I wonder how I would ever find him. “Meet me in the Food Fair at 8 p.m.,” said the message that I hadfound on my voice mail. He said it was very important, that he had something to ask me. As my watchticked toward two minutes past eight, my heart began to race and my head grew heavy. I hurried to therestroom and splashed cold water on my face.With beads of water still running down my cheeks, I exited the restroom. I recognized him immediately.Still so handsome, he stood only a few feet away from me. He hadn’t noticed me yet. Filled withuncertainty, I thought of turning back into the washroom and staying there until sunrise, or at least untilhe had left. I had the urge to vomit.After all, I hadn’t seen him in more than seven years. I was only twenty-one when we fell in love. It wasthe summer of 2008. I met him on a Tuesday afternoon at the beach. He asked if he could draw a pictureof my hands in his sketchbook.We spent the next three months together, parting only when one of us had to use the bathroom.Sometimes we visited art galleries or went swimming in the ocean. In the evenings, we would dance in themoonlight to the rhythm of chirping crickets. Sometimes, we sat in silence and felt the warm summerwind caress our cheeks. We slept in his studio, where I used to make five-course meals in a tinykitchenette and pour glasses of Zinfandel wine, while he spoke in verse and covered the walls with acrylicpaintings of my arms, my back, my eyes, my face.Eventually, however, September came, and I had to explore my options. Would I drop everything andbecome his personal model, or would I return to culinary school? Before I had a chance to consult myfriends, he made the choice for me.I was dishing Chicken Kiev with rosemary potatoes and asparagus onto his plate when he told me. “I’mheading to the north coast next week,” he said in a casual tone. “I’d like to spend a couple of years therein meditation. You know, to find my true self. Wow, this smells great! What’s in it? Rosemary?”He left. I returned to school, graduated, started working, and spent all these years waiting for him tocome back. I revisited the beach for so many times that I lost count, hoping he would show up in my lifeagain. I kept abreast of local art shows, just in case he was hosting an exhibition in my honor. And Iwaited patiently to hear his voice on the phone.Now, as I arrived at his side, I stopped and touched his arm gently. He turned toward me and beamed asmile. I smiled back. He still had the same sparkle in his eyes, and he still wore the same cologne. Hetook my hand in his and looked into my eyes for a few moments before he finally began to speak. “Inever forgot what a great cook you were,” he said, and at the sound of his voice, any regrets I had aboutspending so many years awaiting his return vanished.“Anyway,” he continued, “it’s my wife birthday this Saturday, and I really want to impress her. Would youplease give me the recipe for your Chicken Kiev?”
I wonder how I would ever find him. “Meet me in the Food Fair at 8 p.m.,” said the message that I had<br>found on my voice mail. He said it was very important, that he had something to ask me. As my watch<br>ticked toward two minutes past eight, my heart began to race and my head grew heavy. I hurried to the<br>restroom and splashed cold water on my face.<br>With beads of water still running down my cheeks, I exited the restroom. I recognized him immediately.<br>Still so handsome, he stood only a few feet away from me. He hadn’t noticed me yet. Filled with<br>uncertainty, I thought of turning back into the washroom and staying there until sunrise, or at least until<br>he had left. I had the urge to vomit.<br>After all, I hadn’t seen him in more than seven years. I was only twenty-one when we fell in love. It was<br>the summer of 2008. I met him on a Tuesday afternoon at the beach. He asked if he could draw a picture<br>of my hands in his sketchbook.<br>We spent the next three months together, parting only when one of us had to use the bathroom.<br>Sometimes we visited art galleries or went swimming in the ocean. In the evenings, we would dance in the<br>moonlight to the rhythm of chirping crickets. Sometimes, we sat in silence and felt the warm summer<br>wind caress our cheeks. We slept in his studio, where I used to make five-course meals in a tiny<br>kitchenette and pour glasses of Zinfandel wine, while he spoke in verse and covered the walls with acrylic<br>paintings of my arms, my back, my eyes, my face.<br>Eventually, however, September came, and I had to explore my options. Would I drop everything and<br>become his personal model, or would I return to culinary school? Before I had a chance to consult my<br>friends, he made the choice for me.<br>I was dishing Chicken Kiev with rosemary potatoes and asparagus onto his plate when he told me. “I’m<br>heading to the north coast next week,” he said in a casual tone. “I’d like to spend a couple of years there<br>in meditation. You know, to find my true self. Wow, this smells great! What’s in it? Rosemary?”<br>He left. I returned to school, graduated, started working, and spent all these years waiting for him to<br>come back. I revisited the beach for so many times that I lost count, hoping he would show up in my life<br>again. I kept abreast of local art shows, just in case he was hosting an exhibition in my honor. And I<br>waited patiently to hear his voice on the phone.<br>Now, as I arrived at his side, I stopped and touched his arm gently. He turned toward me and beamed a<br>smile. I smiled back. He still had the same sparkle in his eyes, and he still wore the same cologne. He<br>took my hand in his and looked into my eyes for a few moments before he finally began to speak. “I<br>never forgot what a great cook you were,” he said, and at the sound of his voice, any regrets I had about<br>spending so many years awaiting his return vanished.<br>“無論如何,”他繼續說,“這是我妻子的生日,這個星期六,我真的想打動她。你能<br>請給我你的基輔雞配方?“
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