Ordering one waffle seemed sensible. They only wanted something small, after all. Then the plate arrived, and all three studied it with equal seriousness. Colombine proposed a fair division. Mea agreed. Lu Cia moved her cup aside and prepared to see what fairness would look like in practice.
Illustrated fiction inspired by original Travel2City photographs. The places come from separate journeys, not a one-day itinerary. Characters, dialogue, props and some composition and lighting are artistic interpretations.
Conversation drifted from every direction beneath the red awnings. At their table, however, a peculiar concentration briefly took over. The golden waffle had regular little pockets, a dusting of sugar and the power to postpone every other plan. Mea said it was almost a shame to disturb it. Colombine set a fork beside the plate. Lu Cia observed that admiration could be combined quite successfully with tasting. The pleasant part of the meeting began.
Before the ornate facades of Grand Place, Colombine explained that the procedure was straightforward in principle. Mea examined the rectangle on the plate, then the three forks. Lu Cia raised an eyebrow. The proposal sounded lovely, although the waffle appeared not to have been consulted. They tried dividing it by eye. Each attempt favoured a different friend. Eventually they agreed that hungry companions needed goodwill and a first bite more than a committee.
Three pieces lay on the plate, and nobody could claim they were equal. The smallest had a charming corner; the largest had persuasive dimensions. Lu Cia inspected the result like an expert. Mea began explaining that the first division was always experimental. Colombine laughed before she could offer her own defence. Beyond the window, Brussels continued its grand day. At their table, a very small shared laugh had just won.
A few crumbs remained on the plate. Nobody remembered precisely who had eaten the largest portion, and nobody asked. Mea warmed her hands near her cup and watched facades grand enough for considerably larger occasions. Colombine proposed recording the outcome. Lu Cia summarised it briefly: everyone had enjoyed it. All three could sign that report. The forks received a well-earned rest.
“Three happy people. That is a fairly exact division.”
From notebook to book
The Map with No Last Page
Travel2City journeys continue between the covers of a book. Discover our illustrated travel world.
The portions were unequal. The happiness needed no dividing.
Later, Mea wondered whether they should have another. Just for pleasure this time, without calculations. Colombine called it a very sensible proposal. Lu Cia was already nodding.
