'Well, yes, something like that. You understand that I love Linda very much, but it's a little frustrating for me at times. She's so much more inhibited in bed than Grace. But even if Linda were as good, I would have to say there's something about, uh, making out with a woman who has different tastes that really gets to me. I guess it's pretty normal. Everybody likes surprises,' Tommy answered. It was hard for him to talk this way, and he had almost said the word 'fucking' instead of 'making out', but he had caught himself in time. Somehow it just didn't seem right to use such words when talking to another man about his wife. Especially since Fred Furness had been his friend and colleague for so long.
'Don't be so damned prudish about it,' Furness chided him. 'I told you it would be all right if you fucked Grace, and I meant it. You don't have to mince words,' he continued. He paused as if in thought for a moment. 'You've got my curiosity up now. That's one thing the doctors haven't even thought of suggesting for my problem.'
Tommy didn't see what he was driving at. 'What do you mean? I thought you had tried everything,' he asked, watching Fred's face with a puzzled expression.
'I have tried everything – at least all the medical suggestions. But Christ, I don't know why I didn't think of that before!'
Suddenly Tommy felt the hair prickling on the back of his neck as it began to dawn on him what Fred was thinking – that maybe he should try screwing another woman to overcome his impotence. And there was only one woman he could be thinking of – Linda!
'I-I still don't get it,' Tommy stuttered, afraid that he had already guessed the truth.
'Hell, it's such a simple solution,' Fred went on, his eyes lighting up at the thought. He snapped his fingers as if he had just made up his mind. 'It's got to work. I can't go on living like a celibate monk for the rest of my life. I'm sure it's the answer!'
Furness had such a happy look of hope on his face that Tommy felt sorry for him all over again.
'I hope for your sake you've come up with something,' Tommy put in. He meant it. He couldn't think of a worse fate than to be married to such an exciting piece of tail and not to be able to take advantage of it. 'But what the devil are you talking about?'
'Listen, Tommy. Maybe all it will take is for me to get my hands on another woman. Don't you see? Variety is the spice of life, and it's been a long time since I tried my luck with another woman. Maybe I'm just bored with everything Grace can do.'
It was hard for Tommy to see how that could be possible, but he nodded his head in understanding. Now he was sure what Fred was leading up to, and he didn't know if he would be able to refuse him the opportunity. The younger coach was dead certain it would never work anyway. He just couldn't see his wife Linda letting anybody else touch her, not after the resistance she had already shown him – and he was married to her.
Furness had a faraway look in his eyes as if he were dreaming of successfully getting back his virility. Then he curled his lip in a half-smile and looked back at Tommy.
'And maybe I can help you out. Sort of a return favor for taking care of Grace for me,' he chuckled. 'That would be poetic justice, wouldn't it?' he leered.
'How do you mean?' Tommy asked, feeling his heart pounding in his throat. How would he be able to say no if Fred insisted?
'I mean, if we work it right, I can try to get a hard-on with your wife Linda. And she might learn a thing or two, if I take the time and patience I did with Grace when we first got together. Hell, the more I think about it, the better it sounds. I've always kind of had the hots for Linda.'
Tommy's head was reeling with confused thoughts. After having already fucked Fred's wife twice, he couldn't very well say he didn't like the idea of another man getting into the sack with Linda. Also, he hated to make Fred angry and lose all future chance at the voluptuous Grace. He sat stupefied in his chair.
'Do you think you could go along with it, Tommy?' Furness asked, his voice almost pleading.
'After what you did for me, I can't very well say no,' Tommy finally managed to reply. 'But I just don't think there's the slightest possibility that Linda would go for it. I told you how she even holds me off most of the time.'
Furness waved his hand as though how Linda might feel was not even worth considering. 'Let me worry about that. Just tell me it's okay, and that you'll help me if I need it and have a talk with her. Is it a deal? Don't let me down, buddy. I've got a lot at stake.'
Tommy hesitated before making an answer. He pictured for a moment his young wife's voluptuous body under the caresses of this man who was practically a stranger to her, but finally he decided it could never get to that point and he relaxed a little.
'Well, I guess you could try,' he finally conceded. 'But I don't see how I could help you. Besides, you'll be wasting your time.'
'Hell, maybe just making a good college try will get me excited enough that I can just run home and give Grace a good lay. She'd like that, all right. And so would I. You'll give me a hand then? It's the last favor I'll ever ask, Tommy. Come on.'
Feeling a little as if he were promising candy to a starving child even when he knew there wouldn't be any to give, Tommy relented. 'Okay, but don't blame me if it doesn't work out. I warned you.'
'That's my old friend talking now,' Fred exulted. 'You don't have to do much. Just get us together alone. Let me think a minute. It's got to be a reason that will make sense to Linda; otherwise it won't work,' he mused, getting up from the chair and pacing back and forth as he planned his strategy.
Fred Furness was secretly gloating to himself as he moved around in the tiny office. His plan was working out just the way he'd known it would. Once he was alone with Linda with Tommy's blessing, he could play the tape he had made the day before and she was bound to break down. He could even play the impotence ruse with her if necessary and prey on her sense of pity. He felt certain that that, coupled with her anger about Tommy and Grace, would make her an easy mark for his designs. He licked his lips greedily at the gorgeous feast she would make when he got her onto his bed. Abruptly he stopped in his tracks and turned to Tommy as if he had finally come up with a way of getting what he wanted.
'That it! Linda majored in psychology at college, didn't she?' he blurted out.
'That's right,' Tommy answered. 'But how…?'
'It's perfect. You tell her that Grace and I have been having marital problems, and persuade her to call me. Tell her we want to ask her advice, and then when she shows up at our apartment, Grace will be gone. From there on out, it's my ball game. And you know me. I'm a good sport. If I lose, that's the way it goes, and I'll forget all about it.'
'Hell, everybody likes to give advice. It makes them feel superior,' Furness came back at him. Suddenly his face turned angry and mistrustful. 'Look, pal, if you don't want to do that much for me, just tell me, and we'll forget all about it,' he growled. He made a move as though he were intending to leave the office, stopping by the door to hear Tommy's answer.
'Don't take it that way, Fred. I don't want you to be disappointed, that's all. She's not very experienced, and you might reach a dead end fast.'
Furness relaxed and released his hold on the doorknob. 'I'll take my chances. You do your part, and leave the rest to me. Okay?'
'Okay,' Tommy sighed. 'I'll tell her you and Grace need somebody you trust to talk to. But I make no promises that she'll even want to come.'
'Fair enough. I'll expect to hear from Linda tomorrow or the next day. The sooner I make a last stab at working this thing out, the better I'll feel. Thanks, Tommy. You're a real friend. Mention my little difficulty with impotence. Maybe she'll look something up in a book and fix us up without any trouble. Stranger things have happened. See you later.'
'So long, Fred,' Tommy called after him as the door closed. He sat for a long time in the deserted gym building, wondering if he had done the right thing by agreeing to Fred's request. He couldn't come up with a satisfactory alternative considering the events of the past week, and finally he shrugged and shoved it into the back of his mind. He didn't think there was one chance in a hundred it would ever work out the way Fred was hoping, but it was the least he could have done to let him try. Meanwhile, he had another date to meet with Fred's wife Grace the following day, and the thought of that to look forward to picked up his spirits.
He left the gym in a happier mood, whistling as he drove out of the empty parking lot.
