Leaving Le Moulin one evening, the narrator (as Sadie) is approached by René, the woodshop manager, who tells her in a stern, forward manner to drive to the lake at Vantôme and park. Intrigued by his sex appeal and curious whether he could be turned against Pascal, she weighs the risks: Pascal is away in Paris, the commune is busy shelling beans, and locals are at a Monday festival in Sazerac, leaving the lake deserted.

At the lake's parking lot, only an old man fishing for carp with a long telescopic pole is present. Sadie sits on a bench and watches him for a long while, contemplating fishing as a meditative act. René arrives in the commune's utility truck and joins her on the bench, making small talk about fishing, including a comment in English about black bass.

René initiates physical contact, guiding her head down to his lap. Sadie performs oral sex on him on the bench while the old fisherman remains turned toward the water, oblivious. She notes René's silent, controlled directness and likes it. Afterward, they watch the fisherman pack up his telescopic pole and drive off in his Deux Chevaux.

René tells her the local old men dream of going to Oklahoma to noodle catfish by hand. They kiss, and he then has her sit facing forward on his lap, watching the darkening lake while he uses his hand on her. Unlike him, she is freely audible, marking a brief, mutual erotic encounter that hints at a possible new alliance or vulnerability she might exploit.