Europa Haus

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Laurie Didesch

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As she checks her order pad, he slides
a hand around her ass. I suspect what
goes on after hours. Public knowledge
warns against using the john; but the food
rates 5-stars. He makes his dishes authentic
with thick sauces and dark beers: wiener
schnitzel and sauerbraten. The place reeks

of smoke and wood; there is also German
kitsch—dolls in britches and cuckoo clocks.
I cannot take my eyes off him as he toasts
a group of friends in Harley vests. He rubs
out his cigarette in an ashtray on the bar.
Leaving, I barely mutter, “Auf Wiedersehn”.
He takes my arm and sounds out the syllables

of his native tongue, “Auf” “Wieder” “sehn”.
I repeat after him, copy his accent. He then
says farewell in perfect Russian. I again
meet his challenge. Our eyes lock, and he
caresses my hand. Weak in the knees, I
remember my high school French: “Au revoir”.
After which, I slip out the door, but I linger.

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The poetry of Laurie Didesch appears or is forthcoming in Ibbetson Street, The Comstock Review, The MacGuffin, California Quarterly, Rambunctious Review, Third Wednesday, Young Ravens Literary Review, The Ravens Perch, Stone Poetry Quarterly, Adanna Journal, The Rockford Review, Westward Quarterly, Bronze Bird Review, The Awakenings Review, and more. Her work also appears in anthologies on Memory and Writing, among others. Her awards include being chosen to attend a juried workshop given by Marge Piercy. Laurie lives with her husband Alan and their three cats in Illinois. She is currently working on her first book.

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