ERIN› Men don’t understand me.
MAXWELL› A common female complaint.
ERIN› My problem is different from most. Men can’t see me as I am.
MAXWELL› How so?
ERIN› I have the curse for which no one feels sympathy.
MAXWELL› You are rich.
ERIN› I’m not speaking of that. I was speaking of beauty.
MAXWELL› You are beautiful?
ERIN› Yes.
MAXWELL› Many say that here, in this faceless environment. They rub balm into their insecurities by playing at characters they are not.
ERIN› My fantasies have nothing to do with appearance.
MAXWELL› Then perhaps you are what you say you are.
ERIN› You don’t believe me. You resist the idea that a physically beautiful woman has the intelligence to step outside herself long enough to analyze herself.
MAXWELL› You assume too much. I can accept that. But it seems to me you share the problem of the wealthy woman-no one ever looks past her money.
ERIN› It’s not the same at all.
MAXWELL› Why not?
ERIN› Because physically beautiful people can become rich, but most rich people can never become beautiful. Not with all the plastic surgery in the world.
MAXWELL› I appreciate that distinction. I understand it too well.
ERIN› Are you rich and unattractive?
MAXWELL› You don’t use much tact, do you?
ERIN› I don’t have time for games.
MAXWELL› Nor do I. I am rich in material things, but I’m not at all unattractive.
ERIN› Is that your opinion?
MAXWELL› One long confirmed by others. But I
understand your problem better than you might think.
ERIN› How so?
MAXWELL› I was born a genius.
ERIN› Really.
MAXWELL› Yes.
ERIN› Can you prove it?
MAXWELL› Can you prove you are beautiful?
ERIN› I see what you mean.
MAXWELL› Actually, I could prove my genius in this environment much easier than you could prove your beauty. But what would be the point? Anything I wrote at that level, you would not understand.
ERIN› All right, all right, I believe you.
MAXWELL› Would you mind telling me whether you are fair-skinned or dark?
ERIN› I guess not. In winter I’m fair. In summer I’m brown.
MAXWELL› Your ancestry?
ERIN› My _ancestry_? French and English. Why?
MAXWELL› Mixed on both sides?
ERIN› Father Scots-English blood, mother Cajun French.
MAXWELL› Ah. An interesting roux.
ERIN› Interesting home life, anyway.
MAXWELL› What appeals to you about the female soul, as you called it?
ERIN› Women understand that the past can be left behind. Men don’t. Men are haunted by the past.
MAXWELL› Are you speaking of one’s own past or the past of a mate?
ERIN› Either.
MAXWELL› Your husband does not allow you to forget your past?
ERIN› Correct.
MAXWELL› You had many adventures?
ERIN› Many lovers.
MAXWELL› From a young age?
ERIN› Fourteen.
MAXWELL› The first was a man or a woman?
ERIN› A man. I’ve never felt drawn to women’s bodies, regrettably.
MAXWELL› You enjoyed these many lovers? Or merely allowed them to take pleasure from you?
ERIN› I learned to take my own pleasure early. And to give it. I felt no inhibition. I shocked men, made them afraid. Men fantasize about wanton women, but when they meet one, they’re paralyzed by fear.
MAXWELL› Can you elaborate?
ERIN› Men like easy women so long as they can mentally classify them as sluts or whores. But a highly sexual woman who is beautiful, who has her pick of males, doesn’t fit that puritanical equation. And if she has intelligence as well, she is feared, and thus hated.
MAXWELL› Your point of view intrigues me.
ERIN› The bitter fruit of experience.
MAXWELL› You never found a man who gave you the understanding you needed?
ERIN› I thought I had, once. But I was wrong.
MAXWELL› Who was he?
ERIN› I don’t have time to tell that story now. In fact, it’s later than I thought. I need to log off. I enjoyed our conversation. Good-bye.
MAXWELL› Please wait. Would you answer one question before you go?
ERIN› If it’s quick.
MAXWELL› You said you descended from French and English blood. Also that you tan in the summer. From this I deduce that you are more dark than fair. Does the English trait show up elsewhere in your family? Very fair skin, I mean?
Brahma’s interest in skin was starting to sound pathological. I was about to answer based on Erin’s dark complexion when something stopped me. All of Brahma’s victims but one-the Indian woman-were Caucasian.
ERIN› What an odd question. As a matter of fact, I’m not more dark than fair. I have a sister with a peaches and cream complexion, and I’m only a shade darker. It’s just that I tan in the summer rather than burn. It’s a nice bonus.
MAXWELL› Thank you.
ERIN› Good-bye.
MAXWELL› Au revoir.
“You played that just right,” Miles said from behind me. The synthesized voices had drawn him from his throne in the den. “Make an impression, then vanish like the Cheshire cat. You should give Lenz lessons.”
“Time will tell.”
“Where did you get that ‘female soul’ stuff?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been trying to put myself inside Erin’s head. When he asked what I was looking for, that seemed right.”
“It was. Perfect.”
Miles picked up the printouts and scanned them. “What’s this? You’re ripping off hair color ads now?” In a terrible French accent he cooed, “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”
