When you go to the Black Cat you would better check what prejudices
you have as to what is formal and fitting, and leave them with your
coat at the entrance. Not that it is disreputable--Luigi would pale
with the shock of such a thought! It is just--Bohemian! Everyone does
exactly what he wishes to do. Sometimes, one person's wishes conflict
with someone else's, and then there is a fight, and the police are
called, and the rest of the patrons have a beautiful time watching a
perfectly good and unexpected free show! As a rule, however, this
determination on the part of each one to do what he wants to has no
violent results. An incident will show something of the entire liberty
allowed in the Black Cat. A man came in with two girls, and, seeing a
jolly stag party at another table, decided to join them. He promptly
did so, with, as far as could be seen, no word of excuse to his
feminine companions. In a moment two young men strolled up to their
table and sat down.
"Your friend asked us to come over here and take his place,"
explained one nonchalantly. "You don't object, ladies?"
The girls received them amiably. Apparently no one thought of such a
formality as names or introductions. The original host stayed away for
the rest of the evening, but the four new acquaintances seemed to get
along quite satisfactorily without him.
A young married woman from uptown came in with her husband and two
other men. A good-looking lad, much flushed and a little unsteady,
stopped by her chair.
"Say, k-kid," he exclaimed, with a disarming chuckle, "you're the
prettiest girl here--and you come here with three p-protectors! Say,
it's a shame!"
He lurched cheerfully upon his way and even the slightly conservative
husband found a grudging smile wrung out of him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account