Elegance, Part II

 Horace, the butler, walked stiffly into the garden. He bowed to Betty and Mrs. Mason, and then pulled Mr. Mason aside. Frank, never one to not be included, silently edged closer to the two men.

“It’s that foolish Wallace Redcliff,” Horace was saying.

“Oh, not again! That man has more problems in his bank account than there are sands by the sea!”

Wallace Redcliff was a miser who deposited all his money into Mr. mason’s bank, but he always complained that this money was being stolen or that he wasn’t getting the right amount of interest.

“He wants to discuss his ‘problem’ on Wednesday night,” Wallace said contemptuously.

“I suppose it’s my duty,” groaned Mr. Mason. Then he turned to his wife and niece.

“I have to be gone all Wednesday evening on business,” he said.

Mrs. Mason gasped. “But I have an appointment at the doctor’s that night! I think that I’m allergic to those yellow flowers over there!”

Mrs. Mason thought she was allergic to every flower under the sun, but she insisted to go to the doctor’s every week.

Then Betty gasped. “What will I do that night?” she wailed. “I hate the doctor’s and business is boring!”

Her aunt and uncle immediately comforted their sobbing niece when Frank got an idea.

“I could take Betty out for dinner,” he said hopefully.

The Mason’s and their niece gaped at Frank. “To where would you take someone as dignified as my niece to, Frank?” asked Mrs. Mason threateningly. “A donut shop?”

“Oh, I’ll take her to… uh…”

At this point, Frank realized the mistake he had made. He was in love with Betty, but with the pay he got, where would he take her?  

                “Alain Ducasse at the Essex House Restaurant,” Frank blurted out before he could stop himself.

                At this, Betty stopped sobbing. “You mean it?” she asked hopefully. “That restaurant that all the fashionable girls go to?”

                “uh, yeah,” replied Frank.

                This proved to be one of the dumbest things he ever said.