#459 Taste- Roald Dahl
This is a fun story. Once a year, Mike Schofield hosts a
dinner party attended by the famous gourmet, Richard Pratt. He prides himself
on his taste and is proud of having such an honored guest. The last few years,
they have had a little wager. They bet a case of wine on whether Pratt could
name the vintage of the wine served in a blind tasting. So far, Pratt has won each time.
This year, Schofield has scoured the wineries looking for a
selection so remote and rare that there is little chance Pratt would being able
to match his previous feats of taste. At the dinner, Pratt seems nonchalant and
a his non-interest in the meal irks his host. So, when the yearly wager is
broached, there is a tension in the air that causes Schofield to be duped into
upping the bet to ridiculous stakes. He will put his daughters hand in marriage
on the table against Pitt’s two country homes.
Pratt’s wine tasting process and the outcome of the wager is
built up and crafted wonderfully. This is short story writing in a very pure
sense. I loved it.
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