He walked into the long narrow restaurant with a green satchel strapped on his left shoulder, wearing round dark-rimmed glasses that certainly made him look intelligent with his suede sports coat on. He attracted the darting eyes of those around him when he pulled a small notebook out of the green satchel and began to write in slow spurts – looking up and around periodically as though drawing the scenery with a journalist’s eye. The waiter brought him a bottle of Côtes-du-Rhône and poured a bit into a small table glass. He smiled and thanked the waiter with a nod and took a drink of the wine before continuing writing. He felt that he was getting along well when the door opened and he saw a friend enter the café. He sighed to himself, then smiled and closed the book and stood to greet his friend.

12/16/03