BEFORE THE ADVENT

He knew he was in safe hands as soon as he entered Demeter's, hearing 'Dalla Sua Pace' from Mozart's Don Giovanni diffusely across the entire space of the opulent looking restaurant. How many times had he entered a venue and walked straight back out after hearing the poor music selection of the place?

Antonio was a self-confessed snob, though not so much when it came to food or even interiors, but music? Bloody hell, yes - music all day and all night. Not that he complained if he happened to hit the jackpot on all three criteria. Tonight, for example, he sensed he was in luck. The venue looked as if it was going to live up to the rave reviews he'd read about in all of the weekend newspapers.

"Good evening, sir. Are you looking to make a reservation or have you already booked with us?"

The suave seeming maitre'd was the epitome of grace, with the timbre of his voice perfectly modulated for the exchange and congruous with the Mozart playing in the background.

"I have. Table for two under the name Varellas."

The maitre'd ran his finger down the berry-red reservation book.

"Ah yes. But that's not until six thirty."

"What time is it now then?"

"Five."

Antonio went to check his watch but remembered as soon as he saw his naked wrist that it was no longer there.

"Silly me. I keep forgetting I had my watch stolen earlier. Would it be alright to wait at the bar until my guest arrives?"

The maitre'd nodded and gestured toward the elegantly designed neo Greek bar, lit up by low hanging pendant lights.

There was something about the calm before the rush hour storm in a restaurant that was beautifully serene and possibly even ethereal to Antonio's mind and as it was the very last evening of November with its pre-advent hush before the December frenzy, it felt even more peaceful than usual somehow. If he was ever to be a king, he thought to himself, he would decree that there would be a pause in the winter calender so as to delay the inevitable yuletide madness and extend the ambience of late November for just a little while longer.

It was, as they say in modern parlance, a vibe.

Sipping the experimental spiced orange christmas whiskey the mixologist behind the bar had handed him whilst prepping his christmas cocktail menu, Antonio had to concede he wasn't so curmudgeonly that he would attempt to deny the spirit of Christmas when it finally arrived. Maybe it was the cocktail talking but right now he was feeling far more like Scrooge's nephew Fred than Ebenezer himself.

Though here in this precious moment of quiet at Demeter's it felt like the last outpost of November sanity before the riot of Christmas descended.

"How is it?"

Antonio, stirred from his mellow, alcohol-induced contemplation, was suddenly reminded of the presence of the bartender standing right next to him.

"It's Christmas in a glass."

Smiling, the bartender felt duly appreciated and went off to take a short cigarette break before the onslaught of early evening diners.

With the entire restaurant almost to himself, Antonio couldn't remember ever feeling more relaxed than in this moment, sipping his festive drink. And as "Deh! vieni alla finestra" began to play through the discreetly hidden restaurant speakers, Antonio wondered if this could even possibly be the greatest moment of his life. Never before had he felt so utterly present.

"Maybe in the end it's the anticipation of what's to come that is the most magical thing of all. And when finally made king of this godforsaken land, I will declare the 30th November - this last day of pre-advent as a national holiday."  

"What's that?" the bartender said upon his return.

"Oh. Nothing. I'm just talking to myself."

Checking his watch that wasn't there, Antonio laughed to himself for again forgetting he'd lost it in the first place.

"What time is it, my friend?"

"It's exactly six o clock."

"You better line me up another one of those, then," he said as he slid the glass toward the bar manager.

"By all means."

"I must say, whoever is in charge of the music here is a genius. An absolute genius."

And then the bartender presented his replenished glass and stared at him, speaking in an unsually deep baritone quite different to the more thin, reedy voice he had grown accustomed to from their initial exchanges at the bar.

"WAKE UP, MAN! WAKE UP!"  

By the time Antonio finally came to, he looked up to find a heavy set paramedic shining a torch in his eye.

"You're a lucky boy. We thought we'd lost you for a moment back there."

Confused that he wasn't at the bar in Demeter's enjoying his third or fourth cocktail, Antonio quickly tried to get his bearings.

Looking for his watch and finding it not on his wrist, he looked back toward the paramedic.

"What time is it?"

"It's exactly six o clock."

"Oh god! I'm going to be late!"

And with that, Antonio staggered up onto his feet with great intention as the paramedic allowed him to hang onto his strong, sturdy arm.

"Take it easy, man. You're not in any fit state to rush off just yet."

"I have to. I have a date!"

"But we haven't fully checked you over."

Too polite to make a dash for it, Antonio decided to negotiate with the paramedic.

"Which direction will you be heading to if I pass the all clear?"

"Bloomsbury."

"Well, you won't mind dropping me off near Mayfair then. Meanwhile you can check me over in the back of the ambulance."

Taken aback by the audcaity of Antonio's request, the paramedic finally agreed to the victim's unusual terms.

"You're a good man," Antonio said, patting the man's shoulder as if he was his personal servant.

Finally outside Demeter's, Antonio wondered if the reality would match his concussed dream of the place.

As he staggered through the main doors of the luxurious restaurant with a bandage wrapped round his head, he was quite taken aback to hear the familar sound of Dalla Sua Pace playing in the background.

"Curiouser and curiouser."

Finally taking his place at the table where the beautiful Olivia was already sitting, he felt grateful, if somewhat disorienated, by the strange events of the afternoon.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. I ran into a little trouble."

"Oh my God. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I think so."

As he turned to his right he let out an impromptu shriek as he found the maitre'd he'd dreamt of on the pavement standing directly in front of him.

"Good evening, sir. Welcome to Demeter's."