father - home

I got out of the phone booth and walked a few steps on the street when it began to drizzle again.

A taxi pulls up beside me.I sit in.

"Going back to the hotel?" the driver asked.

I said "huh" and watched the raindrops fall on the car window.

The raindrops are very small and dense, gradually covering the entire glass, and finally falling, adding more small raindrops along the way, the water droplets become larger, the water flow becomes faster, and quickly disappear, and the traces of the past are immediately replaced by new small raindrops. raindrops overlay.In August, Berlin was bombed for the first time in retaliatory British bombing, and the actual damage was minimal, and what mattered was the psychological blow, though no one dared to admit it.There is no curfew at night, but the city is much darker than before. People consciously reduce unnecessary lighting, and the street lights are still on. The lights leaking from restaurants and bars make the water droplets on the car windows flicker and glow. halo.Occasionally, I pass a completely dark neighborhood, which is probably where it was bombed.

I suddenly looked back at the taxi driver. "It's you?"

"It's me, sir." The driver seemed to be prepared for my thoughtless question. "I saw you coming out to make a call. I thought you might not have found the person you were looking for, and you might need a car... It's not easy to get a car at this time."

It is not easy to get a car at this time.There are not many people who can take a taxi and need a taxi, that is, like me now. Therefore, no matter how few taxis there are, it is still difficult to do business. This driver will linger after I get off the bus. But anyway, I want to thank him.

"Yes, thank you." I looked out of the car again, leaning on the door with my elbows.

Along the way, we did not speak again.After arriving at the hotel, I tipped the driver double.

I pushed open the large glass doors on the Rue Coudamm and entered the Oak House.During the day, it was the restaurant of the Bristol Kempinski Hotel, open to the public, and now it is a bar. There is a door on the side of the long bar leading to the hotel lobby.

The Oak House was crowded and noisy.Like everywhere else, the men are almost all in uniform, high spirits and high ambitions.The Air Force is white, the Navy is blue, and the Army is green. Those with red stripes on the left and right trouser seams are officers of the General Staff. The black uniforms of the SS are inlaid with silver lightning logos. Those who wear khaki party service uniforms are not Potbellied is scrawny, and the black suit and black leather trench coat of the secret police is also a uniform, because only the Gestapo would wear it like that.The women around them are all gorgeously dressed, jeweled, graceful, and powerful.In contrast, my rain-soaked blue suit looked awkward and weird.

I handed my hat to the waiter who opened the door, walked around the rows of tables and the waiters holding trays high and shuttled back and forth familiarly, and went to the westernmost side of the bar, near the side door of the lobby, to find a vacant seat.I want to have a drink to drive away the cold and feel good. It's still early and I don't feel sleepy. It's a terrible thing to go back to my room now.

As soon as I settled down on the oak bar stool, the bartender behind the bar came over to say hello. "Good evening, Baron."

The bar counter is also made of oak, as well as the dining table and wine rack. Everything is made of oak. The floor, wall panels, and door and window frames are made of oak, so it is called "Oak House". It is the oak of the oak tree, not the elephant of the elephant.

"Good evening, William." I took out my cigarette case, took out one, and put the case close by.

William immediately struck a match and lit it for me. "Is it raining outside again?"

I grinned as an answer.

William handed over a large napkin and motioned for me to wipe off the dripping water.

The suit is all wool, and so is the lining, which is easily deformed when it gets wet. I never care about it. It is rare for this child to be so careful.I put the cigarette in my mouth and rubbed the napkin on my body indiscriminately, as if I lived up to his kindness.

"What would you like to drink? Same old?"

I nodded slightly and returned the napkin.I usually drink it very simply, with ice, water and soda, I don't like anything fancy.William is well aware of this.

William is a pretty good guy, smart, capable, diligent, and sensible, with black hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. Unfortunately, he has a slight lameness in his left leg due to the sequelae of polio, but it is not obvious. is not going to be noticed.He mixes wine well, and his movements are graceful and beautiful, sometimes comparable to dance performances, making it an art. In addition, he treats people warmly and thoughtfully, always smiling, and plays the piano well. He is very popular with famous ladies.Because of the disability of his left leg, he doesn't have to join the army, and because of his many fans, he has been doing this job all the time.

The young man leaned over and whispered, "Today I have a bottle of 33-year-old whiskey." He looked mysterious and excited, and his blue eyes sparkled.

I was infected, and I also became interested, and my body leaned against the bar.

William took the pot-necked bottle of whiskey from under the counter and poured a portion into the thick-bottomed glass.

I picked it up and drank it all in one gulp.

William stared at me nervously and expectantly.

"Yes, it's good wine."

"I knew you would like it, so I hid it on purpose." William smiled happily, a childlike innocent smile that was rarely seen on that well-trained face.

"Have a double."

William's excitement turned to worry as I downed the double again in one gulp.

I pushed the empty glass over and signaled him to have another double as usual, and he quit. "No... In this way, you will be drunk immediately."

"Have you ever seen me drunk?" I was half smiling, half angry.

"No...but..."

I got angry all of a sudden. Although I didn't amplify the volume, it was severe enough. "Nothing but, as I said."

William froze for a moment, and slowly lowered his eyes.After all, he didn't do what I said, but put ice cubes in the glass, poured mineral water, and slowly suspended a layer of whiskey on top.

This is my favorite whiskey cocktail, simple and pure.If the whiskey is good enough, it should be drunk as such.But today, I don't know whose stubbornness it is, William?or mine?I was a little angry, and before he put away the bottle, I picked up the glass, raised my neck, and poured all the wine, water and ice cubes into my mouth.

"One more!"

William's movements are still proficient, accurate, and elegant, but they have slowed down. His expression is gloomy, and he has long since lost the excitement and appeal just now. He is a bit like an actor who has forgotten his lines. The prompter reminded him, he said One sentence, and his soul is gone.

I'm here to drink, not to worship idols, I'm not his fan, so I don't care.However, I don't drink as much as I did at first.I want to get drunk, but I'm afraid of getting drunk; I want to be quiet, but I'm afraid of being quiet; I want to talk, but I'm afraid of talking.

I drank one cup after another.Every time I finished drinking, William would not ask me to wait for a long time, and came over quickly to make a new glass.I drink with my head down, I don’t look at him or the surroundings, my mood has nothing to do with them, I can drink whatever I want, I have a sense of proportion, I won’t let myself get drunk, I won’t delay tomorrow Important thing, I just want to be alone for a while.

I was slightly drunk, playing with the empty glass, but no one came for a long time.I finally raised my head, only to find that the front of the bar was full of people, making noise, shouting loudly, laughing and booing like a flood rushing towards my face.And at the bar, the two bartenders were very busy, their pretty red faces were shiny with oil, and the armpits and backs of their white shirts were soaked with sweat. At this moment, they must wish they could be like octopuses In this way, a few more hands are born to meet every need of the enthusiastic guests.

The bar is arc-shaped and very long. I sat in the corner on the west side of the bar and could see William’s busy back. I wondered if I should call him like others.One sound: William, baby, sweetheart, one after another.I grinned.It was impossible for him to call him that, and even if he did, he would not hear him at all.I haven't called him yet, every time he will take the initiative to come over, he has been paying attention to this corner.I suddenly realized that I shouldn't have been so fierce to him just now, and I must find an opportunity to say sorry to him.

Just as I was thinking about it, William suddenly appeared in front of me, with an apologetic smile on his face, and quickly brought me the newly blended whiskey. "I'm sorry. My lord, I kept you waiting."

I was shocked.Naturally they don't call me by my name, but I'm not used to this "adult".

"It's okay, I just drink slowly so that I don't get drunk too quickly."

We finally cleared up the misunderstanding and laughed at each other.