'She does present something of an obstacle,' Susan said.
'You feel that if I were to press my pulsating maleness upon you,' I said, 'she might react?'
'Pulsating maleness?'
'Throbbing masculinity?' I said.
'My God,' Susan said. 'And yes, I think she'd bark and snuffle and paw at us and probably try to become part of the festivities.'
'And if we put her in another room?'
'She'll yowl,' Susan said.
'We could pretend it's you,' I said.
'We could run cold water on your pulsating maleness,' Susan said.
'She's pretty used to the car,' I said. 'I could take her out and put her in it.'
'Yes,' Susan said. 'That would work, I think.'
'I could even give her a ride around the block so she'd think she actually was going someplace.'
'Even better,' Susan said.
'While I'm gone you could take off those pajamas,' I said.
'I bought these pajamas for you.'
'When I complained about the sweatpants?'
'Yes. They even had the word 'enticing' on the package,' Susan said.
' 'Better than sweatpants' doesn't look as good on a label,' I said.
I put on my pants and shoes and took Pearl on her short leash downstairs to the driveway. I let her jump into the backseat and drove once around the block and back into the driveway.
'I'll be back soon,' I said.
And she fell for it.
11
It wasn't quite a play Paul had written, nor exactly a dance that he'd choreographed, nor precisely an evening of cabaret, though it had all those elements. It was called 'Poins.' And it integrated Shakespearean characters, songs from 1950s musicals, and choreography which referenced both eras. I had always liked watching the kid perform, but over the years some of the things he'd performed in had made me tired. But that had been other people's stuff. Doing his own stuff, Paul was touching, smart, and funny. If I weren't so hard-bitten, I'd have been thrilled. When the play was over, Paul and Daryl came back to Susan's place to meet Pearl.
'My God,' Paul said when Pearl got off the couch, came over carefully, and sniffed him with considerable reserve. 'She's really beautiful.'
Susan said, 'Pearl, say hello to your brother, Paul.'
Daryl looked a little cautious, and when Pearl sniffed her I could see her tense. This did not bode well.
'I have sandwiches,' Susan said. 'Let me set the table while you have a drink.'
'We can eat at the counter,' Paul said.
'No, no,' Susan said. 'It will only take me a minute.'
Paul smiled at me. 'Why did I say that?'
'Because you're a slow learner,' I said. 'You knew what the answer would be.'
'Good china,' Paul said. 'And many glasses and two spoons each and linen napkins in napkin rings.'
'Should I help?' Daryl said.
She was still alert to any false moves Pearl might make.
'No,' Paul said.
Paul drank a couple beers in what appeared to be one continuous swallow. His performance had been exhaustingly physical, and even when it wasn't, it always took him some time to come down. I knew he'd be quiet for awhile.
'Does your aunt still live in Boston?' I said.
'She retired,' Daryl said. 'Someplace up in Maine.'
'Have you seen her since you've been here?'
'No. We weren't really close after my mother died.'
'So you went back to La Jolla.'
'Yes.'
'And lived with your father?'
'Yes.'
