Réservé

We are sitting in, next to a table for two persons. On the other side of that table there is a sign saying ‘reserved’ and a spoon and a fork were set for one person.

For some reason it feels right to order soup and beer. A very polite waitress, an elderly woman, serves us. We eat and look around at this old-fashioned style cafe. There hang a lot of many kinds of paintings in the walls. A wall clock makes its time and it seems to be suitable thing to have at this café. Green, red and brown are the colours used here. In the corner, next the window, an old lady eats pasta and drinks rosé wine with a younger woman.

This is the café with dignity. At some point the waitress sits down in one of the table and eats a delicious looking ice cream portion. The older man who takes his turn to serve while the waitress is eating her ice cream comes to us and asks, how are we? He starts the discussion in German. I answer in German, but ask soon if he can speak English. He speaks, a bit, and we continue the conversation a little bit further.

Also we order ice cream as a dessert. The ladies finish their pasta and wine and leave the café. Every now and then few people drop in the café and buy their pastry. Later the waitress comes and clears the table next to us.

We never saw anybody sitting in the table which was reserved for one person.

Saturday 05/06/10
Café Royal, Luisenstrasse 14, Bern