On a quiet overcast evening, Dave sat inside La Beer Point. Therein, apart from Carolina, were two stocky, coat-clad old men and a shy-looking lady, seated by the door. He surfed through the internet-thanks to the free Wi-Fi, hunting for knowledge. An enlightened man is a rich man, isn’t it?
“I am almost through…” A voice said forcing Dave to look up.
From his position, Dave saw what the trio was up to.
“Do you think your style is working?” Man-2 asked.
“I have got it already!” His friend declared.
Dave stole a glance at Carolina, but she was paying no attention-busy with her cash register machine. He went back to watching the three strangers, burning with an overwhelming urge to interrupt them. An embarrassing encounter, a few weeks back, when he poked his nose into someone’s argument, was still fresh in his mind.
One of the men was bent over a wine bottle. He was engrossed in a battle he was not willing to lose-removing the cork so as to access its content. As a repeat victim, Dave was aware of the difficulty of uncorking a wine bottle the way the old man was going. Wishing he could intervene, he bid his time, peeking every few seconds. Five minutes later, there was applause. Man-1 had triumphed!
***
Once half the wine was gone, Dave summoned Carolina and sent her over to request for some audience with the group. They had no objection.
“A close friend of mine showed me a trick to open a wine bottle.” Dave said and picked the remaining piece of the cork from the table. Although it was badly mutilated, it could still serve him. He pushed the cork down the bottle’s neck. None of the three spoke. Next he picked the Corkscrew opener.
Carolina watched from the counter. Dave stuck the tip of the worm into the top of the cork and rotated it clockwise, slowly at first.
“This is just one of the ways. The easiest of all…” Dave went on. Once half of the screw was buried in the bottle, he stopped. He propped the hooked boot-lever against the lip of the bottle and gently pulled up the handle. The cork eased its way upwards, and…
POP!
“OH MY GOD!” The woman gasped. Her male companions exchanged glances, sheepish smiles crawling over their faces.
“For very many years, I struggled with opening wine bottles until my friend came to my rescue a couple of days ago.” Dave concluded and placed the opener down on a serviette.
“Wow, that is amazing!”
“Thanks for the audience. Enjoy your night!” Dave walked back to his place feeling so good that he’d just shared some knowledge…
“I am almost through…” A voice said forcing Dave to look up.
From his position, Dave saw what the trio was up to.
“Do you think your style is working?” Man-2 asked.
“I have got it already!” His friend declared.
Dave stole a glance at Carolina, but she was paying no attention-busy with her cash register machine. He went back to watching the three strangers, burning with an overwhelming urge to interrupt them. An embarrassing encounter, a few weeks back, when he poked his nose into someone’s argument, was still fresh in his mind.
One of the men was bent over a wine bottle. He was engrossed in a battle he was not willing to lose-removing the cork so as to access its content. As a repeat victim, Dave was aware of the difficulty of uncorking a wine bottle the way the old man was going. Wishing he could intervene, he bid his time, peeking every few seconds. Five minutes later, there was applause. Man-1 had triumphed!
***
Once half the wine was gone, Dave summoned Carolina and sent her over to request for some audience with the group. They had no objection.
“A close friend of mine showed me a trick to open a wine bottle.” Dave said and picked the remaining piece of the cork from the table. Although it was badly mutilated, it could still serve him. He pushed the cork down the bottle’s neck. None of the three spoke. Next he picked the Corkscrew opener.
Carolina watched from the counter. Dave stuck the tip of the worm into the top of the cork and rotated it clockwise, slowly at first.
“This is just one of the ways. The easiest of all…” Dave went on. Once half of the screw was buried in the bottle, he stopped. He propped the hooked boot-lever against the lip of the bottle and gently pulled up the handle. The cork eased its way upwards, and…
POP!
“OH MY GOD!” The woman gasped. Her male companions exchanged glances, sheepish smiles crawling over their faces.
“For very many years, I struggled with opening wine bottles until my friend came to my rescue a couple of days ago.” Dave concluded and placed the opener down on a serviette.
“Wow, that is amazing!”
“Thanks for the audience. Enjoy your night!” Dave walked back to his place feeling so good that he’d just shared some knowledge…
