joking  How did I get caught up in this conversation?

You were being a good host.  her finger worked the lip of her glass

the second chimed  You asked if our drinks needed refreshing.

Yes. I did.

Brought it on yourself. 

                          So what’s your feeling on the subject?  her finger came off the lip dipped in her gin gimlet touched it to her tongue

 

she was killing him

he looked at her friend

she was killing her too

Don’t be shy.

was he obvious

his nether shifted slightly

looked again at her friend

she seemed to have moistened too

 

    finally he said  Shy?

Are you going to have a hack write your obituary? This had become the subject of conversation.

We enjoined it, because, well, frankly, we agreed.

The others did not. They departed.

Evidently didn’t deem it polite cocktail party chitchat.

he cleared his throat

                        Seems so. seamy also occurred to him  A hack?

I’m writing mine. she said absently stirred her gimlet with her finger  A hack, yes.

She means, who knows us better than we know ourselves.

So, therefore, our obituary should fall to us, not someone who thinks they know us.

in unison they said as the grabbed his arms with their free hands  You get it.

                                                                                   they grinned

he grinned joining in

                           So . . they just walked off?

Scurried. said twizzle finger

he asked Hack send them on their way?

No. I believe it was . . . obituary. I have to imagine contemplating their death wasn’t in this evening’s scheme of things.

             You seem okay.

I’m a realist.

You won’t scurry away?

Not unless you need your drinks refreshed. Ladies?

                                                        he crooked his elbows offering each an arm

Shall we proceed to the bar?

 

as they crossing the veranda the hacks separatedformed a narrow avenue

                                                                                 quietly he remarked We must be what bane looks like.

1525,  Saturday,  22  8. 26

0924,  Saturday,  29  8. 26