Page 173 - Rainbow County and Other Stories

Rainbow County 161

parallel universes. I’m not dumb, you know. I’ve spent most of
my life in recent years reading all kinds of the strangest things so
the inside of my head’s like an encyclopedia. My second-cousin,
Ollie Thomas, who’s madam librarian back home told me so.”
“Perhaps you have,” Lloyd said, “low blood sugar. I myself
often experience strange mood swings.”
“Naw. My blood’s fine and my sugar’s better.” Robert winked
the way his father always winked. “If you catch my drift.”
“Sounds like,” Lloyd pulled his ear, charading, working Rob-
ert toward the door, “like we’ve circled back to sex.”
“Have you noticed that too? How everything sooner or later
always comes back around to sex?”
“You are sure going to have a good time down there on 18th
and Castro,” Lloyd said. “That intersection is laying on its back
with its legs in the air just waiting for you.”
“I ain’t done it.” Robert’s face reddened with anger. “I told
you I ain’t done it! I ain’t never done it when it was my will. But
when I’m good and ready, I just might, and I just might be the
best at it.”
Something, some thing, in the room ground suddenly to a
halt between them.
“What?”
It could only be one thing. Lloyd wished he’d carried a little
hand fan, something petite and operatic from the eighteenth cen-
tury, to hide the smirk on his lips.
“I ain’t done it. Not yet.”
“Done what?” Lloyd was intent on forcing Robert to say it.
I love it, Lloyd thought, all this talk and no action has been the
braggadocio of a male virgin with very blue balls. “Done what?”
“You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”
“Robert, I bet no one could ever make you do any thing.”
“My mother always said that.” Robert’s eyes kind of crossed
in his head.
“You haven’t done what?”
“I haven’t had sex. Okay? So laugh.”
“And risk another wrinkle? Never. My God, as it is, look at
my face. If wrinkles hurt, I’d be screaming.”

©Jack Fritscher, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved
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