For college we have to write a different ending for the short story “ The luncheon” by William Somerset Maugham. It is an activuty to do in group, i got a little enthuasisctic and wrote more words than it was asked. So we have to change everything but i don’t want to lose what i have written so i’m gonna post it here:
Then a terrible thing happened. While we were waiting for the coffee, the head waiter, with a smile on his face, came up to us bearing a large basket full of huge peaches. Peaches were not in season then. Lord knew what they cost. I knew too — a little later, for my guest, going on with her conversation, absent-mindedly took one. 'You see, you've filled your stomach with a lot of meat and you can't eat any more. But I've just had a snack and I shall enjoy a peach.'"
Desperation filled me up. My hands sweated, and my legs trembled. The bill was even more and more expensive every minute. By that time, I already knew that I could not afford that fancy luncheon.
“Excuse me for a moment,” I said as I got up and went to the bathroom to think of possible solutions.
I opened the faucet and wet my face since I continued sweating as if I were in the middle of the Sahara desert. What was I going to do? I couldn’t ask her to pay the bill, it wouldn’t have been something a gentleman would do. Maybe, I could ask the manager to wash the dishes instead but an elegant restaurant like that wouldn't accept this kind of agreement; they would probably call the police.
“Think idiot, think” I was murmuring to myself when someone interrupted me.
“Is there any problem, Sir?” said an elegant man behind me.
“No - no, I’m fine,” I answered; but I wasn’t very convincing, because he stayed there waiting for the real answer. “Well, I tried to impress a girl … actually an admirer, you know I’m a writer; so I invited her here and I thought we would only have a luncheon, but she had ordered everything on the menu. Now I don't know how I'm going to pay the bill… I’m desperate.”
“Oh, don’t worry my friend, I will pay your bill,” he said kindly.
“Oh no Sir, I can’t accept. How am I going to pay you? ”
“I’do not mind heping a fellow colleague, you can show me your writtings and you can read the writing which i’m wornking on ” he squeezed my hand. “Francis Scott Fitgerald, nice to meet you.” My hand sweated, my legs trembled. The great Fitzgerald was in front of me, offering to pay my bill.
“Hi, I’m…” Suddenly the waiter opened the door and looked directly at me.
“Sir, the lady is waiting for you,” he said; but I knew he was checking that I hadn’t run away
“Don’t worry Antoine, I entertained him for a while, we were on our way” he answered.
After all, it turned out to be an incredible afternoon, we went back to the table and I intoduced Mr. Fitzgerlad to her, she wasso amazed that i was friend of someone so talented. Luckily she had another meeting and she couldn’t go with us to his appartment.
