RITA CLEARY WAS about to elaborate on her favourite subject, herself when she spotted the couple entering the dining room.
“Poor dear!” Rita exclaimed to her friend, Jane Formosa as the two elderly ladies watched the young woman guiding the man towards a table. “They arrived last night! Honeymooners, would you believe it!”
“But, he’s blind?” Jane Formosa exclaimed.
“Since when did that stop any man!” Rita said as she remembered how her late husband had demanded his rights every night without fail. “Name of Doherty! Mister and Mrs. Doherty!”
“A pity! About his being blind, I mean! She's certainly taken a lot on her shoulders!” Jane Formosa commented sympathetically. She stared for a little longer and then remarked, “Reminds me a little of Maureen O'Hara!” That prompted another thought in her head. “By the way, the 'QUIET MAN” is on television on Wednesday night. Do you want to watch it?”
But Rita was still concentrating on the couple that was talking earnestly together. There was something oddly familiar about them.
“The 'QUIET MAN' - it's on TV Wednesday!” Jane repeated aware that her friend was drifting again.
“Is it? The one with John Wayne in it, you mean?” Rita replied without taking her eyes off the couple.
“Yes, that's it!”
“The man with her!” Rita exclaimed. “Doesn't he look like that English Captain that killed all those men in Northern Ireland recently?”
Jane screwed up her eyes and concentrated hard. “It's difficult to say, him wearing dark glasses and all. I think he looks more like John Wayne!”
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” Rita exclaimed. “Is that film all you can think about?”
Her friend, Jane, somewhat offended, but trying hard not to show it, asked peevishly, “Well, have you finished or do you want to order something else?”
“No! That'll do. Don't want to get too fat!”
At our age, Jane thought, what does it matter but felt it unwise to voice her opinion. Rita, after all, was a little sensitive about her weight. They paid the bill on the way out and gave the couple at the table a final glance. “I still think he looks like John Wayne!” Jane said defiantly as they walked out of the hotel and down the road.
“Well, that leaves only us!” Sinead declared as the two old ladies departed.
Lechaim peered at her through the dark shades over his eyes. “Are these really necessary, sweetheart?”
“Look, my darling, if you wander around without them, someone is certain to recognize you and you don't want that do you?”
“But pretending to be blind, Sinead! It doesn't seem right somehow.”
“Nonsense, darling! It's a perfect disguise. Whoever gives a blind person more than a passing look?”
She was right, of course, and he knew it. Besides, they would be spending most of their time in their room anyway so his impersonation hardly mattered. “Well, seeing as I'm blind, my pet, you'd better order!”
She gave him a little kick under the table and he smiled at her temerity. She had grown into a woman since yesterday and it only fuelled his love for her.
He muttered, “You wait till I get you upstairs!”
“Oh yeh!” she said. “I'm not scared of you!” and held one of her small hands clenched under his chin. The 'tough guy' look she adopted as she wrinkled her face made him laugh out loud and the obese middle-aged waitress hovering on the other side of the room gave them a long look.
“Careful!” Sinead said. “She's coming over!” With that she picked up the menu and scanned it, and then she too began to laugh. With an effort, she stifled her mirth and said to the waitress who was now standing waiting, “Roast beef and vegetables, please! Same for you, darling?” He nodded his assent and the waitress disappeared but not before giving Sinead a disapproving look.
“What's so funny?” Lechaim asked.
“Look at this, darling!” she responded passing over the menu, but not before she saw that no one was looking. After all, he was supposed to be blind.
Taking it from her, he could see nothing strange.
“At the bottom in small print!” she said.
Then he laughed as well. Printed there was 'SHANNON'S HOTEL' - Honeymooners welcome! Satisfaction guaranteed.
“Trust the Irish!” he responded. “I couldn't have put it better myself.”
She reached out for his hand and they looked into each other's eyes. Their life together offered so much promise, and neither of them could remember being so happy. Was life meant to be this good, she wondered? One of her father's favourite expressions was, 'Well someone will come along to muck it up, you can be sure of that!' She dismissed such pessimism before it had a chance to take hold. After all, what could intrude on their happiness now?
“Well, Mrs. Doherty. What shall we do after lunch?”
“Mrs. Doherty?” she queried and then she remembered that their deception had extended to their names. “Mrs. Lewis!” she corrected. “I'm Mrs. Lewis and I don't intend you to forget!”
He laughed. “Oh, God. What have I done!”
“It's what you're going to do that I'm more interested in!”
“It might look a bit off in the middle of the day here on the table!”
“I don't know. It looks strong enough to me!” she said wickedly.
“But am I?”
“Excuses! Excuses!” she replied. “ You're hopeless Mister Lewis!”
His voice softened, “Yes! I'm hopelessly in love with you, Mrs. Lewis!”