Shall We Kiss? It’s a Slippery Slope…

They meet, by chance, and he gives her a lift back to her hotel. They strike up a conversation, and soon, they’re dining at a nice restaurant. It was a pleasant date between strangers, and at the end, Gabriel leans over to kiss the lovely Emilie. But she says no.

He’s not offended, but she explains that her reason is complicated and is a long and sordid tale. “Go ahead, tell me,” he says, even though it’s getting late and by now they’re up in her hotel room. She pours another drink and proceeds to share the story of her friends Nicolas and Judith, pointedly showing just what can ensue after you give in to the kiss. Shall We Kiss is a French movie I watched last night.

The kiss. Nicolas wants Judith to help him get over his sadness. He tried going to a prostitute, but is aghast to find out that they don’t let you kiss them. Just one kiss, won’t that help me find my way? “But if I don’t like the way you kiss, I won’t want to have any thing more to do with you,” Judith explains. They’re close friends, and he wants her to help him with a particular request.

But they do kiss, and as often happens this is the little spark that causes a bonfire blazing. Soon those stolen kisses are taking place in her laboratory, and he’s phoning her from his classroom. They’re crazy for each other.

If she could just get her husband to find another woman, maybe someone who likes Schubert, well, maybe he would want to leave me, Judith thinks. It’s an evil plan, and nobody wants to hurt anybody else. It’s just that…well Nicolas has turned out to be such a great kisser.

The story weaves and the end of the night is near. The long story has been resolved, explained to its final detail. How would a kiss work if we promised to never, ever say a word after?