english lesson

upon entering the marble slab ice creamery, we were told by the manager that, on account of the marble slab being out of order, something or other was complimentary. his words were unfortunately lost amidst the general clamour of hungry (yet, for the most part, seemingly very well fed) patrons.

so I asked our server: "what exactly is complimentary tonight?"
"oh," she replied as she scooped my praline ice cream, "that means free."

p.s. mila got birthday cake flavour ice cream. she let me taste some. I cannot decide which makes me feel more violently ill - the birthday cake ice cream, or cream soda, which she has been drinking with alarming frequency lately. the decision is complicated by the fact that they share a remarkable similarity in terms of flavour (initial notes of refined sugars, giving way to artificial sweetener and finishing with a chemical burn). seriously, if you froze some cream soda, I think you would have a very reasonable facsimile of this birthday cake ice cream. then again, I wonder if you could even freeze that vile liquid.

p.p.s. mila the light in the den is on. I think you're closer to the switch.