The Psychology of Love

Chapter 30 Taboo

Chapter 30   Taboo

There is only one table left at the end of the restaurant. There are only two pairs of tables in the rather narrow area. One by the shop window, one against the wall opposite.

YU is relieved that passersby walking by can't watch him eat. He wants to be alone with Sam. And the fact that three women are sitting at the table by the window, noisily engaged in conversation, does not make him happy.

Sam puts his hand on YU's back as he leads him through the narrow path to their table.

Sam also notices the three women whose pair of tables are very close to theirs. He notices, however, that they are oblivious to Sam and YU. They are in their own world. Laughing and wondering aloud at their comments to each other.

Sam smiles at the sight of these close women turning in.

And now he wants turning in with YU right next to them.

This is exactly what he loves about Germany. The mutually respected anonymity. Everyone can develop freely. Social and societal constraints and taboos have been replaced by diversity and freedom in the land of thinkers and poets.

A change that gives the freethinkers the opportunity to live openness to the colorfulness of life, but also to celebrate the retreat into privacy.

And so Sam sees the three freethinker ladies at the next table giving them the appropriate privacy anyway. YU and Sam just have to tune them out as much as they do. Free and anonymous.

After the menu is handed to them by a young waitress and they grin one after the other, looking for a good choice, the first letters, words, sentences strung together swing over to them from the next table.

Freethinker ladies 1 and 2 laugh out loud, while 3 repeatedly proclaims her curiosity: "I really can't imagine how that will go. Tell me about it. Well, go ahead. Isn't that what lesbians call petting? I mean with sex you have to conceive. With intercourse, there has to be intercourse."

The 2 sighs loudly, "Typical straight woman. Sex is much more than penetration. You really have no idea."

"I'll have to Google that now. What is the definition of intercourse?" exclaims 3, reaching for her cell phone.

All three free-thinking ladies move their heads together. They wait until a reputable website offers them the definition.

And while the definition is about to be announced, YU can no longer listen. The waitress wants to take the order and he hasn't even really looked at the menu yet.

He was too busy following the conversation with his head tilted towards it.

He didn't notice Sam watching him the whole time.

How YU was watching with his mouth open the women who admittedly would have spoken a little more quietly.

Sam wonders what is going on in YU's astonished head.

Is it the extroverted nature of the exchange or the topic YU is so passionate about.

All he knows is that YU hasn't even looked at him since they sat.

His gaze takes it all in. So do his ears.

"I'll have what he's having," says YU , hoping Sam has already chosen. He finally looks at Sam and gives him a smile.

Sam is pleased with the eye contact and smiles back. He begins to flip through the menu. YU is to be served something special.

"Can I recommend something for you? Would you like to maybe try my favorite dish? " she asks with big googly eyes and a sweet smile.