To my Dearest Friend

Friday

I walk through the streets of the 8th arrondissement. I'm in a bit of a rush because if you are tardy it's better not to show up at all so you won't cause and inconvenience. My mother was very strict when it came to those rules. I had immense trouble deciding what to wear. I was sure Émile would wear something outrageously beautiful but I don't feel comfortable in things like he wears.

I find the adress. The house towers above the already immense buildings of the 8th arrondisement. The beautiful beige outside is decorated.with a weathered sort of torquoise. The black railings are bent into beautiful spirals on the balconies are several plants, reaching towards the sun. I ring the bell and in no time he opens the door. 'Wow, you're very punctual! Come in' we walk into the house, it's very clean, the floors are coloured by the sunshine falling through the stained glass windows. The mahogany of the immense staircase suits the beautiful green carpets on the ground. Everything you see is there to show you how incredibly rich the familt is. There are already many people here.

'Forget the rules Cyril, here we are free.' I frown. 'Leave your worries behind Cyril, don't be shy!' The leads me towards another young men.

'Cyril, meet Christiane, one of the most impressive ladies I know and and she can pull off any suit with ease' 'I told you not to call me lady, Émile' he smiles. 'I'm sorry Christian.' he turns to me 'And meet Lady Grey, she's from Cardiff. She's Christian's best friend, I thought you two would get along.' 'I'm not looking for Bachelors Émile' I answer. He begins to laugh. I ask myself if he's mocking me or I said something funny to him. 'neither am I' Lady Grey says chuckling.

Émile smiles. 'You'll have to get used to the company I prefer here Cyril, but I promise you'll fit in eventually.'

Everybody at this party is long time friend of Émile and it almost feels like they all share a secret. After some introduction we sit down in the dining room. Everything in the room in red and black. Even everything Émile is wearing today is red and black even his jewelry is red and black. Only the cutlery is silver and has white handle made of mother of pearl. We sit down, and Émile stands up.

'Welcome all those who are new and all those who are dear to me, I'm glad we have all gathered here today. Our dinner will be in the theme of black and red which many of you might've seen. Please welcome our special guest who came all the way from London to enjoy our beautiful city. It's a pleasure to have you here Cyril, we all hope you enjoy France. Our menu will consist of Oysters in mignonette sauce, crayfish soup, Shrimps is a spanish sauce which I'm not familiar with but it'll surely taste magnificent. Lark pie, daddle of mutton potatoes and brussles sprouts and pheasant, Raspberry tart, vanilla cream, and cheese. The staff walks in with our first course and given us all a glass or Halbec wine, which is almost black. he raises his glass. 'So forget the rules, this dinner party is organised to discuss our beliefs and our academic opinions, only rule is keep it civilized, you know what happened the last time Lady Grey.' everyone laughs and it's such a contagious laugh that I feel myself laughing.

I notice that the way we are arranged in very unusual, there are men sitting with men and women sitting with women. I must say that everything about Émile surprises me. He is not a normal person but to be fair how normal am I?

'surprised?' Christiane asks me. 'about what?' I ask. 'the way we do it here?' she responds. 'I must say that it's not my usual dinner party.'  she smiles 'Émile is not your average person' I smile 'Good point miss.' 'I must say your french is perfect.' she remarks. 'I grew up speaking largely french, Courtenay is a french family.' 'Ah, I'm sorry for making assumptions.' 'She always does' Iady Grey says treer Émjle starts to speak.

'So, what I want to begin on today is one of the most unpopular academic volumes of our time. also sprach Zarathustra, I also have another option if the first one is too much for our new companion. So the second one is Sigmund freud, on Aphasia. His first book.' 'Let's do Freud, it's a newer book' says Lady Grey 'than it is decided.' As they start to debate I feel a rush through my veins I wish Yves could be here.