Page 278 - Some Dance to Remember

248 Jack Fritscher

the warmth on that night long before, his first night in San Francisco,
when Jack Woods in the Tool Box had picked him up. That hug had led
to an intermittent three-year affairette with the muscular blond who had
been his first bodybuilder.
“You’re looking good as ever,” Ryan said. He squeezed Jack’s biceps.
“You noticed.” Jack’s voice had a hard edge. People don’t like to be
dropped. He was one of the many acquaintances Ryan hadn’t seen too
often during his two years with Kick.
“What are you doing here?” Ryan said.
“I guess you haven’t heard. Tony Tavarossi is in intensive care.”
“I didn’t know he was sick. What happened? He wasn’t caught in the
fire, was he?”
“Not the fire. No. It’s more like he’s disintegrated the last three
months. He’s had a recurrence of hepatitis. He’s had shingles. He’s had
amebiasis. He’s had a cough. He’s had one thing after another. Now they
say he’s got pneumonia. He’s bad off. He’s on a respirator.”
“Can he have visitors?”
“He has a tracheotomy. He can’t talk.”
“Does he recognize people or what?” Ryan asked.
“I go. I see him. Maybe he wakes up. Maybe he doesn’t.”
“I’d like to see him.”
“What the fuck for?”
“There was a time when Tony and I were close.”
“Then you dumped him the way you dumped everybody.”
“I’ve been on an extended honeymoon.”
“Bull! That cheap blond has made you too big for your britches, bitch.”
“Ah,” Ryan said. “So it’s Kick.”
“I could tell you things about him,” Jack said.
“I think our conversation is over,” Ryan said.
“Eat shit and die!”
“Yes, we must lunch sometime,” Ryan said. “Have your girl call my
girl.”
“We’re talking Tony here.”
“We’re talking nonsense here.” Ryan looked at his watch and glanced
at the elevators.
“Hypocrite! You haven’t seen Tony in months.”
“Then I’ll see him now.”
“Sure. Make yourself feel better. He’s dying.”
“How’d you like some open-heart brain surgery,” Ryan said.
“How’d you like to step outside.” Jack Woods flexed his bulk.

©Jack Fritscher, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved
HOW TO LEGALLY QUOTE FROM THIS BOOK