The Nectar of Life

A café,
In Paris,
Near the Place de la Madeleine,
Darkness falling like a theatre curtain,
to close another bustling business day,
Waiters resplendent in white stain-free aprons,
Standing to attention,
Waiting for their evening trade in apéros to begin,
A man and a women sit, sipping their drinks,
Their arms flapping in accompaniment to their chatter.

A suitcase is squashed discreetly underneath their table,
They laugh and eat the snacks that came with their apéritifs,
Picking over the tasty morsels like epicurean birds.

This is no lover’s farewell.
It is a chance to savour sweet memories,
Before one of them flies away from their fast-paced lives,
To a new nesting ground, a warm place, full of colour and vibrance.

She stands,
They embrace.
A hug filled with affection from years of shared light-hearted banter.
Outside she takes out her phone and turns,
To take a photo of Le Colibri, the Hummingbird café and her friend,
Bright-eyed, smiling and raising his glass,
A salute to acknowledge life’s sweetest gift -
Friendship.