Fanning the flames of love

Reading this post just now reminded me of the rather unusual thing that happened on Friday night while MY FIANCÉ (sorry to put that in all caps but I'm not bored with saying it yet) was presenting me with my lovely ENGAGEMENT RING (saying that hasn't gotten old yet, either).

Georges took me to a very good Vietnamese restaurant near Abbesses. We got there before the dinner rush and got a table in a corner with a little bit of privacy but still with a view of the street outside. About half way through our main course, the restaurant started to fill up, when suddenly a very unusual couple came in: two gay men, one of whom weighed at least 300 lbs and was completely done up in a rather flamboyant drag. (Sad to say, considering the amount of effort that had clearly gone into his choice of outfit and makeup, he didn't make a very attractive woman and I suspect that under the many layers of pancake makeup that did little to hide his 5 o'clock shadow, he probably wasn't a very attractive man, either. But I digress.) The other man was more androgynous-looking in a 1970s-era beige corduroy jacket, pants and matching cap, but a man nonetheless.

It took them a few moments to choose where they were going to sit, apparently requiring some debate between them, and they ultimately chose the table directly next to ours. Other than periodically sneaking a sideways glance at them (it was obvious they wanted to be noticed), I did as I normally do when surrounded by French-speaking people who aren't speaking to me: I tuned out their conversation and focused on being with the man I love. I found out later from Georges that the drag queen was saying to his friend that he didn't like going to restaurants in certain parts of Paris like the 6ème, because inevitably -- and here's where I thought he would say that people made fun of him for his appearance and lifestyle -- men were always hitting on him.

OK. Whatever you have to tell yourself to get through the day, I guess.

We ate such a good meal that I was rather full and could have easily skipped dessert, but Georges seemed to want to try something exotic, so we agreed to share a banana flambéed with rum. Georges, for some reason, got up to go talk to the owner about making it, even though it was on the menu, but I didn't think a whole lot about it at the time. I had never had a flambéed banana so I thought it would be an interesting choice.

When the dessert arrived, it was a very large banana that had been dipped in some batter and pre-fried so that it was kind of puffed up, which made it really, really huge-looking. Uh... quite impressive, actually. In fact, the couple next to us seemed VERY impressed by it, because they laughed and the dramatic one said to his less dramatic friend, "Ça te rappelle quelque chose?" (Does that remind you of something?)

After setting the banana on fire, the waiter brought out two glasses of champagne and I thought how sweet that was for Georges to order champagne to go with the flambée. He's very good at making normal, every day moments very special.

Except this turned out not to be a normal, everyday moment. Because after the flames went out (on the banana), he reached into his right coat pocket and pulled out a little box, all wrapped in shiny gold paper and gold ribbon. He placed the box in front of me, and smiled, the love and the fire in his eyes so evident as always. I started to cry a little but for once, was able to contain myself so the other customers wouldn't have to see me go into my "ugly cry". And I opened the box.

Later that night, as we were curled up in bed together rehashing our evening and I was doing what women usually do in these situations -- holding my hand up in the light to admire the ring, of course (what did you think I meant?) -- Georges told me that when he presented me with the ring and I put it on, the thinner of the two men at the other table said something else:

"Je rêve qu'il m'arrive la même chose." I dream the same thing will happen to me.

I truly hope he gets his wish someday, because everyone deserves such a magical moment, to have the person he/she loves plan such a special evening with a perfect finale. Even if it does come with an overweight transvestite à côté. Because you can't plan everything. And I wouldn't have had it any other way.

We are definitely going back to that restaurant again.