Veronica Tries to be Good, Again. Michael K Freundt

All the more reason to stop now. Nothing! We will do nothing because there is nothing we can do. Nothing more that we can do. I tried to do something and I just made it worse. Point taken and proof given that doing something is foolish. So. Let’s talk about something else.”

      “I’d love a door I could walk through and slam.”

      And they stare at the waves, the sailboats, and the gulls and try to keep their hair out of their eyes.

      “What’s that word again? Hori-boric?”, says Max.

      “Ouroboros. But I don’t think there’s really an adjective.”

      “Well there is now. I like it. Ouroboric. I’ll find a use for it.”

      And that conversation topic goes nowhere.

      Eventually Veronica said, “The Earl of Sandwich.”

      “Who’s he?”

      “John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich was Captain Cook’s patron, the head of the Royal Navy and a habitual gambler who refused to leave the gambling table to eat so had bits of meat put between two pieces of bread so he could eat and gamble at the same time.”

      “The birth of the humble sandwich.”

      “Exactly. Which was why Cook gave the name of Sandwich Islands to what we now know as Hawaii. And the current Earl of Sandwich, the 11th, has a chain of sandwich restaurants across the States and recently at Disney-world in Paris.”

      “You want to buy a sandwich franchise?”

      “No no. He’s watered it down with salads, soups and dinners. My idea is not just a sandwich shop but THE sandwich shop; nothing but sandwiches, the best sandwiches. There are over 250 recipes to choose from. Not only can you get your own spreads or combination of spreads, anything you want, but you can try the universally famous ones, the Dagwood, the Reuben and Lox ‘a’ Bagel; Croque Monsieur, Croque Madam, the Aussie Toastie; even the Chip Butty, Welsh Rarebit, Fairy Bread, and the ice-cream sandwich.”

      “You’ve been doing some homework.”

      “I can see it.”

      “And some dreaming.”

      “What’s wrong with that?”

      “Nothing. And why no dinners?”

      “Sandwiches for dinner?”

      “Why not?”

      “I want a good work-life balance.”

      “Is Susan not doing so well?”

      “Susan is doing just fine. I want Jack back. I’m losing him. I want him back, back under my care.”

      ”What does he think?”

      “He disapproves of Susan.”

      “Oh, I see.”

      “I haven’t … He’ll be eighteen in three years and can do what he likes. I want to be automatically on his visiting list, not automatically off his visiting list, which is where I’m dangerously close to being.”

      “Does he have plans?”

      “His father has talked him into university and business administration.”

      “And you’d like to have a business that needs a business administrator.”

      “Something like that. Well, he’s only 15; he wouldn’t graduate from such a degree for years yet, and I’m itching to get…” She laughs; more at her immediate enthusiasm, than at the supposed absurdity of the idea. Her face takes on a dreamy look as she gazes into the middle distance.

      “You’re serious.”

      She laughs again and then adds, “I’d like to have the opportunity to be serious.”

      He looks at her in the way he always does that makes her realise that she’s stayed too long in his company; he is smiling and thinking. He’ll want to touch her soon. She stands up.

      “And here we are,” she says, “back where we started. Bye!” The ferry is pulling into the Quay and Veronica joins the disembarking passengers leaving Max to find his own way. When she is sure she is out of sight she turns and watches him sitting alone on the ferry, waiting for the crowd to disperse. He really is a very nice man and the warm attraction she feels worries her so she turns and walks away.