What a Day for a Night

By Manheim Wagner

James, an American expatriate living in Scotland, goes for a run around the Isle of Bute and recalls an image of Simone sitting outside a cafe amidst the shimmering lights of Paris saying that she holds onto too many memories.

A bohemian tale of attraction that plays with the concepts of memory, What a Day for a Night recounts a romantic encounter of two people, meeting for the second time, saying what could be goodbye on the streets of Paris.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Manheim Wagner
• Release date: Jun 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311182500

Manheim Wagner

Manheim Wagner has spent the majority of his life in fear of having a full-time, nine-to-five job. Originally from Levittown, Pennsylvania, he worked a steady stream of dead-end jobs before taking his first leap into the unknown in 1997, when he ended up teaching English in South Korea and nurturing his desire for exploration. Since then, he has lived in such countries as Australia, Scotland, Vietnam and Japan. He currently resides in Málaga, Spain.

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What a Day for a Night

MANHEIM WAGNER

Published by Azúcar Esfinge 2015

Distributed by Smashwords

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover illustration © James Summerfield

Cover design by TriAgency

Copyright © 2014 Manheim Wagner

All rights reserved.

For Agnès

CONTENTS

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Chapter X

Chapter XI

About the Author

I

James couldn’t get the thought out of his head. No matter how much he ran, Simone was always there, sitting across from him, holding a cigarette in her right hand between her index and middle fingers. The smoke twirled upwards and disappeared in the headlights of the approaching cars. Though he lifted his head to see a few rooks in the mottled fields near Ballycaul Wood, his mind was on that day in Paris.

Between the sound of his feet hitting the road and the caws of a few other rooks overhead, he saw Simone outside the café facing him, her auburn eyes looking right at him as he took a sip of beer and put it back down on the circular café table.

Her slender lips mesmerized him in the darkening night. The calm autumn breeze gently whisked her long bangs of brown hair that neatly escaped the tight coil of her bun.

Not a person passing by mattered.

Simone put out her cigarette and then grabbed her light brown jacket from the back of her chair and put it atop her black cardigan.

She smiled and then parted her lips…

My therapist says that I hold on to too many memories. I need to let go of some to make new ones.

Only days earlier, James was walking around Montmartre in the abnormally warm September evening. All the boulangeries were closed, but the cafés were full of chatter and silverware scraping porcelain.

Amazed by the ornate architecture of even the simplest buildings, he walked around with his hands in his pockets and felt his cell phone. He knew he should call Simone, but he had only met her once before in Korea.

Holding a small piece of paper from his left pocket, he continued along the Avenue Trudaine past a few boys kicking a soccer ball. His hand trembled as he grabbed his cell phone.

He turned right onto the rue de Dunkerque and began to dial. The first nine digits went by in a matter of seconds, but his thumb hesitated pushing the last number…he saw Simone, in the incandescent glow of the Korean rice wine restaurant, talking about Alex Chilton and Big Star.

The phone was ringing. There was no turning back.

He heard a familiar voice say, Hello.

So, in his best French he mustered, Bonsoir, Simone.

James, is that you?

Yep. I’m walking around Montmartre.

A pause entered the conversation, and before James could panic, Simone asked, Would you like to meet tomorrow?

Sure. I can meet at any time that’s good for you.

I’m not sure…

James felt a sudden pang…

…what would you like to do?

He had jumped the gun again and replied, I’d like to see the parts of Paris you enjoy.

I’m not sure if I know any special places in Paris.

That doesn’t matter, James replied. It will be great to see you again.

We can go to that restaurant I messaged you about. I can send you the address.

Not knowing his away around Paris all that well, James countered, "It would be easier to meet at a metro