"What the lady said," Simon told the waiter, who went scurrying off to find what Simon hoped was a moderately priced bottle. He couldn't afford much else. A surreptitious look at the wine list assuaged his fears, somewhat.

Well, he kept (vegan) dog food in his flat for a reason. He'd just eat a few meals in furry form to save on food costs. And it didn't taste all that terrible...to a dog.

"You're welcome. Thanks for agreeing to come. Would you like to order appetizers as well or just entrees?"