All The News That's Fit To Eat!

It's Almost
like back in the Good Old Times,
in the mid-1800's,
when Johann Strauss played here
for the entertainment of the gentle public.

The Thonet P2204 Bentwood Coat Stand
still holds coats and umbrellas
on rainy days like today's.

Patrons still order
Topfenstrudel and coffee melange,
read the paper or use the round marble table
to work on their next novel.

Der Herr Ober
may type orders into his computer,
but he still serves coffee
with panache and a glass of water.

A day like any other,
you think, waiting for the tea to cool down,
reaching for the day's news.

Leafing through the paper,
taking my first sip of tea,
I notice a picture of a lady wearing a hat
with a price tag, at Wimbledon of all places:
"I paid for that hat on expenses!"
For laughing out loud!

Oh dearie,
let's just hope that nobody noticed
that I am not reading
the funny pages!

I order a slice of lemon meringue.

Graham B. charged
"for key after being locked out of house",
Dominic G., for
"lost key for garden shed" -
no, no charges for losing their marbles!

I pour one more cup of tea:
Do I see a twinkle
in that small jug of milk?

X charged "for help
in pulling down the wisteria"
(no, no connection to the fellow with
the garden shed!) -
sadly, for how much is not revealed.
To protect the dignity
of the wisteria, I presume!

The snowy-white meringue
glistens in its voluptuous innocence.

A former Technology Minister
charged 19.99 British Pounds
for "call-out fee for engineer
to put a scart lead into his Freeview box
the right way"

I decide
to attack the lemon meringue
without any outside help,
with a fork,
the old-fashioned way!

*

Photographed by Merisi
this very afternoon
at Café Dommayer
13th District