Some time later.

–Good evening. Are you the gentleman in the cinema to whom I sat next?

–It’s a girl! Go away! I’m all alone!

– But it – it’s about your cap.

– My cap?

– You left your cap under the seat when you went. I saw your address inside, so I, well, I took the liberty of brining it round.

– Oh!

– I do hope you were up.

– Up what?

– I haven’t got you out of bed, I mean.

– No. Did you say I was the one who was sitting next to you?

– Yes.

– Then you must be the one who was sitting next to me.

– Well, yes, that’s right.

– You’d better come in.

– Oh? Come in? Well, I’m rather soaked. Perhaps I’d better just dry off a bit. Thank you.

– The parlour’s through here.

– Shall I sit on the sofa?

– If you like.

– Thank you.

– Excuse me, but do you come here often?

– Come where?

– I don’t know. Dad didn’t tell me what’s next.

– You know, I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but in the pictures I could only see you profile. I, I thought you were much darker skinned.

– I’d been eating a choc ice.

– You eat a lot in the pictures, don’t you? I could hear.

– Only mixed nuts and a choc ice and my chewing gum apple during the adverts.

– I like eating in the pictures too.

– Do you? What’s you favourite flavour of the month?

– Nealopitan.

– Ne-That’s mine too.

– Is it?

– Yeah.

– Well, isn’t that strange? Oh – there is me, just happening to find your cap, and then it turns out we both like Nealopitan ice cream. Sends a shiver up your spine, doesn’t it?

– If you have enough of it.

– By the way, I don’t believe I mentioned it – my name’s Eth.

– Eth.

– How about yours?

– No, my isn’t.

– Very good, sir. Here you are. Thank you very much, sir.

Dialogue 11

DESSERT AND COFFEE AFTER THE MOVIE: A SIMPLE CONVERSATION

Ricardo Rodriguez and Fermina Dias have just left a movie. They are engaged to be married, but Fermina is still living in another town. She is visiting Ricardo. They have decided to go to a restaurant for dessert and coffee, but they have not decided where to go.

Ricardo: We can go to either a French restaurant or a little cafe near my house. At the French restaurant we could have both a chocolate torte or a chocolate coffee. I know how much you like the taste of chocolate. At the cafe near my house they don’t have chocolate coffee, but they serve a great chocolate pie. What sounds good?

Fermina: Oh…. It all sounds so good. I want both the chocolate torte and the chocolate pie. (They both laugh.)

Ricardo: Well, if it’s too much, we’ll go to neither the French restaurant nor the cafe. Why don’t we go get ice cream? We could visit our favorite shop, the one of the square.

Fermina: Oh yes. Ice cream would taste so good. But I want it by my chocolate torte and chocolate pie! (More laughing)

Ricardo: Well, I think we should go to the French restaurant. You haven’t been there before, you’d like the romantic decor. It smells good and it’s beautiful, like you.

Fermina: Okay. Okay. I’m convinced. Let’s go!

FRIENDS FOR DINNER: A SAMPLE CANVERSATION

The next night, Ricardo arranged dinner at a fancy Chinese restaurant so his friends Steven James and Susan Henderson could meet Fermina. Ricardo made reservations for 7 p. m. And the four friends met in the lobby of the restaurant. He introduced everyone and they were immediately seated at a table. The waiter brought water to everyone and took their drink orders.

Ricardo: The newspaper rates this the best Chinese restaurant in town. They gave four stars last week. The restaurant reviewer says the food there is more authentic than at the other Chinese restaurants in town.

Susan: Yes. I read that review. The roasted duck is supposed to be especially good.

Steven: Well, duck isn’t my favourite food. I’m definitely sticking with chicken.

Susan: But look at the list of shrimp dishes! You like shrimp.

Fermina: I like shrimp, too. I can’t decide between the duck and the shrimp.

Ricardo: In Chinese restaurants, they have a wonderful custom. Each order comes on a big serving dish. We can each order something we want and then share it with everyone. Susan can get the duck, and Steven can get two different shrimp dishes. I’ll chose a beef dish. Then we can all share.

Steven: Well, if we’re going to do that, why don’t I get a chicken dish and then we’ll have beef, chicken, shrimp, and duck to sample.

Fermina: Oh, I’d like that. Then I can taste everything.

Ricardo: I am so happy to have you all together. I want all the people I care about to know each other. After the wedding, we’ll do this often.

Susan: Have you set the wedding date yet?

Fermina: Yes. It’ll be two month from yesterday. I have to finish the contract my company has before I can move here. We’re going to be married at my mother’s house in the…oh, look!

Steven: That is beautiful! Look at those flowers. Are they real? That looks like a real rose on the side.

Susan: No. Those are vegetables. They cut them to look like that. Aren’t they wonderful? We can take them home.

Fermina: Our family loves to cook and my mother likes food to be pretty. She’d love the rose.

Ricardo: Maybe we can put t in a plastic bag and you can take it to her.

Fermina: That would be great. Steven, you shared you chicken with us, but you haven’t tried the duck. Don’t you like the taste?

Steven: No. Don’t laugh, but I don’t like the smell. (Everyone laughs, anyway.)

Ricardo: How can you not like the smell?

Steven: I think has to do with my mother cooking a duck in the kitchen when I was a kid. I always remember it when I see duck. I always remember the smell. I hated it.

Fermina: How long since you’ve actually tasted duck?

Steven: I never did. I didn’t when I was a kid and I never have since then.

Susan: Don’t you think it’s time we ordered some more plum wine? They have the best in town here.

Steven: Maybe if I drank another glass of wine I’d be ready to taste the duck.

Ricardo: That’s a deal. (He raises his hand to get the waiter’s attention.) we’d like another bottle of plum wine.

Waiter: Of course.

Susan: Fermina, are you and Ricardo going to live in Ricardo’s apartment after you are married?

Fermina: No. It’s too small. Ricardo is looking for a two-bedroom so we’ll have room for guests. Do have any suggestions?

Susan: Well, the apartment complex I live in is really nice. I think they have some apartments available now. I’ll ask tomorrow.

Steven: Hey! This duck is really good. I like it. (Everyone laughs.)

Fermina: Just look what you’ve been missing out on all these years.

Steven: Well, no more. Duck is great.

The group finishes the meal, pays, and leaves the restaurant. They say good-bye outside.