Remember Venice?

“What’s all this?” Oab looked at the letter Nubnueng had given him, along with some other papers.

“Well, that’s an invitation to give a talk at the Third International Gastronomic Conference, which will be held in two months in Venice. And this is a letter from our gastronomic society appointing you as a representative of the gastronomic society to go to Venice, registration fee paid. Oh, and this is the conference program, and, look, your name appears here, in big letters, on the list of confirmed speakers.”

“I’ll ask again, what’s all this?”

“How would I know! Ask your friend Bruno. He’s one of the organizers and obviously the one who might have come up with the idea of you giving a talk.”

Oab was about to answer when his phone rang. Nueng walked over and saw who was calling.

“Speaking of the devil!”

Oab answered the call.

“Bruno. What have you done?”

’Hi Bruno, how nice to hear from you! You could try saying things like this once in a while, Oab, it’s okay to be nice.’

“I’m nice to people who aren’t trying to set me up.”

‘A trap? What trap have I set for you?’ Bruno burst out laughing. ‘I take it you’ve already received the invitation. And that you are really excited about my invitation.’

“You’re an asshole. You know I don’t like this kind of things at all. I’m really uncomfortable when speaking in public.”

‘That’s why I didn’t ask you. Because I knew you’d say no. But you’re the best at giving this kind of talk, and you know it. Still, if you don’t want to, you can refuse to come.’

“Oh really? I’m on the speaker list and the Thai Gastronomic Society has appointed me as an ambassador. Can I refuse? Really?”

Bruno burst out laughing again.

‘Oh, come on! It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other, and you always refuse to go to these events. I had to do something to make you come. And Nubnueng has been a great help!’

“Don’t drag me into this mess! Oab, I didn’t do anything. This is your Italian friend’s doing.”

‘Hahaha! Now I’m just Oab’s friend?’ Bruno used a honeyed tone to answer Nueng. ‘That’s not what you were telling me last night on the phone, Nueng, when you kept insisting on how much you wanted to come to Venice to see me. hahaha.’

“Okay, enough with the nonsense. When is this?” Oab interrupted.

‘In two months. You have enough time to prepare the paper. I’ll take care of the accommodations for you and Nueng. And I believe that, as ambassadors, the society pays for your registration fee for the conferences. So you only have to pay for your plane tickets.’

Oab snorted.

“Sometimes I don’t know why I’m still your friend.”

‘Because I’m charming and you can’t resist me.’

“Yeah, that’s probably it. I’m hanging, it’s time to open the restaurant.”

‘You’ll see. We’ll have a great time, the three of us together.’

“Sure we will,” Oab grunted.

Nueng and Bruno said goodbye, and Oab hung up the phone, his eyes lowered in silence

“And since we said our goodbyes, I’m leaving too. I’m going to see how Punsib is doing with the cake baking. That way, you’ll be on your own for a while to digest the news. Someone will bring you the desserts for today, and tonight I’ll start looking for flights. Doesn’t the idea excite you? Venice, in February, in the middle of Carnival season!! With those lavish costumes and masks!”

Oab looked at him with a sour face.

“I’ll shut up but think about it. See you later!!”

Oab stared at the door where Nueng had run out and then looked back at the papers. Well, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to attend these conferences. They wanted him to give a talk on the use of aromatic herbs in haute cuisine, something he was an expert on, since in his kitchen he always used basil, whatever the dish; it was always perfectly integrated with the rest of the ingredients.

The truth was, Oab had never been to Venice, and it was also true that he owed Bruno a visit, and maybe he could get away from the restaurant for a few days, and the idea of the carnivals… Before he knew it, he’d opened a website and typed “Venice Carnivals” into the search engine. If he was going to go, he’d have to do some research, wouldn’t he?

“Good morning, boss! I got your mail.”

“Thanks, Auto.”

“Looks like there’s a rather special letter,” Auto said, looking over Plawan’s shoulder.

“And what does it say?”

“How would I know?” Auto held up his hands in mock innocence.

Plawan looked at him accusingly.

“It was only once, and it was related to me. But that’s not important. What does the letter say? It’s from the Thai Gastronomic Society.

“It says there’s an international conference in Venice on haute cuisine, and I am invited to take part in a panel discussion... It also says that they are subsidising my registration for the conference.”

Auto picked up the sheet with the conference programme and glanced at it.

“Are you invited? It says here that you’re already part of the panel discussion; you’re listed as a confirmed guest.”

Plawan snatched the sheet from his hands.

“This can’t be... I haven’t...” Plawan fell silent suddenly.

“Haven’t what? No way you’ve agreed to participate in something again without bothering to find out what that something was...”

Plawan stared at him trying to remember, then picked up his phone to call the only person who could help him.

“Belle! What’s this about me being at a panel discussion at the Venice Conference?”

“Hello Belle!” Auto said.

‘Plawan! Hello, Auto! I knew it. I knew you weren’t paying attention when I explained about the conference to you and asked you to present a paper, and you said yes.’

“I said what?”

‘Yes, Plawan, you said yes.’

“I don’t believe you.”

At that moment, his phone rang. He had received a message. It was a recording of Plawan agreeing to give the presentation on the role of the maître d’ in haute cuisine restaurants.

‘Did you hear it? You said yes twice, you even called me annoying because I insisted!’

“You called her annoying?” Auto was thoroughly enjoying himself. “Plawan, you’re so impol...”

“You shut up. Be careful or I’m sending you to Venice instead of me.

“Great, I’m going to Venice. Belle, are you going too?”

’Yes, me too. I have to take care of all the ‘ambassadors’ of our Society.’

“Good, we’re going to have a great time. Italy, Venice, carnivals!”

“What?” Plawan asked, intrigued.

‘Don’t you know? The dates of the events coincide with carnival season.’

Belle emphasised the lasts words. She knew how much Plawan loved costumes.

“I’ve always wanted to go to the carnivals in Venice...” Plawan said thoughtfully.

“Well, that’s it! Belle, Plawan confirms that he’s going, and register me too, I’m not missing this. I get a discount, don’t I? And accommodation, are you looking for it? I’m sure you’ll get a good price.

‘Sure! I’ll take care of it. Plawan, you have two months to prepare the paper. Oh, I have to leave you, I have a meeting now. Call you later!’

Belle hung up, and Plawan remained silent, staring at his phone.

“You know it. You know we’re going to have an amazing time. It’s going to be unforgettable!” Auto said excitedly.

Finally, Plawan looked up from his papers with a mischievous smile.

“Venice, here we come!”