CHAPTER 3 : AN EVENING AT JACK'S

Merlin had walked home. For once, the rain had held off for the whole day and he felt that he needed to unwind. He'd had, unusual for him, a run in at work. Some chap in accounting had taken offence at his accent and said some less than complimentary things about his mother. Stupid shit! It wasn't often that he came up against animosity but it made him feel uncomfortable and he wondered if that was the way he treated him, how he might react with visible minorities.

He mentioned it to his friend Tom whom he met for lunch. "Don't worry, they've got their eyes on him…doubt that he will be around long. Think he has a chip on his shoulder but that doesn't work in an international company. Some days, he hates everyone even his own country men. He's one of the few people to whom I would quite happily say, 'Why don't you go back to where you came from?' Hilarious really as he's closer to home than any of us, maybe he sees us as taking jobs from his compatriots!"

Merlin walked past a flower seller and took a deep breath. He was oblivious to where he was and could only see green hills and country trails, he knew he wasn't walking but…he shook his head coming back to reality with a start as he had misjudged the distance between a lamp post and the wall around the Metro stairs. He winced. One of the bad things about being thin was that there was little padding against unfortunate bumps. He made a decision to walk with his eyes on his surroundings.

He'd promised Lance that he'd join him for a drink later at the English pub as he had any easy day tomorrow and decided that after the day he'd had, a drink might go down well. He stopped at a mini-mart and got some cheese, chicken and bread. He usually ate his main meal at lunch in the cafeteria as the prices were good and the menu choice excellent. During the winter, it was nice not having to fight the cold or the crowds to get to the local eateries. He opened the door and slipped into his apartment courtyard, stopping to chat with the concierge's cat which insisted on making figure eights through his legs. He laughed at it; he liked animals and missed the family cat from home.

He just missed the lift and as he waited, he counted the seconds and decided that it had gone to the third floor. He leant against the stair banister and considered running up the stairs but he really liked the open caged lift. You could watch through the metal grill as it climbed. Sometimes you could even catch partial conversations, 'As tu bien fermè la porte, Laurent?' or 'Bonsoir, Madame De Sedouy!' One day, he'd been caught in the lift as he couldn't open the outer door latch on his floor. He'd pushed the rez-de-chaussée button to descend and checked with M. Jean-Paul who went back up with him with an oilcan and hammer to take care of the problem. For his troubles, his wife Jeanne had insisted that Merlin took a bowl of stew that they were having for dinner. He laughed to himself he'd learnt a few choice French words that day 'Maudit loquet'.

The lift clanged to a stop waking him out of his reverie. He let himself into his flat and sighed contentedly, the light was just right so he got his camera and took more pictures of the Basilica du Sacrè-Coeur. Merlin had taken enough photos in his first six months to publish a book but he couldn't resist taking one more each time the light was right. He was a confirmed shutterbug, having been swayed by his friend's father's interest in photography. He was popular at his friends' weddings and baptisms as he always managed to get just the right shot to celebrate the occasion. He preferred to take non-people shots and had a wonderful collection of architecture and mundane objects which when separated from their surroundings became interesting. In a way, he was looking forward to his stay in Geneva as mountains were his passion.

He made a sandwich and drank a cup of tea, still his preferred beverage, his mother sending care packets of Barry's Tea. After the news on TV, he left with his camera around his neck to meet Lance at Jack's. He had no friends in Paris more an assorted group of acquaintances. He wasn't lonely as he was quite happy with his own company. He realised that one day he might feel differently but with his nomadic life he knew better than to get too involved.

As he got to Jack's, a group was leaving and someone held the day open for him. He went in and waited a moment to get his bearings, he saw Lance and the back of another man at a table near the fire and went to the bar to get a drink and crisps. Nursing them carefully, he weaved his way through a group of noisy students and reached the table. Lance looked up and motioned for him to join them. He chose the banquette.

"There'll be a group of us as Gawaine, here, has been rounding up people to meet his Liverpool Birds as he calls them."

Merlin nodded at Gawaine, he's seen him around work but had never spoken to him, "I'm Merlin, nice to meet you."

"Gawaine smiled saying, "Ah, Merlin from Belfast, I can see why someone thought that you were Irish."

"Well, technically I am but Northern, living in Wales at the moment." He paused flustered, he had just seen someone across the room, "I mean…not at this very moment because I'm living here but you know what I mean."

Gawaine put his arm around his shoulder and laughingly said, "Merlin, no need to apologise for inadequacies! But you are originally from the Belfast area, right?"

Merlin took a sip of his drink and nodded. He liked this Irish chap.

In the end, they took three tables, Merlin sitting next to Gawaine and opposite a whiskey which his neighbour suggested he should have a sip of before its owner returned. "What and get my face punched?" said Merlin.

"Arthur doesn't go around punching people. However," Gawaine said teasing him, "He might just pop you one!" Standing up, Gawaine yelled, "Over here!" at two young women who had walked through the doors. Each received a resounding kiss from Gawaine.

Arthur hearing the commotion left the man he was talking with and made his way back to his drink, impressed that it was still there, obviously Gawaine was still flush with money. He walked around to his seat, sat down, lifted the glass to his mouth and was looking straight into the eyes of the chap he had given a lift to in the pouring rain about a week back. "Merlin?" he said surprised.

Merlin smiled shyly, nodding and said, "Arthur."

Gawaine too busy with the girls paid no notice but Lance said, "I didn't know you knew each other."

Merlin and Arthur both said at the same time, "We really don't!"

"I gave him a lift home one night in the rain. Haven't bumped into him since then. Which department are you working in?"

"Legal, not maybe the most interesting to others but I enjoy it."

"Twelfth floor?"

"Right and you are…?"

"International Investments, sometimes the most exciting place to be, at other times not so."

"Think it's like that in the whole company," said Lance. "Mind you, I'm thinking of re-applying in your department, Arthur, my contract is up in a month and I'd like to stay on. Preliminary findings seem positive. Bandertberg has shown an interest so we'll see."

"What would you do otherwise?" asked Merlin.

"Well, summer next year I'm off to New York for a three year stint, actually seconded by the firm I'm presently working for in the UK. Father sometimes wants to know if I am ever going to settle down into the job properly instead of traipsing around like a bloody tourist."

Arthur laughed, "Had that conversation with my father as well! What about you Merlin?"

"Well, the plan is that they want me to go to Geneva for six months. Could prove interesting…" Merlin had a feeling that Arthur's face fell slightly. "What about you?"

"The powers that be in the UK want me home…"

Gawaine jumped into the conversation, "Don't anyone feel sorry for him, large flat in London, a Jag as a run around car and one of the largest investment companies on a platter before him."

Arthur said with a shrug, "Family business, Chaps. What can I say?"

Tom laughed, "My father's a butcher with three shops, nothing for me on a silver platter but flank steak!"

Arthur grinned at his assistant as he said, "Don't feel sorry for him either as his mother is a Cadbury, there's chocolate on the platter with the meat."

Lance punched Tom in the arm saying, "Can't pull the wool over our illustrious Mr. Pendragon's eyes."

Merlin smiled he liked Tom. He was level headed but really funny in a kind way. He thought, 'Never seen him make any person except himself the brunt of a joke.'

The lads from Dublin arrived and the group got noisier. Finally Gawaine decided that they should go onto the Elysées to try out other establishments. "Anyone up for it?" Merlin shook his head, he felt relaxed where he was and it was close to his flat and he wasn't the biggest of drinkers and still had half of his last pint before him.

Lance said that he'd promised to drop in on his girlfriend to which Tom had said, "Ooh La La, Mademoiselle!" adding, "I'm just going to turn in as I work for a rather annoying chap who gets his money's worth out of me each day. 'Night, see you two tomorrow!"

Merlin looked around and realised that only Arthur and he were left at the tables. Arthur got up saying, "Let's sit over there. It's a smaller table and closer to the fire." Merlin got up and followed him.

Arthur said, "Haven't seen you here before."

"No, I just came for the company. Lance and Tom mentioned they were coming tonight, so I decided to join them."

Arthur wanted to kick himself, Tom worked for him and he hadn't thought of asking him about Merlin. He put down his empty glass and said, "Get you another?" Merlin smiled and shook his head. All he needed was to be helped home by someone from the company. Anyway, he had intended to take some night shots. Arthur swivelled in his chair and got the barmaid's eye, holding his empty glass aloft. She nodded and within no time a waitress appeared with Arthur's whiskey. Arthur threw some coins on her tray and turned back to Merlin.

Arthur noticed his camera beside him and asked about it, he decided personal questions could wait. "What's the make?"

Merlin liked talking about his camera and Arthur noticed how animated he became. Just as horsepower and engine additives might appeal to Arthur, for Merlin DSLR's, f/ stops and keystoning worked wonders. Arthur had had a friend at university who had belonged to the Camera Club so he had idea of what he was talking about.

Suddenly Merlin blushed and looked down, "Sorry, sometimes, the need to talk about cameras is uttermost in my mind." He thought, 'But not right now,' before adding, "You must think me a shallow individual."

"Not at all, but don't get me onto cars as I would probably talk your ear off as well. Let's see some of your photos."

Merlin pulled his chair closer to Arthur and put the camera in front of him. Arthur was impressed. None of the touristy shots of monuments but an eye-opening look at what the majority of people walk by everyday without a glance. Shadows, reflected lights from wet streets taken from angles which were beyond Arthur's imagination. A bench on Place de'Etoile occupied by pigeons going about their morning grooming; a cat on a wall obviously enchanted by the photographer, as it looked quizzically at the lens as if expecting to see him in there not unlike a cat peering expectantly into a mouse hole.

"It's a good one isn't it? Mainly because of a willing model…"

Arthur smiled, "I feel as if I know that cat."

"That, Arthur, is a very kind thing to say to a photographer, just what they like to hear."

"No, Merlin, I really feel as if I've seen that cat!"

"You probably have among the six millions cats which inhabit Paris."

Arthur picked up the camera and pointed it at Merlin who reached over and adjusted a few things. He then sat back smiled and said, "Cheese!" Arthur pushed the button and the camera whirred before clicking, Merlin leant over and touched the screen and there he was smiling back at him.

"Now you!" Merlin said. Arthur had noticed that when Merlin held the camera it seemed an extension of his hands. "Look towards the fire and I'll get the glow of the firelight on your face." Arthur did as he was told and was impressed with what he saw, not because he was the subject of the photo but because of the calibre of the shot, better than some portraits he'd seen. "This time look at me like the cat did, honestly if you try hard enough you should be able to see me through the lens." Arthur laughed and heard the shutter click like miniature gun fire. Merlin looked over the camera and smiled, "Burst or continuous shooting mode. It works well as surely one of the eight will be perfect…if not delete and try again."

Arthur looked at the eight pictures and could see that Merlin was right, maybe the third, seventh and eighth were the best.

However, Merlin was overcritical as he deleted all but the third. Arthur said, "Oh, no!"

Merlin grinned saying, "But you are now my captive and I can take photos of you whenever I want." Suddenly, he blushed, "God, now I sound like some weird stalker. I didn't mean that…just that I could ask if you would like me to…"

Arthur laughed, he didn't know who was more adorable the confident photographer or the bumbling man in front of him at the moment.