Birthday Dinner
A Promptoberfest story
© by Walter Reimer
Thumbnail art by  tegerio

Prompt: age


The sommelier opened the wine with practiced paws, the tastevin hanging from the silver chain around the otter’s neck flashing in the candlelight as he poured a measure of the wine into a glass and presented it to the elderly border collie. “Côte de Fissure de Fesses, vintage nineteen sixty-one, Sir,” the otter said.

“Thank you,” the canine said in a quiet, dry voice as he raised the glass. A slight flick of his wrist and the wine swirled as a critical eye judged its deep, clear red color. He brought the glass to his nose and inhaled, detecting the odors of red fruits, chocolate and oak.

He raised the glass again, this time to his lips and allowing a tiny amount to spill out over his tongue and smiling at the complex mixture of flavors. “Very good,” he said, placing the glass on the table so that the wine steward could fill it.

“Thank you, Sir,” and the otter moved off as the waiter approached.

The border collie selected roasted marrow bone and steak tartare as an appetizer, and sat back to regard the deep red wine. It was both their birthdays, after all; the wine was as old as he was.

He was really looking forward to the dram of Scotch whisky that he’d ordered to accompany his dessert. A meal such as this was quite worth living as long as he had.




end