Insects 26/06/09

Last night was the night of the insects. The odd couple came back, the man on crutches and the longhaired straggly skinny lady. I was very attentive and brought the room temp water and changed the each ice juice of juice with no ice because she has sensitive teeth. The man addressed me with lei, and asked me to bring over new bread since there was and ant in their basket, and I was shocked but joked, 'Ah that costs you extra.' He barely smiled, but gave a patronizing kind of wink meaning, sure, just get me the clean bread.

Then there was a strange trio in the corner by the window. Two nicely dressed boys whom I am sure I recognized and so gave warm welcomes to, but who hardly returned the greeting, and a well dressed and made up woman, the mother or aunt. Mio marito went into overdrive at this point because there was just the two of us and the upstairs room was almost full. But I stayed calm and looked after everyone. He came rushing over at one point when I was taking up the wine to the boys and mother, and he said he’d take them because I also had to bring fruit salad to another table. As I arrived upstairs, he slipped or tripped and tipped the wine glass over the table. I ran down to get kitchen roll to mop up, but when I came back he had then broken a glasson the flor. Or someone had. What a mess. I thought it was getting a bit out of control for the guests but the worst had yet to come!

I could see people looking up at the batik and cork etc and thought they were admiring the crafts. The boys and mother left with wine glasses in hand smiling that they would finish off downstairs which I thought strange. So I went over to clear their table and the couple next to me were looking up and saying yes it really tones in, and I said yes, we got them in Brazil and they laughed and I looked up and finally saw the cockroach. Oh dear. Didn’t know what to do about that at the time, but it scuttled off stage anyway. It is true that it matched, it was colourful with brown tones, and huge. Did you bring that too, they asked? Funny. But I wouldn’t like people to think it is unhygienic. There was a moth inside too. Not to mention the countless cats outside, but Sicilians seem to really love cats. A whole family is growing up in our terrace under the protective glare of the fat mamma. They each choose their favourite chair for the evening. The cats are like the Sicilians, staring at you from some hidden vantage point, judging you and talking about you behind your back... …

Lola

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