Absinth

"Close your eyes for a second present".

Eyes firmly shut I wondered what else would be given apart from the bar of Milka chocolate. Then I opened my eyes which widened in joyous surprise. I drew in a sharp breadth of air....a dream had just come true!

A bottle of Absinth.
....to hold.....to taste.

Reader, I kissed Leland....

... and then kissed the bottle many times. A cloak and dagger operation as Nathan wanted no part in it. I was so touched that Leland had brought it for me from Prague where it is available in abundance. I had asked Leland to have absinth for me but the instructions probably were too painful that he told me that it was useless asking him to write down as in a perfume, the top/middle and bottom notes. Why write at a bar?

I showed it to a connoiseur of the drink who saw that it was 70% alcohol and he warned me that it was very potent and that I should be careful in imbibing it neat and should dilute it.

Originally, I had thought of making special anise flavored hors d'oeuvres before opening the bottle with ceremony. However, the desire to have a taste overcome any such aspirations and I opened it. The aroma was that of a foul smelling cough medicine.

I poured a small amount in a shot glass. Raising my glass to the air, I said "cheers" to both Leland and Nathan before taking a first sip.

Drunk neat my mouth felt numb and my tongue puckered up with shock. I held on to the chair for strength. Forcing saliva to come back into my mouth, I then ran to a mirror to see if all seemed normal. Phew! I then diluted the remaining green liquid with some water and drank it slowly.

Did I get a buzz? A slight one which made me giggle excitedly - more so, because finally, a dream had come true....and also ate a lot of chocolate which seemed to go well with it.

Will I also end up talking to an empty baby carriage like a friend did? Maybe if I have two or three glasses in one sitting!