Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2019 21:12:27 +0000 (UTC) From: David Auslander Subject: Vietnam - 1967 - PART 7 VIETNAM - 1967 PART 7 Remember - This story takes place in 1967, when there was no AIDS or HIV; thus unprotected sex was OK. This story contains consensual sex between Male Adults. If you are not 18 - DO NOT READ THIS STORY. If this type of story is not acceptable where you live, DO NOT READ THIS STORY. Please send a contribution to NIFTY to keep this site up and free. John got off the bed and quickly dressed in his new civilian clothes. He joined Tom and the two of them went to the elevator. When the elevator came. They went down to the lobby, crossed it, and left the cool of the Hotel, stepping out into the heat of a tropical city, late in the day! Tom walked up to a taxi waiting in front of the hotel. They got into the air conditioned taxi. Tom leaned forward and told the driver: "Take us to a good restaurant!" "Sure thing," replied the driver, in English. The driver pushed down the "flag" on the standard looking Taxi Meter, and the taxi took off. Tom and John sat back in the comfortable temperature of the air conditioned car. Like regular tourists, they looked out the side windows at the many golden spires of the Buddhist Temples throughout the city. After only a short drive, the taxi pulled in front of a traditionally styled building. They got out of the cab. Tom stepped up to the driver and asked: "How much?" The taxi driver flipped down the meter flag, and read off the dial. Tom stood there and did the math in his head, converting the quoted Baht to American dollars. He pulled out his wallet and gave the driver a $5.00 American dollar bill. The taxi driver took the bill, and gave him 2 American dollars back, and a handful of Thai coins. (Thais are very honest people.) The driver did not try to rip the Americans off. He charged his passengers what the meter said, and did not inflate the cost. Tom gave an American dollar to the driver as a tip. The driver said: "Thank You," in English, and kept bowing his head in the Thai fashion. Tom and John entered the fancy restaurant. They were met by the Major Dee dressed in a western tux. "Enchante, Gentlemen," he said in perfect French. He switched to English and said: "This way." He led them to a table for two, and left them with menus. Tom and John sat, and looked at the menus. They were written in French and Thai - no English. Tom looked around and realized that the clientele was a mixture of Caucasian and Thai. He looked at the menu. He knew he wanted a good steak. Only main dishes were listed. Tom looked through the menu until he spotted the steak. John also was perusing the menu. A young Thai waiter approached the table, and said, in perfect English: "Good Evening gentlemen, what would you like tonight?" Tom said: "I'll have the beef steak. My French isn't very good, "Beau-ff?" He was stopped by the waiter who asked: "How do you want your steak cooked, sir?" Tom answered: "Medium/well! Pink in the middle!" The waiter scribbled on his pad, then turned to John. "And you, sir?" John did not trust his French, at all, and said: "I'll have the same, cooked the same." The waiter said: "Thank You, Sir," and disappeared. John remarked to Tom: "This is the first place I have ever been where the only thing on the menu is the main dish. There was no listing for potato or vegetable." The chef knew what he was doing. He built the entire meal around the main dish. Tom, who was a little more sophisticated about good French Restaurants, said: "Just you wait!" At that point, the waiter appeared with a bottle of wine. He showed the label to Tom, who nodded his head. The waiter had a cork screw attached to a lanyard around his neck. With great ceremony, the waiter used the cork screw to remove the cork. He held the cork out to Tom, who sniffed the cork knowledgeably. Tom nodded his head. The waiter splashed about a swallow into the wine glass, and offered it to Tom. Tom swirled the wine around, and sniffed the glass. He then drank the wine, and nodded his head. The waiter then filled Tom's and John's glasses with the red wine, that turned out to be a perfect match for the steak to come. The waiter filled Tom's glass, left the bottle, and again disappeared. Tom and John lifted their glasses. The wine was delicious! John commented: "That was fun! An invented ceremony to fulfil the human need for "Myth and Ritual." The waiter returned followed by a busboy carrying a tray with small bowls of salad with dressing already applied. The waiter placed the bowls on the table and disappeared. Tom and John picked up their forks and began eating the minuscule salads. It was only later that they realized that the small salad was the perfect amount, leaving plenty of room for the main dish to come. It was a true "Appetizer." A few minutes later, the waiter returned followed by a busboy carrying a loaded tray. Again, with much ceremony, the waiter first moved the salad bowls to the side, then placed a plate in front of each man containing the steak with asparagus with a "Hollandaise sauce," and turned back to the tray. He took baked potatoes in individual bowls from the tray and carefully placed them in front of Tom and John. The potatoes had been baked, they were not wrapped in aluminum foil or cooked by steam. The waiter and the busboy withdrew. Tom and John lifted their western utensils and dug in. The steaks were cooked perfectly and were high quality meat. The two young men savored the perfectly cooked steak. Both wondered where the restaurant had gotten tiny asparagus at this time of year, in a tropical country! The red wine went perfectly with the steak. The young men leisurely ate the rest of the meal. Tom refilled their glasses with the red wine. The bottle was quickly emptied. Having a little bit of knowledge about French Wines, Tom did not want to think about the cost. It was a leisurely meal, and took several hours. They enjoyed the eating as they were not under any pressure of time; and their lives were not in danger. Without being hurried, they slowly ate their meal. When they were done and their plates were empty, several hours later; the Waiter and the busboy returned. The Waiter deftly removed all the used plates to the tray the busboy carried; He deftly put out small bowls of French Vanilla ice cream in front of the two young men. He reached back onto the tray and picked up a small pitcher containing a raspberry puree which he poured on the ice cream. He placed the pitcher on the table. He went back to the tray and removed two fresh wine glasses, which he placed in front of each young man. He then took a small bottle of wine (a half bottle) from the tray. He, ceremoniously, removed the cork and filled the fresh glasses with the desert wine. He, and the Busboy then left. Tom and John picked up their spoons and began eating the cold concoction. It was the coldest thing they had eaten in the many months in Vietnam. They drank the sweet dessert wine. John had not known there was such a thing as a dessert wine. Everything was perfect! The first red wine was a perfect accent to the steak and potatoes, and the dessert that followed was a perfect ending of the meal. The Waiter appeared at Tom's side and left a check on the table next to Tom. Tom picked it up. The Bill was in Baht. He sat there and did the math in his head. He said to John: "Your share is $40 dollars American. John pulled out his wallet and gave Tom two $20 bills. Tom reached back and pulled out his wallet and added two $20 bills to John's money. An $80 meal in 1967. This was definitely a High Class French Restaurant! The waiter appeared and removed the bill and the pile of money, and disappeared again. Tom looked at his wallet and took out an American $5 bill, which he put in the center of the table, as a tip for excellent service. John looked at the tip money. He pulled a $5 bill (american) and added it to the tip money. The two young Americans rose and headed for the restaurant door. As they passed the Major Dee, Tom stopped and told him the meal was wonderful! He then joined John, and exited the building. There were a number of Taxis waiting. Tom and John got in the front cab, and told the driver: "Hotel Liaison, Please." The cab took off.