Chapter 2
Yeah the Bangers and Mash arrived and with them also surprise on both faces, as the comment from old lady came like surprisingly cold shower as I felt the cold shiver run down my spine and I was not far from admitting to get goosebumps all over. Heck we just looked at each other and then Dan said, shall we sit at one table ‘old friend’ ?
That was about twenty or twenty five years ago, cannot remember it now as the days, months and years are passing like the time is paint brush stroke across long white canvas, thought Bruno as he speedwalked through the streets to the Leicester Square. How did we developed from friends to private investigators and history buffs with salvage company is beyond me but the life has many mysterious twists and turns. Just about to turn to Irving Street form Charring Cross Road and I saw Dan entering the Little Italy restaurant patio and sit down at one of the tables. Typical Dan, waiting just standing at the park or beside the TKTS ticket booth is not an option if food and coffee is around, especially Italian. Well Italian in London and Leicester square does not meant the same as proper trattoria in Italy, kind of like the one Snack Bar L’incontro di Vallati Giuseppe on Via Appia Antica in Rome or the Pasticceria Berberini on Via Marmorata also in Rome just before the Pyramid of Caius Cestius. What a coffee and mini pastries for merenda oy heaven on earth. Earth calling Bruno, I heard as I was approaching the Little Italy, and then as I snapped from day dreaming I saw Dan beaming smile and laugh after he called me. Daydreaming about Italy again pal ? Dan asked. Sure when I see you not being able to wait on the street, just casually leaning against wall or railing but rather sitting in the overpriced tourist trap drinking what you think is Italian coffee, I’m sorry to daydream about the real stuff.
We have embraced, since we have not seen each other for few months or less or more, again the paint brush stroke replaced the time and I sat down, looking on tables around us to see, what is on the menu. Lots of tourists opted just for coffee and croissant, but some got Bruschetta and glass of wine and Pizza / Pasta of course. Well lets get some nice mixed Antipasto and wine too, heck it is kind of lunch time and after the walk I deserve some food, coffee can wait for now.
So how was the Lebanon trip and did you find something for our client so that we can squeeze him for some cash to pay for this indulgent food at most touristic, means expensive place ? Dan being polite and “indirect” as always. Can’t you wait with inquisition questioning after we order, please ? No, we cannot as I know you, you will order half of the kitchen and then I need to foot bill so lets see first if we can afford your food orgies, before they begin, dear Bacchus. Yea yea I hear ya, I said Bruno as he studied menu with one eye and focused on his taste buds on his tongue. Menu suddenly disappeared from the Brunos view as Dan just pulled it out of his hands and placed on table, adding sarcastically, hello earth to Bruno. Bruno cannot focus on anything else when the food is around, well except a natural beauty in form of female species.
All right, so lets talk then, but as they were starting conversation waiter appeared from thin air, anything for you guys ? Bruno without hesitation in lighting fast speed answered Mixed Antipasto and two glasses of Pinot Grigio please and dismissed waiter with turning head to Dan. Well we need to be polite and this is not that expensive so don’t worry and better to talk with full stomach.
So the Lebanon trip, hmm where to start. It was a full of surprises and some were pleasant and some less but since I’m here, we can assume all is good. About the client, well found some information about possible location of the artefact from out of this space but could not verify it as the situation turned a bit difficult. The usual soldiers checkpoints with machine guns sticking into the minibuses were a bit worrying at the start but later become routine as breathing or sitting alone as no local people sat beside foreigner, especially not the ladies in burkas as they were mostly customers for the local minibuses. However since I was sticking out like Eiffel tower it was hard to shake all those street vendors, trying to sell anything and everything to only white guy in the sea of dark skinned people, attracting them like light attracts flies. On the other hand those guys seems to be willing to spill some information for few Lebanese pounds, spend on trinkets from their baskets so that bribe is not too obvious.
Ahh what a taste of good bresaola, buffalo mozzarella, olives with piece of bread soaked in olive oil, washed down by Pinot Grigio, some things in the city of London are good. Yes you are correct, the food is good here, considering we are in London and at tourist trap but since you said that you might have some information about artefact, that out client wants, it seems like you deserve a bit of indulgence. Hopefully the information will have more value that plate of Antipasto, so that maybe lunch or dinner could follow in some more quiet, less exposed place, what you think ? asked Dan.
