and Linda a big hug for longer than I normally would have, because I knew it would be a long time before I would see them again; in fact I might never see them again.

Linda was like a sister to me, and although we disagreed often we always made up. I really loved both her and Marly for we were bonded together from our youth, and I was going to miss them.

Catching a military hop; six hours later found me standing in front of the restaurant in New York where I had been taught to cook French cuisine.

As I entered the restaurant with my one bag, the owner, Marcel grabbed me and led me upstairs to the apartment and said to unpack, and told me to plan to stay as long as I wished to.

After settling in I went down to the restaurant and a young lady gave me a menu and seated me.

Marcel came over and asked me if I wanted to go back into the kitchen and prepare my own food. 

I answered, “No, your chefs are good enough for me.” The waitress came, and I ordered Pot au feu which is another way of saying, stew.  

She brought me an obligatory glass of wine and a few moments later Marcel sat with me, and had a barrage of questions.  A couple of hours and a half bowl of stew later, he ran out of questions for the time being.

I asked who the young waitress was and he said. “She is Mille, my daughter; you know she was only eight or ten when you worked here.”

When she came back to my table I looked at her more closely, and she still had those dark eyes and smile that made her striking even as a child.

I asked if she remembered me and she said, “Oh yes I had a crush on you when you were here studying.”

That embarrassed me a little.  I said, “Maybe we can talk a little before I leave.” to which she said, “Perhaps.”

I didn't unpack my suitcase for I planned to only stay a night or two but the next morning I changed my mind.

There was no place that I needed to be, and it would be good to see all the old friends I had before.

I told Marcel that if it was okay with him I would like to stay a few days and if there was anything I could do just let me know and I would be glad to do it.

I went into the kitchen and fixed me some breakfast for the help didn't start to work until eleven to be ready for the lunch crowd.

Marcel came in and asked if I still remembered what I had learned while working here. I answered, “Some of it, what would you like me to prepare for your lunch.”

He said, “How about Soufflés with Sauce Anglaise?”

I said, “What on earth is that?”  While he was trying to think of something to say I added, “For how many would you like it?”

Marcel realized I was kidding him and he said, “How about for four.”

I answered, “You got it.”  I remembered his recipe, but I had developed one of my own that I thought was better.  “Come back in an hour with your appetite in play.”

I finished as his crew came to work and they all wanted to taste it but I said, “This one is for Marcel and you need to ask him, and he might let you have a taste.”

One of the Chefs called Marcel in and started asking him if he could taste it and Marcel said just a small spoonful.

Knowing Chefs I knew the reason they wanted to try it was so they could say, “I make it better than this.”

I left them to it, and after lunch they all wanted the recipe, but I told them, “Just use Marcel's recipe, because it is just as good.”

Oh Lawd!

To Be Continued