In the light of a candle - The Dinner

Part of the "In the light of a candle series"

Hello. The night is amazing, isn’t it ? Spring is coming and the night air is warm and sweet. Lovely. You wonder why I called you here instead of a dark room ? Because of the weather. Tonight we will walk around the town center. Why ? Oh, I will tell you a story. It happened in a warm spring night just like tonight…

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  They are late. Two girls are standing in front of a hotel, waiting. It’s been more than fifteen minutes and the others still haven’t come. The reservation may expire and then what they are going to do ? All restaurants are booked, that’s why they had to reserve a table here. But at least it’s not cold �" it’s the first warm night this March, even this year. It’s a celebration. People are everywhere �" the center is full of women , carrying flowers and presents, formally dressed and laughing. It is a beautiful night. The girls are dressed formally, too. With dresses and make up, they are lovely. And annoyed. They are supposed to be twelve, not only two. So, they are standing in the perfumed night, waiting. At last another girl comes. Now at least they will go and take their places in the restaurant. The stairway is narrow and dark. Marble. There is a mirror . And nothing else.
  They reach the hall. It is big and well-lit . The tables are covered in white tablecloths, there are glasses and silverware, the napkins are beautifully folded. But something is in the air…

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  They are the youngest there. Every single person in the hall is over forty, even fifty years old.  This is a nightmare ! But, as they sit, they realize something �" there are more men in there than women. And today is the celebration of the woman. Who brings their husband to her night with the girls…women…girls…whatever ? They should be alone, drinking and talking about the male strippers they are going to see, not sit and talk with their men. Weird.
 But the real horror begins with the music. Really, who likes that ? Except, obviously, everyone here. But of course, since they are all over forty, they would know these songs.

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  Three hours later the girls are bored. They’ve already eaten their food, the singer is singing old rock-and-roll. Or maybe disco. They don’t know anymore.
- God, I can’t wait for midnight to come. �" One of the girls says. They all agree. In the well-lit room the time seems motionless. They are waiting for midnight, because then they will leave for the club. But midnight isn’t coming.

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 The music doesn’t stop, the dancers don’t tire. Food and drinks keep coming, but nobody’s leaving.
- It’s like we’re in another dimension. Like in one of those films where we will dance here forever.
- Let’s go out for another smoke. I need it.
- Is it midnight ?
- No…

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    The little town is an interesting place. Even it the mall there are closed shops, which makes the third floor a rather creepy place . There are flourishing shops in the small neighbourhoods and in the center there are abandoned buildings. Weird, really. So, do you see this tall structure ? Once, this was the best hotel in town. Weddings, celebrities, everything happened there. And what do you see now ? Exactly. Broken windows, shutters and graffiti. It’s been this way for years. But sometimes there are lights. There aren’t shutters, there are lacy curtains. Music can be heard. In a night like that you can enter the lobby �" it won’t be locked. On the reception there will be a pleasant woman who will greet you. She will invite you to stay. You might even go to the second floor and see the celebration hall and the piano bar. There will be music and dancing people. But , if this ever happens to you, do me favour, would you ? Do not enter . Just turn around and leave the hotel. Or , better, run. Do not turn back.
  Because the hotel was shut down years ago because of some unhappy clients. They couldn’t stand the rooms, the hall, the restaurant . Couldn’t explain why, though. There isn’t a single person there now. Homeless people avoid the place. Because there have been seen people entering the hotel since it shut. Formally dressed, carrying flowers and presents. Laughing and talking. But none of them have been seen leaving.
 I will share a secret with you. There are still some empty tables in the restaurant. There a still vacancies in the hotel. And there a still nights when it looks like the hotel is remembering rather vividly the old days.
 If you enter, the staff will be polite, the food �" great, the wine �" fine, the rooms �" clean. Do something for me �" do not enter.