To understand what I am about to describe, you need to understand one thing: women have a much greater capacity for non-verbal communication than men. Subtle gestures, glances, and gentle changes in voice intonation are means of expression that are just as useful to us as speech. In addition, we communicate through our clothes, shoes, accessories, makeup, and perfumes - or the absence of one or more of these items. Each color, texture, shine or smell triggers a different message.
Men are only capable of speaking rudiments of this language. They understand that a low-cut dress does not convey the same message as a tailored suit; that a silk corset says something different from a comfortable beige panty; that a low-cut shoe implies a different composition than a high heel. But their understanding seems to stop there.
This is why we so often get frustrated flirting with men by these signs, because they don't even notice the flirting. They are not able to understand something that is not as direct as a road sign. If there is not a huge, flashing green light, it is not enough for them to take the next step; if there is not a bright red light they do not realize that they should leave us alone, that we are not interested.
I speak of this in the certain that it is not only me who has been frustrated by this male slowness to more sophisticated forms of communication. Several of us have sent signals that we thought were clear as daylight and, with no response, we felt deliberately ignored. Only to find out later that the guy didn't even understand that we were in the mood. It's like flirting with the wall.
Fortunately, however, that night, for the first time in my life, I would flirt with someone who really understood my signals.
The preparation for the evening began with the proper choice of dinner. I could not serve something heavy, that would make all of us stuffed. This would prevent or jeopardize the "after". Furthermore, the dishes could not suggest that this was a time for gluttony. The meal needed to leave room for me to fit in my favorite capital sin, which is not gluttony, but lust.
To this purpose, I opted for a light meal. A fresh pasta with a salad.
The obvious frugality of the meal indicated that the main event of the evening might not be exactly on the table, but somewhere else (well, maybe also on the table... Who knows?)
On the other hand, the wines seemed important to me.
So I suggested to Arthur that we serve some of the great wines we had brought from Europe. It would show care for the guest, indicate a dose of sophistication and, above all, make the atmosphere lighter. As the glasses of pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, and nero d'Γ‘vola went dry, Cassy would loosen up, I was sure. My husband probably only figureds out why I wanted to serve the best wines at an "ordinary" dinner after the evening was over.
Having decided on the menu, all that remained was to get ready for work, where I would only have to do the afternoon part of the day.