Marielle: To finish answering your question, I was saying that I love my sister's books. But it's not just because she's my sister, you know--she's really an excellent author. She has the soul of a poet.
Leopold: Ah, your family must be fairly overflowing with talent!
Marielle: Well, thank you.
Leopold: I generally read authors or themes. I have to admit to developing a secret lust for techno-thrillers although I avidly read the whodunits and I’m working my way through the "100 Books to Read before you Die” list. Have you read
Gone with the Wind?Marielle: Well yes, I have. I was rather young at the time. Perhaps too young to really grasp some of the themes. I recall being swept away by the romance of it all. Not romance in the modern sense, you understand, but in the old one--something fascinating, mysterious, strangely beautiful. I tend to shy away from graphic descriptions of gore on the battlefield.
Gone With the Wind provided a look at the war with what I considered more of a relatable approach.
Leopold: Gore doesn’t appeal to me either, so I was happy with that aspect of the book. I’m curious though, which heroine did you feel you could relate mostly with?
Marielle: It's somewhat difficult to say. In a way, I want to identify with Melanie for her innate goodness and gentle nature but I have to admit that I relate more to Scarlett for her passion, her determination and her love for her family.
Leopold: Fascinating. Most people forget that Scarlett did almost everything she did, not out of greed or spite, but out of love. She was capricious in the beginning, certainly, but when the going got tough, she did everything she could to take care of the one person whose good opinion she craved most--Melanie.
Nina: Would you folks care for any dessert? I can bring the dessert cart, if you like?
Leopold: Marielle? Would you care for dessert?
Marielle: Oh yes, please!
[
Leopold: Yes, please do.
Nina: Just let me take your dishes and I'll be right back with that then.
Marielle: So, how have you done catching up on the news of the past one hundred forty years?
Leopold: Oh, it has been so much to take in, but so fascinating! The fact that there are, at this point in time, Sims in space! In my day, I could never have imagined--well, perhaps I could have imagined it, but I certainly didn't think I would live to
see it!
Nina: Here are the desserts on offer for tonight:
Nina: We have Key lime pie, summer dessert pizza, cheese danish, cobbler in a variety of fruit flavours, pumpkin pie, yoghurt parfait, and a delightful triple chocolate brownie.
Marielle: Does the cobbler come in Plasma fruit?
Nina: Yes, it does.
Marielle: Then I'll have that.
Leopold: And I'll have the Key lime pie, it looks delightfully refreshing!
Nina: Thank you. I'll be right back.
Marielle and Leopold continue to discuss current events, as well as art.
Nina: Here you are, please enjoy your dessert!
Marielle: We will, thank you!
Marielle: My, this just looks delicious.
Leopold: As does mine. You know what they say, a light dessert to compliment a rich or heavy dinner. As such, the light, fresh citrus is perfect to follow the rich tomato sauce.
Marielle: I’m sure you didn’t expect the world to go nuclear in such a short time.
Leopold: I’m interested in all advances in science. Nuclear medicine is helping in the fight against cancers and that’s a good thing but, in my opinion, nations arming themselves to the point of Mutually Assured Destruction, is aptly named MAD because it seems, well . . . madness.
Marielle: I agree! Nuclear medicine is a wonderful medical breakthrough that came out of such awful weapons of mass destruction.
Leopold: I much prefer the advances in theatre. While I did enjoy the opera’s and Shakespeare’s plays of my time, the advent of light opera and musicals is more my type of entertainment. For every car chase and shoot-out movie my friend Chris drags me to, I make him watch a musical.
Marielle: That seems fair. Chris sounds like a lot of guys I know. Which musicals did you like best?
Leopold: Actually, all of them. My favourite so far is
My Fair Lady. While Rex Harrison wasn’t much of a singer, I don’t think his performance detracted from the show.
Marielle: Oh,
My Fair Lady! Oh, it's delightful. The music is beautiful and I love the story. Are you familiar with anything else by Lerner and Loewe?
Leopold: I saw their
Brigadoon. I enjoyed that one.
Marielle: Oh, I loved
Brigadoon! What’s your favourite song from
Brigadoon?
Leopold: That's a tough question but I think I liked “Almost Like Being in Love” the most.
Marielle: I like that one too, but I prefer Nat King Cole’s version over Gene Kelly’s.
Leopold: I agree. Any song by Nat King Cole is first class.
Leopold: Speaking of music, this music in here really adds to the atmosphere!
Marielle: It
is really lovely!
Nina: I'll just take these plates for you.
Leopold: Thank you.
Marielle: Thank you, Nina.
Leopold: Well, that was a delightful meal.
Marielle: I quite agree.
And whatever shall they do now that dinner is done? Click here to find out!
