Cheese and Wine

How life changes“.

” When wine and cheese are served together, the taste of both is enhanced.’ Taught her dad, when she was six.

The grief of his death made them forget the existence of those green bottled wines. So, when everyone was sound asleep, she tiptoed into his room with a perfect cube of cheese and a crystal glass held tightly in her sweaty palm. She took the dust-laden bottle out of the closet, and poured the liquid diamonds into her glass. She bit an edge from the cheese cube, and sipped the wine.

It tasted terrible. The wine was awful agreed. But the cheese had lost its flavor too. She spitted it out and kept the bottle back, as if it had never been touched.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

“ I love you” he said.

“ me too” she said.

Soft music was playing in the background. White-laced linen armored the wooden table. A candle on silver and a few wild orchids donned the table. They were engrossed in those eyes. A bottle of wine with two crystal glasses waited patiently. He bought the cheese to her mouth and she bit an edge. He poured Vin Ballet into the crystal glass and gave it to her. She sipped it.

It tasted beautiful. She could feel the warmth of the wine in her soul. The cheese added to the magic.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

A party was going on. Everyone looked merry. Wines connote a class in these social gatherings.

It was her twenty seventh college reunion. She stood gracefully with dull pearls cast on her delicate wrinkled neck. Riveria, Chantilli, Figueria, Merlot” were all being served with a piece of cheese wrapped in a foil. She unwrapped the cheese and sipped the wine.

She couldn’t feel anything. The taste was there, but the feeling wasn’t.

* * * *