The door to the lift was stuck. Anoushka yanked it open and stepped inside the musty cabin. "1, 2, 3.." she read the white letters printed on faded, black painted wood. She pressed in the number four button and the lift awoke itself and began lifting upwards. Suddenly, it jolted and came to a halt. She went to press the ivory number four button, only to be thrown back onto the seat. It creaked towards the top of Seventy Lange Gasse as she held onto the faded, tapestry seat.
The apartment door had been left ajar. As she slipped inside, she could hear the echo of their bellowing voices in the kitchen. She saluted to the old master, hung gigantically in the hall, past the Klimt sketching and into the kitchen. Robert had a gentle presence that was suddenly made energetic by his cuisine compardre. "No, Not like that!" he exclaimed "Here, wear this glove" Robert threw a white oven glove at Carlos. Carlos was vigorously grating a large block of Parmesan cheese while he elaborated on cultural conflicts of his most recent Argentinian concert tour to China.
"The Morans don't get it that they need to see the concert details now for next Spring not, two weeks before the event. Their laziness is insatiable!" he exclaims, oblivious to the fact he himself is an Argentinian and that the oven glove that has landed, beside him, on the table.The apartment door had been left ajar. As she slipped inside, she could hear the echo of their bellowing voices in the kitchen. She saluted to the old master, hung gigantically in the hall, past the Klimt sketching and into the kitchen. Robert had a gentle presence that was suddenly made energetic by his cuisine compardre. "No, Not like that!" he exclaimed "Here, wear this glove" Robert threw a white oven glove at Carlos. Carlos was vigorously grating a large block of Parmesan cheese while he elaborated on cultural conflicts of his most recent Argentinian concert tour to China.
"Put that on!" Robert exclaims, his eyes getting wider as if the pungent, flaky cheese were those very Argentinians.
"..and they don't even understand they have to be there a week before, so that the formalities can commence, can't they just see beyond their lazy little shell" he exclaims scratching his belly."Glove!"
Robert picks it up and hits him with it.
"It's ok, it's ok!"
"It's not you I'm worried about, I don't want blood in my cheese."
Anoushka giggled at such brotherly love. Carlos was a tall man with, unlike Robert, a strong presence that seemed to dominate the room. His large belly stuck proudly out, stretching his silver shirt to a point near bursting.
"Can you call my darling from her cave?" Robert lightly requested to Anou and gestured, with a flamboyant hand wave only Robert was capable of pulling-off without it seeming ridiculous. Anou left the compardre's to figure out the simple meal of spaghetti carbonara for themselves.
Anou glided through the hallway, and felt quite elegant passing the exquisite artifacts. She glanced momentarily at the Japanese cloisonne vase, and smiled wryly at the cute "ty" from China flopping ironically out of it's rim.
As she neared the back of the apartment, she could smell the faint whiff of menthol cigarettes and could hear musings in Italian. Anou stopped at the entrance of the study. She held back her breathe as she looked at the sight. It was covered in paintings and books. The energy from such a vast collection of artistic knowledge, seem to pulsate and invigorate the room. There was not an inch of wall that was left uncovered and at the very end, a statuesque woman sat with striking blonde hair that glows and infuses the density of the room. "Diner's ready" Anoushka said almost inaudibly. Without turning, Susanna waved her cigarette and continued her Italian musings to the computer screen. Anou hesitated a moment, and then left the room.
"She's coming..", Anou said tentatively as she walked back into the kitchen. Robert was firmly asking Carlos to turn and watch the clock, so that he could get the pasta Al Dente to perfection.
"Oui" Robert sighed as he swiftly took the wooden spoons from Anou's grasp. "Just as I thought'' and started to lightly, but firmly toss the salad that was limping beneath her efforts.
"You know, I am becoming her slave" he sighs gesturing to Anou to take the spoons and follow by example "I awake every morning and squeeze half a pint of fresh juice for beautiful Susanne, only to have her disappear into the realms of Titian or Rubens or Goya..Michelangelo...." he tailors off and mumbles "How can a man compete?"
"Darling....bottle of wine...would you? I just finished the last of the Riesling" Susanna has glided into the room and is already assessing the frantic attempts of the two compardres to make dinner. Robert, immediately reaches for a chilled bottle and begins to open it. Anoushka, who is trying hard to be invisible busies herself by finding the cutlery.
"Al Dente!" Robert screeches "You weren't watching the clock you fool!" He exclaims to Carlos who is sucking his finger that has caught, in the midst of grating 'The Moronic Argentinan's" oblivious to Robert's demands. Suddenly, Anoushka is pushed aside by the chilled wine bottle as Robert lurches towards the spaghetti, like it's his baby on fire. Anou looks to Susanna, who rolls her eyes and stubs out her cigarette before placing her arm around an astonished Anou.
"Now Babino, how's your Deutsch?". Susanna glides her out the kitchen and leaves them, frenetic, catering to their needs.
Comments