Café au Lait im Theater Café

For Freddy from Peru

One night--- it was after two, I didn't feel like sleeping.
That night, I discovered a café, thought I was dreaming!
Inside, there was every sort of night-owl late hours keeping.
And like me they'd had too much to drink,
But still they couldn't sleep a wink.
They would drink until the break of day:
Café au lait in the Theater Café.


Well then, I went inside and found a place to sit where
A man was badly playing old-time show tunes on the keys there.
And I..... thought he bore a close resemblance to Fred Astaire....
Well, at least they nearly sing alike and after all, he's got no mike!
When the waiter comes I think I'll say:
Café au lait du Theater Café.

'May I?' asked a student from Peru who wanted a seat.
'Why not?', I replied while thinking that he surely looked neat.
'Thank you.' He sat down and turned around to watch the people.
And I wanted so to ask him now
If he were passing through and how
He knew that he should order a
Café au lait in the Theater Café.

'Who's that?', he asked and pointed to some local literati.
'Authors', I replied and added 'must have been some party.'
'Which books?' 'They're the kind you only read if you are arty.'
He opined that he had never seen
Such a crazy mixed-up scene.
And he slowly sipped his drink away, that
Café au lait in the Theater Café

'Oh my!' I said, 'I think I see some people that I know here.'
'Which, then?' he asked as Karl and Johann slowly came and sat near
Where we were sitting, the next table. I said, 'Oh dear.
It seems that I have been stood up
For him, that stupid little pup!'
And now they sit across the way, drink
Café au lait in the Theater Café.

Just then, there was a fight that broke out over in the corner.
Two men were trying vainly to impress some prima donna.
And while everyone's attention to that fracas wandered,
Karl had managed to attract my eye.
He shrugged and smiled. I wondered why
He'd gone and stood me up that day for
Café au lait in the Theater Café.

Smiling, I returned his shrug and tried to act quite civil.
Then I---talked a bit with my companion---mostly drivel.
That's when he said 'there isn't any ground for us to quibble.'
And he said that if I felt it right
With me he'd like to spend the night.
and he drained a demi-tasse away, that
Café au lait in the Theater Café.

So then, it was nearly four, and we prepared for going.
When Karl, who saw that I was for the Andes stated growing
Angry, and he came and told me he would be throwing
Me and him right out the door.
Instead we went and made it four!
And we never left until they closed,
And that, my friends, just goes to show
There's nothing quite so civil nowadays ....as
Café au Lait in the Theater Café.