On the way back to town the two men laughed and mimicked the guards. How they gave Michel hell for hiring such an idiot and hoped that he wasn't getting paid for what he did. They made Michel check the work to see if it was done right while hurling insults at Campy as he played along making himself look like a fool, dropping tools and bowing forgiveness.
"Quite an act you gave those two turd machines back there." Michel said as they entered the town's gate.
"I thought of joining a circus once, but this is way more fun." Campy remarked and smiled before he said, " How about joining Pierre and me in the backyard. He said he has a special wine to share with us."
Michel said as he pointed to himself, "A Frenchman turning down such an offer?"
"It's been great to know you, Michel, you're not only a great cyclist but a great man for helping me."
"My friend, I wait for you to set the trap, I want to be there."
"And you will."
The two pulled into Michel's little bike shop and after putting the tools of the trade away and secured they left for, Le Noir Chat. Once there, they talked with friends and gradually wound up in the little garden in back with Pierre and a dusty bottle of red wine.
"I stole this myself from under the Contesta's nose." He said as he pulled the cork on the bottle, "Getting one up on that bitch was one of the most pleasurable thrills I've had." Then Pierre poured the rich red wine into three glasses before he sat the bottle down on a little table where they had gathered.
The air was full of Jasmine, it competed with the nose of the wine and made the men feel tipsy without a sip yet of the grape. Michel rose though before they could taste the wine and said, " A toast."
Campy and Pierre rose from their patio chairs and raised their glasses with Michel.
"To success and revenge." Michel said and then they all clinked glasses and took a swallow.
"A very good wine," Michel said, "How did you obtain it from the clutches of the Contesta?"
"Ah, well, The wine merchant, Andre, my very good friend, called on me that he had obtained ten crates of a very good wine from Burgundy. He wanted to let me know, before putting them out for sale." Pierre swirled the wine in his glass a bit before going on. "I went the next day to his shop and Andre gave me a taste. I couldn't believe the price for the quality and Andre added that with some age, the wine would be even better. I wanted one crate for myself, to enjoy."
Pierre stopped a moment as if he needed time to reflect on the events that occurred on that day. "The Contesta came in, with her entourage of course, and saw us enjoying and talking of the new wine. 'What have you there Andre?' she said."
"' A new wine Contesta. Would you like a taste?' Andre said to her." Pierre stopped the story to pour a bit more of the wine into each of the three glasses. "'Pierre seems to like it. How much do you have?' Ten crates' Andre said, and the bitch said she would take all ten. Andre told her that one was already taken by Pierre here, but she could have the other nine. But the Contesta told him if he wanted her business he would sell her all ten."
Pour Andre." Pierre said and shook his head. "She was, of course, his biggest customer and it would cost him dearly to cross her, especially since she drinks like a pig." A round of laughter ensued along with memories of famous stories told by her staff of the Contesta's drunken binges.
"Well, my friend looked at me and I shrugged my shoulders, what could he do, so I asked Andre for a case of of Charles Shaw, that famous American wine and then talked with the Contesta. Of course you don't talk with the Contesta, she holds court but I asked her if she was happy with the duck that I recommended when one her cooking staff had asked about a good poultry farm. Of course she had no idea what I was talking about and on the way out, I offered to help place her order in her Rolls Royce. As Andre and lifted her cases, I quickly slipped the case of two buck Chuck in with the her order and took the last case left of the burgundy home with me. Even Andre did not know about it and guess what happened?"
"What?" the other two asked.
"A week later she asked for more of the American two buck Chuck and why was Andre hiding it from her."
The three men spent the night swapping tales until they finished the excellent bottle of burgundy. Before they left, Michel reminded Campy, "Remember, Rose will be in the laundry room, there will be a small light on, knock three times and trust no one."
"I will." Campy said before they made their goodbyes and retired for the evening.
To be continued....
No comments:
Post a Comment