
Harry looked out of the window as another woosh of snow blew past outside as they sat in the warmth and glow of the initimate restaurant. His companion, Sally, sat opposite finishing off her desert of strawberries and cream in that deliberate and studious way that always made him smile. She was, as his mother used to say, a bit of a "fusspot".
"Ohhh, its snowing Harry, look !!" she smiled like a child,"I do so love winter."
"I know you do. Remember the time we went skating on the lake ? Or, hey, what about last Christmas when we built that snowman and you stuck the carrot in the wrong place. Naughty, naughty !!" he laughed.
Sally blushed. "I was wasn't I ?" she whispered bending forward over the table so no one else could hear her confession, her eyes glancing across to the other tables. Harry sat back and wiggled his brows before winking. He felt good, life was good, had been good and he had good friends like Sally with whom he could share his love of eating out.
He had known Sally for most of his adult life, they had met years ago in college studying English Lit. He had noticed her straight away, she stood out from the crowd like a beacon with her shoulder length crinkly strawberry blonde hair, shapely figure, though she usually hid it under volumnious sweaters and roomy skirts and baggy trousers, and slightly lost appearance. But the thing he liked most about her was her eyes. They were Disney like, big, round and deep blue. With her always slightly bemused expression they made her look so innocent as if she wanted to say "Nooooo really ??!!" all the time. Like now.
They were friends, good friends but just friends. He was 40, she was 38. They had both loved, lost and consoled each other many a time by ordering ice cream and sitting in front of tv watching "Its a Wonderful Life." Every evening they'd ring each other to tell of their day, work and all that. Discuss things, problems needing solving, intimate things...well, sort of. "No secrets." Sally had said one night last week suddenly as they sat on the sofa watching the game. Harry agreed after a seconds musing. Truth or dare.
Truth.
Sally had collapsed in a fit of the giggles. "You're into what ?!!"
