Elmer’s Bar
By: Dee-Dee Diamond
Tags: Travel Writing, Chance Encounters, Lovestory, Humor, Nostalgia

By Dee-Dee Diamond

My sharp hearing is at times a plus…or a curse.

It depends on who it helps and who it may hurt.

I’ll leave the conclusion to you, the reader, in this situation.

I was meeting with my travel girlfriends, for the first time, since we had returned from Europe a week earlier.

We were in a great state of mind on this beautiful summer evening, in Manhattan.

Elmer’s Restaurant/Bar was crowded with its upscale clientele but being known to the host, got us in and seated at a prized table.

After we greeted one other jubilantly and got our order taken, I spotted the bartender as one who had been employed by my ex-husband, years before. I remembered him as a sweetheart gay friend, who I had lost touch with.

I excused myself, (for a few minutes) leaving the girls to continue recollections of the hilarious adventure we had in Capri.

Since the bar was busy, I stood next to 2 men in conversation, with each other.

My ears didn’t even need to perk up (as they operate in stereo anyway), as I overheard” Capri”.

It seemed the tall young man me, nearest to me, was off to Capri for the first time, with his wife. They would leave the following morning.

Serendipity …this was my chance to get what I should have gotten. Chutzpah overtook me!

“Excuse me, please but I heard you say you were leaving for Capri, tomorrow.” They looked at me with their mouths still open but speechless.

Hurriedly I introduced myself as I extended my hand.

“I and friends over there, pointing at our table, just returned from Capri. We stayed at The Quessiana Hotel.”

“That’s where my wife and I will be staying.” It slipped out of his mouth almost involuntarily.

“Oh, I can’t believe how lucky this is! I have a favor to ask of you…but I have one to give you…in return. At the Quessiana there is a small boutique in the back of the lobby. You see this white top I’m wearing?

Well they also have it in red. I love this top sooo much”, I explained that I must have the red one as well.

Evidently my request was so out of left base that he laughed with me.

“I’ll pay you for it right now” I quickly went to my bag, but he stopped me.

“I can wait until I return with the shirt”, he graciously dismissed me.

“Now I’ll do you a return favor”!

I leave them and return with my gorgeous girlfriend, Joanna, in tow.

“This is Joanna. She was raised in Rome and Capri. She knows the Isle like no one else. She’ll write down the best restaurants and spots in Capri. Not only that, she’ll let you use her name to get into them, as we did”. (I pointed to my table of friends).”

“Now after this strange encounter ended with Arrivah derci and a promise to phone me, when he and his bride returned from their trip.

Now comes the kicker to the story that starter with me at Elmer’s Bar.

Mr. Capri Visitor, Robert, comes back to Manhattan and phones me, “I got your red blouse. My wife and I had the best time because of Joanna’s recommendations. The use of her name granted us special status, thank you so much”. (Joanna had been a Valentino model and a favored patron).

“Let me take you and Joanna to dinner, as my guests, of course…I’ll bring your red shirt”.

Robert Lewis, who we discovered was a prominent lawyer, took us to Le Grenadier for dinner, with bottles of Christal Champagne. The shirt was a present, he insisted.

We had a great time the three of us…we closed the restaurant.

In the same taxi afterwards, I was dropped off first, with my package.

Joanna and Robert never went home that night. They went straight to The Plaza Hotel, and checked in. Robert left his wife, shortly then moved into his company’s apartment… in The Olympic Towers…with Joanna.

How could I have foreseen this turn of events? Would you look at what these ears of mine started:

1- A married couple had a great trip to Capri

2- A boutique got a blouse sold

3- A woman got a red shirt

4- A married man got smitten

5- A single girl got blown-away

6- A couple got divorced

8- A formerly empty apartment got occupied

9- A poor girl got instantly richer

10- A rich man got somewhat poorer, (after his settlement)

… And a baby girl named Rose Capri Lewis was born… nine months later.