Pain aux raisins

“Do ya want a pain aux raisins?

My girlfriend just arrived from a gig with a bunch of ‘em,” the bartender adds.

“Oh man,” says a long-day-in-NYC me, “thanks, but no, I just had dinner…”

The disappointment hangs unusually heavy. Especially with the bartender's girl friend in the side seat restricted for bar staff's lovers, with whom this has started.

I had been identified as a likely taker of said iconic spiral pastry.

A compliment, as well I know.

But a pain aux raisins at… going on 8 in the evening …?

The photograph by Kenneth Mills