withsteaksaudTabasco,givinghimaicappearancewhichmadeyouugheventhoughyouwereannoyed.Richard,JamazandBig-Otratedalltheirattentiononthefoodbeforethemaowithgusto.Perhapsthesehomelessvagabondshadbeenlivinganomadlifestylefortoolong.Oheycameintoawarm,fortablehomeaogetherwiththeirgoodfriends,theirappetitesgreatlyincreasedandsoontheyhadeduptheptesandfinishedeveryscrapoffoodoable.

    7

    CharinabroughtouttheItaliandessertshehadmadeforthem–Tiramisu!Itwasherspecialtymadewithjusttherightamountofrumaedintheirmouths.Herguestsweredelightedandwerevishintheirpraise.DwarfMickeypolishedoffmorethanhalfofthedessert.Hewastheshortestofthemallbuthisappetitewasarming.DimitriaskedMr.Kaffee,

    “Howdidthejewelryexhibitionyouguyswenttoturnout?Wasitwellanizedandsuccessful?”

    “Ha!”ughedMr.Kaffee.“Notonlywasitmarvelous,I’msureaspectacurshowwillsoonfollow.Ifeelinmybohatsomethingisabouttohappen.”

    “Really”excimedDimitri,“Whydon’tyoutellmeiailpeoday.”JustasMr.Kaffeewasabouttotellhimaboutthejewelryexhibition,Dimitristoppedhimsaying,“Justaminute.Whydotillourbeautifulhostessesback.Shelovesagreattaleandyou,Mr.Kaffee,areagreatstory-teller.Ithinkshewilltakenotesandterincorporateitintohernovels.”CharinawhowasmakingcoffeeforthemiryheardDimitri’sremarksandsaidhappily,

    “Right.Right.Ilovetohearstories.Youdoknowmewell,Dimitri.Coffeewillbereadysoon,whydon’tyouallgotothelivingroom.”

    “Whydon’titandupthediningroom”suggestedRichardloudly.“Ourbeautifulhostesshasworkedhardtopreparethesumptuousfeastforus,theleastwedoistoupthemesswehavecreated.Otherwiseourbeautifulhostesswillnotinviteushereagain.”Big-Ostooduptoclearthetable.Hetookthedirtyptes,bowl,gsses,knives,forksandspoonsintothekit.ThereRichard,whohaddointasdish-washerinaeserestaurantwhenhefirstarrivedintheU.S.,rolleduphissleeves,threwthebonesa-overintothegarbagedstartedwashing.Hismovementswerequideffit.Jamazwasinthediningroomwipiableandchairsandsweepinguhetable,ingupafterDwarfMickey,pigupeveryscrapoffoodtheolddwarfhaddroppedonthecarpet.MeanwhileDimitriandMr.Kaffeehadalreadysettleddowncozilyonthefortablelivingroomsofas.DwarfMickeygrabbedholdoftheptewithremnantsofthedessertandsatinaerofthelivingroomtoenjoyit.ThehappiestofallwaslittleMaureefromthedle-litdiningroomtothekit,thenintothelivingroomwheremoonlightwasbright.HewouldjumpontoDimitri’spandstepalloverhimandthenjumpdowntosharethedessertwithDwarfMickey.Itwasamesmerizingevening,buttherewasaseensenessandexpetheatmosphere.

    Wheneveryonehadfoundtheirseat,Mr.KaffeebeganretingtheeventsofthedaywhenheapaniedMegginnandSamanthatothehighcssjewelryexhibitionandau.Hespokeciselyandtothepoint,fast-fthevarioussarios.Forpurposesofsecurity,theanizationsptheauallowedonlytheirinvitedgueststopassthroughtheexhibitionhalltwoatatimeintotheroomwheretheauwastotakeptheexhibitionhall,thepricelessjewelryweredispyedunderbrightraysoflightbehindthick,bullet-proofgss,emphasizingtheirbrilliandiimableworth.MegginnapaniedbyRichardwalkedquickly,stifflyandmeicallythroughtheexhibition,stoppingonlyforaf

withsteaksaudTabasco,givinghimaicappearancewhichmadeyouugheventhoughyouwereannoyed.Richard,JamazandBig-Otratedalltheirattentiononthefoodbeforethemaowithgusto.Perhapsthesehomelessvagabondshadbeenlivinganomadlifestylefortoolong.Oheycameintoawarm,fortablehomeaogetherwiththeirgoodfriends,theirappetitesgreatlyincreasedandsoontheyhadeduptheptesandfinishedeveryscrapoffoodoable.

    7

    CharinabroughtouttheItaliandessertshehadmadeforthem–Tiramisu!Itwasherspecialtymadewithjusttherightamountofrumaedintheirmouths.Herguestsweredelightedandwerevishintheirpraise.DwarfMickeypolishedoffmorethanhalfofthedessert.Hewastheshortestofthemallbuthisappetitewasarming.DimitriaskedMr.Kaffee,

    “Howdidthejewelryexhibitionyouguyswenttoturnout?Wasitwellanizedandsuccessful?”

    “Ha!”ughedMr.Kaffee.“Notonlywasitmarvelous,I’msureaspectacurshowwillsoonfollow.Ifeelinmybohatsomethingisabouttohappen.”

    “Really”excimedDimitri,“Whydon’tyoutellmeiailpeoday.”JustasMr.Kaffeewasabouttotellhimaboutthejewelryexhibition,Dimitristoppedhimsaying,“Justaminute.Whydotillourbeautifulhostessesback.Shelovesagreattaleandyou,Mr.Kaffee,areagreatstory-teller.Ithinkshewilltakenotesandterincorporateitintohernovels.”CharinawhowasmakingcoffeeforthemiryheardDimitri’sremarksandsaidhappily,

    “Right.Right.Ilovetohearstories.Youdoknowmewell,Dimitri.Coffeewillbereadysoon,whydon’tyouallgotothelivingroom.”

    “Whydon’titandupthediningroom”suggestedRichardloudly.“Ourbeautifulhostesshasworkedhardtopreparethesumptuousfeastforus,theleastwedoistoupthemesswehavecreated.Otherwiseourbeautifulhostesswillnotinviteushereagain.”Big-Ostooduptoclearthetable.Hetookthedirtyptes,bowl,gsses,knives,forksandspoonsintothekit.ThereRichard,whohaddointasdish-washerinaeserestaurantwhenhefirstarrivedintheU.S.,rolleduphissleeves,threwthebonesa-overintothegarbagedstartedwashing.Hismovementswerequideffit.Jamazwasinthediningroomwipiableandchairsandsweepinguhetable,ingupafterDwarfMickey,pigupeveryscrapoffoodtheolddwarfhaddroppedonthecarpet.MeanwhileDimitriandMr.Kaffeehadalreadysettleddowncozilyonthefortablelivingroomsofas.DwarfMickeygrabbedholdoftheptewithremnantsofthedessertandsatinaerofthelivingroomtoenjoyit.ThehappiestofallwaslittleMaureefromthedle-litdiningroomtothekit,thenintothelivingroomwheremoonlightwasbright.HewouldjumpontoDimitri’spandstepalloverhimandthenjumpdowntosharethedessertwithDwarfMickey.Itwasamesmerizingevening,buttherewasaseensenessandexpetheatmosphere.

    Wheneveryonehadfoundtheirseat,Mr.KaffeebeganretingtheeventsofthedaywhenheapaniedMegginnandSamanthatothehighcssjewelryexhibitionandau.Hespokeciselyandtothepoint,fast-fthevarioussarios.Forpurposesofsecurity,theanizationsptheauallowedonlytheirinvitedgueststopassthroughtheexhibitionhalltwoatatimeintotheroomwheretheauwastotakeptheexhibitionhall,thepricelessjewelryweredispyedunderbrightraysoflightbehindthick,bullet-proofgss,emphasizingtheirbrilliandiimableworth.MegginnapaniedbyRichardwalkedquickly,stifflyandmeicallythroughtheexhibition,stoppingonlyforaf