The story of a man's education in love and sex.
Notes for Literotica:
I have not used 'Microsoft lines' -- I am not certain what these are -- but have used a series of underscores: _______ I have made sure that there are less than thirty of these in any given set.
I have also used page numbers. Do you have a problem with this?
This novel contains only dialogue together with my thoughts. I have used superscript initials to identify a speaker:
FV
for example to indicate Frank Vogels' dialogue and
f
to identify his thoughts. Does this cause you problems?
Chapter 1 contains both italics and bold type and I would like to retain these.
APERITIF
I have briefly set the scene and included a list of the participants, in their order of appearance, at the beginning of each Chapter. In 'Aperitif', for example:
FV
...... The telephone dialogue of Frank Vogels, caterer, from his apartment.
LX
...... Lisa, a school girl who makes an unsolicited phone call to Frank.
f
........ Frank Vogels, his thoughts.
_____________________________
I suppose there are two reasons for writing this book. One is that I'm in desperate need of some cash, though I'm not holding my breath for that. The other is that I'm hopeful that putting this down on paper will be some form of catharsis. To be fully effective for me, I have to know that you, the reader, will experience what I've been through. Not just read it, but been in my shoes and seen through my eyes.
So that I can communicate with you directly, with no "she said" or "I exclaimed" coming between us, I've used a different form of inverted commas. Namely superscript capitals corresponding to speakers' initials at the beginning of what they have to say. Unknown males and females are, in accordance with the designations of their sex chromosomes,
XY
.... and
XX
.... respectively. My thoughts are after a lower case
f
......
An example:
RING, RING. RING, RING.
FV
Hello, Frank Vogels .speaking.
LX
Hello, I love you.
FV
Pardon?
LX
I love you.
f
I didn't know it was that easy!
FV
Who am I talking to?
LX
My name's Lisa.
f
Lease a body? She might even give it away! She sounds very young but I've got to find out what this is all about.....
Anyway, Lisa doesn't ring me until Chapter 10.... Back to the beginning.... Back to that restaurant and being a chef....... Back to Anna; alluring Anna......
CHAPTER ONE
VEAL CORDON BLEU
Characters in 'Veal Cordon Bleu' in order of appearance:
AF
..... Anna Fawley, waitress at Madam Gallon's, a small restaurant in the lower floor of a late 19
th
century house in inner Sydney.
FV
..... The dialogue of Frank Vogels, the chef at the restaurant.
f
....... Frank Vogels: his thoughts.
GC
..... George Carruthers, a tenant who lives in the upper floor above the restaurant.
SV
...... Sally Vogels, Frank Vogels' wife.
DM
..... Dennis Murphy, police constable.
MM
..... Mary Madison, police constable.
____________________________
AF
Two veal cordon bleu. No entrée.
FV
OK.
f
You're a nice bit of cordon bleu yourself, Anna Fawley. Bloody ravishing in fact. That's the shortest skirt you've ever worn in here. Just as well Madam's away. No, on second thoughts, she'd be ambivalent -- good for business but not so good for the tone of her establishment. Long black stockings; frilly apron and blouse; just a hint of cleavage; longish golden hair tied back. Veal cordon bleu. Where's the bloody veal? Yeah, fridge, twit! Pa called it a veal sandwich. Is that right? Or is it a ham and cheese sandwich? God, I'd like to be the meat in her sandwich. No, for veal cordon bleu, she'd be the meat! What about the ham? Suits you boy! And the cheese? Mine's not that yellow; nor that thick. Easy boy; concentrate. That looks more like a cheese burger.......
AF
Two strawberry fools.
FV
Just get this veal on and I'll whip those up.
f
Her breasts must look like that. Two strawberries exquisitely placed on mounds of cream perched in turn on a bed of strawberry fool for skin. Her skin's browner than that: more like well-cooked pavlova. Stop it! I'm the bloody fool! Just as well Madam isn't here. I'd be getting the sack.......
* * * * *
f
Thank God......that's the end of that.
AF
Hey, they've all gone. We've done well tonight. Nearly a full bottle of red and half a bottle of white.
FV
What would you like? There's some coquille and plenty of filet mignon.
AF
I don't want much. I'm not very hungry.
FV
No, neither am I. How about we share one of each?
AF
OK.
FV
How long will you be out there?
AF
Ten to fifteen minutes.
FV
Half your luck!
AF
You know I'll come and help you after.
FV
Yes, yes of course, I'm just tired. I should have the last of the washing up ready to go by then. Shall we clean up everything before we eat, as usual?
AF
Yes, I like to relax knowing that everything's done and all put away.
* * * * *
AF
These coquilles are really delicious, Frank.
FV
Umm, much the same as usual. Can't seem to get inspired about much these days.
AF
No? If you didn't cook, I wouldn't bother to stay here and eat. I'd just as soon go straight home to bed.
f
Alone?
FV
Thank you! That lifts my spirits a bit. At least it's creative some of the time. I think that deserves the last of the white. But what you do must be the pits. Walking in and out all the time. Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir. You can't do that forever. What are you going to do for the rest of your life?
AF
That's a leading question. But you're right: I'm doing drama at NIDA. Couple of years to go yet. Although this place isn't all bad. I get good tips which you really earn. And 95% of the people are really nice and easy to get on with.
FV
I thought most of the tips went on Lotto! Don't know why: we haven't won a brass razoo yet. I'd better put the steaks on: medium-rare? Acting sounds good. Hope you make a career out of it.
AF
Umm, just going to the loo. Be back in a moment.
f
Looks like a nice steak. Should be: the best fillet. And a great filly too! Don't start that again. Concentrate! A few fried diced potatoes. She likes them. After that compliment I'd better give her something really nice. Yes, creamed carrots. What else? A few beans: get something green on the plate.
* * * * *
FV
Gee, it's a pleasure not having Madam here, isn't it. God, I get fed up with her complaining about the customers and the price of vegetables.
AF
Where's she gone?
FV
I'm not sure. I think some relative's about to peg out. We should get at least another day. Here's the steak. Let's try this red: ready?
AF
Ah-ha.
FV
Hey that's nice. Emm, Tyrrell's. Nearly ten years old. How exactly did you score that?
f
Some customer admiring your body?
AF
A middle aged couple out there were having an argument. Something about another woman, I think. Anyway, she finished up flouncing off. Hardly ate anything. He pushed his food around his plate for a while. Then he left too. Remember, I brought two steaks back that had hardly been touched? He left the red behind too.
FV
Yeah, that's right. My dog, Rastas, will enjoy those! It's an ill wind...... that's the saying, isn't?
f
Gotta keep this conversation going somehow!
AF
Yes. You weren't born here, were you?
FV
No. I came here as a child. Finished my schooling and then went back to complete my training as a chef. To Switzerland, actually. I was born in the Netherlands. Some more wine?...... Proost!
AF
What's that?
FV
Dutch for cheers, salut, skål, prosit, salud!
AF
Can you speak all those languages?
FV
I'm not too bad at French and German. Just a few words of the rest; except Dutch, of course.
AF
Gee, I wish.....
FV
Hey, isn't that great? I'll turn the radio up.
AF
What is it?
FV
Daly-Wilson Big Band. Goes back a fair way. You recognise the tune?
AF
