Recounting and Interpreting Details

Whenever possible, use details from the text to support you point of view.

1. What was the narrator’s profession?

2. Why did he agree to have luncheon with the woman who wanted to have a talk with him? What was the only thing that might prevent him from doing this?

3. Comment on the narrator’s phrase “I was too young to say no to a woman”. Did the narrator change over the years, to your mind?

3. What did the narrator expect of this luncheon?

4. Describe the appearance of the woman at the time when the luncheon took place.

5. Why did the narrator worry during the luncheon?

6. How did the woman describe her eating habits? What were they in reality?

7. Name everything that the woman had for luncheon in the order that it came in the story. Enumerate the dishes that the narrator had.

8. Why were the peaches so expensive?

9. In what way did the narrator plan to solve his problem if the bill proved impossible for him to pay?

10. How did the woman’s appearance change over the years? Can you calculate her weight in kilograms?

11. What advice did the woman give to the narrator? Was she being sincere, to your mind?

12. Why did the woman call the narrator “a humorist” after the luncheon?

13. Can you explain what the narrator meant in the following lines: a) Did I remember? (after the first two paragraphs) b) But I have had my revenge at last (the last line)?

14. Can you explain the humour of the story? What are the most amusing points in the story? Can you find any instances of irony?

Creative Follow-up Work

I. Tell the story shortly from the waiter’s perspective.

II. Find as many words and expressions related to the topic “food” in the text as you can. Use them to make up a short story of about 150 words.