Looking from the outside you would never imagine such a dining experience would take place behind that convenience store glass door. They went in regardless, figuring they could make up for lack of ambiance at their next stop. It was tradition that they ate appetizers in one location, dinner in another and finally dessert and coffee at a third restaurant. Dessert would have to be more carefully selected if this was the appearance for dinner.
Being the gentleman he was, he opened all the doors for her. It was beyond courtship days. He no longer had to impress her to get her to concede to his sexual appetite. Still, doors opened and chairs were pulled out. When they went inside, they found one entire wall constructed of paper panes and bamboo slats. Each table had its own door and step which led to the sunken sitting area. Culture of this cuisine dictated removal of all footwear prior to entering the dining compartment. Shoes and sandals and boots and high heels all had to remain on the step. Small seat cushions on the wooden benches offered a small amount of comfort during the meal.
They sat on opposite sides of the table. She figured it would be nice to play with him under the table, since they both had their shoes off. One detail she did not account for was the heat source being stored under the center of the table. She had no access whatsoever to him. Making the best of the situation, she had to make do with gazing across the table at him. Conversation went from basic swap of opinions over appetizers to what they were ordering from this cook some of it yourself restaurant. Once decisions were made and their orders were placed for some difficult to pronounce meal, she excused herself to the ladies room. She was not sure of how the culture would dictate putting those high heeled boots back on to walk across the dining room. She put them on just to be sure.
