I gave myself as much work in the kitchen as I could find, thougheventually even that was over and I had no excuse not to rejoin thetable. Handing up ...y apron by the doorway, I walked back to the tablejust as Sarah was getting up."Bathroom," she replied to my questioning glance.I waited until I could hear the bathroom door close, then leaned closerto my mother."Could you please not push this any further than it needs to go?" I saidin a hushed, urging voice."Whatever do you mean?" my mother. Anyway you will see that I am the best host, serve the bestfood and am the best looking tavern owner." He smiled and added, "Wehave some music and you should stay and dance if you are not too tired.There are many local men who will dance with you and you are safe here,they will not take too many liberties."As he walked away a local man approached the table and asked me in brokenEnglish to dance with me. He was so polite that I accepted. He held mebut not too close and he knew how to dance. . As we returned to the booth, our hands full of brimming glasses we saw a middle-aged man in a lounge suit leaning over and talking to Julie. Seeing us returning, he stood up quickly and guiltily before slipping rapidly away into the crowds. As Gary and I placed the drinks on the table, it was clear from the girls’ fits of giggling that something hilarious had just happened. I slipped back alongside Julie who was covering her face with her hands. “What’s going on?” I asked my wife who was trying. For a moment they couldn't focus. When they did his mind couldn't grasp what he was looking at. Light, twinkling lights of different colors. They flashed on and off, dancing against a field of green. One bright light shone at the top of that green.It was a TREE! A CHRISTMAS tree. With that realization came full awareness, awareness that included the soft body pressed against his side.He looked at that body. His wife Lisa's face smiled up at him. His arm around her shoulders tightened.