It seemed to Dan that he was always busy. He worked five nights a week at the restaurant and one afternoon a week at the construction company. He had Wednesday and Saturday nights off. Saturday was the one day of the week when he really tried to rest. Once or twice a week he would visit with Sue Adams; usually meeting at a coffee shop to talk.
He had come to value his friendship with Sue very much. It seemed to him that she was always trying to fix him up with women. This was very strange since he was pretty sure that all of the women were lesbians. Occasionally she would take photographs of him with one woman or another. She'd point to the picture and ask, "Can you see yourself with her?"
One consequence of his active lifestyle was that he occasionally didn't remember things. They weren't particularly important things; at least, not to him. Another consequence was that he didn't mind his loneliness. He never really had time to sit down and think about the fact that he didn't have a girlfriend. The same wasn't quite true for many of the people around him.
One Tuesday night, Sue and Ann came to the restaurant to visit Dan for a few minutes. Sue entered the restaurant laughing about something that Ann had said. Surprised to see Sue laughing, Rob greeted her, "Hello, Sue. How are you doing?"
"I'm doing fine. Is there any chance of us seeing Dan?" Sue asked giving him a smile.
Rob thought about how nice it was to see Sue smiling. He said, "Sure. Have a seat over at the counter. I'll send him out to see you after he's done with the prep work. It'll be a ten or fifteen minute wait."
"Thanks, Rob," Sue said.
Ann stood there looking nervous. She turned to Sue and asked, "Do we have to do this tonight?"
Sue said, "Dan is off tomorrow and I want him see the painting when I unveil it."
Ann had not seen the painting, but she remembered the pose that Sue had captured. She was dreading viewing it with Dan there. She said, "You can show it to me tonight and him tomorrow."
Sue laughed and said, "No. You see it together."
Rob watched as the pair of young women walked over to the counter. He turned to find a woman entering the restaurant. He asked, "How many are in your party?"
"I'm hoping to talk to Dan Parker. It won't take more than a minute," the woman answered.
Rob frowned at the sudden popularity of Dan and said, "Would you mind waiting over at the counter? There are a couple of other people who want to see him."
The woman smiled at Rob and said, "Thank you, Mr. Rendell."
Wondering how she knew his name, Rob watched her walk over to the counter. She took a seat beside Sue. He hoped that there wasn't a problem brewing over at the counter. Sandy was handing out coffees at the counter to the three women. He turned in time to spot the tallest woman he had ever seen enter the restaurant. He went over to her and asked, "How many are in your party?"
"Just me. I think I'll sit over at the counter," the woman said looking down at Rob.
"Okay," Rob said looking up at her. He figured that she was six and a half feet tall. He wondered what kind of man would go for a woman that tall.
The woman froze in mid-step and asked, "Is that Sue Adams?"
"Yes," Rob said.
"Oh my God!"
Rob watched her go over to the counter shaking his head. He looked up at the ceiling and said, "It is going to be one of those nights. I guess I better get Dan."
At the counter, Ann said, "Sally is not going to be happy about this."
Sue rolled her eyes and said, "Don't worry about Sally. She likes Dan."
Stunned by Sue's answer, Ann asked, "When did she meet Dan?"
Not wanting to answer the question, Sue looked around. She noticed the tall woman seated two chairs away. Pretty sure that she recognized the woman, she assumed that she was with the woman seated next to her. Leaning forward, she asked, "Do I know you?"
"We've never met, but you may recognize me from Pat's place. I know all about you. Everyone knows about you," the tall woman answered.
Ann leaned forward so that she could see the tall woman and said, "I know you. You're Cathy Jenkins."
"That's right," Cathy answered recognizing Ann. She said, "I've seen you around. You're Ann, right?"
"Right," Ann answered.
"You like men, don't you?" Cathy asked. She tended to see all kinds of girls at the high school. Ann reminded her of one of the students that had been on the basketball team years ago. That student had preferred women, but couldn't keep from watching men.
"No," Ann answered.
Nodding her head, Sue answered, "Yes, she does."
"No I don't," Ann said shaking her head.
Ann turned bright red as Sue answered, "Don't listen to her. She doesn't know what she wants. I've found the perfect man for her. She won't accept it and he doesn't know it yet."
Sandy was standing at the counter holding a pot of coffee. She almost dropped the coffee when she realized what Sue was suggesting. Unable to hold back, she said, "You can't mean that you're suggesting that Dan..."
"Dan and I are just friends," Sue said getting the normal expression of disbelief from Sandy.
The third woman looked at the two women to her left and the tall woman to her right. Little clues were adding up very quickly in her head. She asked, "You aren't talking about Dan Parker, are you?"
All three women turned to look at her. Finally Sue asked, "Do you know Dan?"
"Yes. I came here to talk to him," the woman answered.
Curious, Sue asked, "Are you a friend of his?"
"I would like to think so," the woman answered with a smile.
"I'm unveiling a very special painting tomorrow night. I'm here to invite Dan to attend. You and your partner are welcome to attend," Sue said gesturing to the woman and then to Cathy.
"My partner?" the woman asked. She looked over at Cathy realizing that Sue had assumed that Cathy was her lover. Gesturing to Cathy, she said, "I'm afraid that I'm not with her. I'm here to set up a date with Dan."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Sue said apologizing. She thought that the woman was a little old for Dan, but she wasn't going to stand in her way. There was more than enough of Dan to go around.
Cathy Jenkins looked at the woman and said, "I hope that we didn't offend you."
"No, that's okay. I have an aunt who shares that lifestyle," the woman said dismissively.
Sue looked over at Cathy for a minute. She said, "Wait a minute. I know who you are! You're the one who helped Diana Parker at Pat's bar, aren't you?"
"I guess you could say that," Cathy said. She didn't know how to describe what she had done for Diana.
"She told me all about it. You took a great risk that night," Sue said. She remembered that Diana had told her about the coach at her school who had come by the house one night.
"She's a student at my school. She took everyone by surprise at Pat's bar. I did what I could," Cathy said shrugging her shoulders.
Sue turned to the woman beside her and said, "I wasn't aware that Dan had arranged a date with anyone. He didn't mention it to me yesterday."
"He doesn't know that I'm in town," the woman said thinking it was interesting how an obvious lesbian was Dan's confidante. She watched as the waitress refilled her cup of coffee. She looked around at the staff and saw that they were a pretty efficient bunch. The manager appeared to be on top of everything going on in the place.
Sue studied the woman for a second. She noticed how the woman was watching the waitresses. It reminded her of how Rob watched them at work. She said, "The invitation to come to the unveiling still stands."
Dan came out from the kitchen and looked at the four women at the counter. He didn't remember the name of the tall woman, but remembered the hug she had given him. He was rather surprised to find Ellen seated at the counter. He said, "Hello, Ellen. Hello, Sue. How are you doing, Ann?"
The women all answered as one, "Hello Dan."
Dan turned to Cathy and said, "We've met, but I don't recall your name."
"I'm Cathy Jenkins."
"It is nice to see you again," Dan said. He stood there not quite knowing what to say. Counting Sandy, five pairs of female eyes were all staring at him. He had no idea who to talk with first.
Sandy looked around at the four women and Dan. It was hard to keep from laughing. She had figured out that Sue was setting up Dan to date Ann. Ellen had already said that she was there to date Dan and it looked to her like Sue wasn't going to stop her. Of course, Sue was dating Dan. Poor Dan was standing there completely unaware that he had just become the sex object on the stud auction block.
Ann looked over at Ellen and then over at Dan. She said, "I would like it if you would come to an unveiling of a painting tomorrow evening. I think it would be great if you would bring Ellen with you. It starts at eight."
"You know each other?" Dan asked puzzled by the exchanges of looks going on among the women.
"We just met," Ellen said.
Grinning at Dan, Sue said, "Ellen came here to ask you out. Isn't that nice?"
"Ah," Dan said rather surprised by Sue's comment. He didn't think that Ellen would come there to ask him out. It was more likely that she was on business in the area and had stopped by to chat a little with him. He didn't know what to say.
Looking up at Dan, Ellen said, "She's telling you the truth. I was hoping to spend a little more quality time with you."
Not sure how to interpret that, Dan asked, "Do you want to go to the unveiling?"
"Yes, I think that would be lovely," Ellen said. She looked over at Ann and added, "There's a little drama that I'd like to watch play out."
Ann looked down at her cup. Her face was bright red. Dan looked over at her, at Sue, and then back at Ellen. Totally clueless, he said, "Great. Where should I pick you up?"
"At the Hilton."
Remembering how her dinner invitation had turned out, he asked, "Is your father with you?"
"No," Ellen answered with a smile. The last time that she had asked him to dinner he had been surprised to find that her father had joined them.
"Okay," Dan said. He turned to Sue and asked, "What painting are you unveiling tomorrow?"
"The painting that I did of Ann."
"Oh," Dan said. He knew that he was just a prop for that painting and wasn't all that concerned about it. He noticed Rob watching him and said, "It looks like Rob wants me to head back to the kitchen."
Almost as one, the four women said, "Go on."
Sue added, "The four of us will work out the details for tomorrow night."
"Okay," Dan said looking from one woman to the next. The way they were all watching him made him nervous.
After Dan returned to the kitchen, Sandy stepped up to the counter. She figured that with all four women interested in Dan, that they deserved to have a little better idea about him. She leaned down and asked, "Did you hear what Dan did for Kim?"
Dan hadn't mentioned doing anything for Kim. Considering that Sandy wasn't normally the source for gossip, Sue knew that it had to be something special. She answered, "No."
"Let me tell you a little story," Sandy said leaning against the counter.
Dan and Ellen arrived at Sue's apartment a few minutes before eight o'clock. Ellen was dressed to kill. Feeling a little ill at ease, Dan knocked on the door. He turned to Ellen and asked, "Are you sure that you want to be here? This is just a little gathering of some friends. I'm not even sure why she's making such a big deal out of it."
Ellen smiled at her recollection of Ann's reaction when Sue had suggested that Dan was Ann's perfect man. As far as she was concerned, this had the potential of being a very interesting evening. She said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Okay," Dan said as the door opened.
Pat looked out at Dan and said, "Hello, Dan. How are you doing?"
Ellen stepped back in shock. She did not expect to find a large bald woman wearing biker leathers at the unveiling. Dan said, "Hello Pat. You're looking good as always."
"Don't let Betty hear you say that. She's halfway convinced that you're trying to steal me away from her," Pat replied with a laugh.
Dan turned to Ellen and said, "Pat, I'd like you to meet Ellen. Ellen, this is Pat."
"Hello," Ellen said keeping her distance. She didn't want to admit it, but Pat scared her.
"Hello. Sue said that Dan was bringing a pretty woman with him," Pat said smiling at Ellen. Seeing how Ellen had stepped back, Pat winked and said, "She warned us to keep our hands off of you. She mentioned that you had your eyes on a very special target."
"Yes. Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that there are a lot of eyes on that target," Ellen said.
Pat laughed and said, "That may be truer than you even know. Come in and enjoy yourself. Sue is about ready to unveil the great painting."
Ellen and Dan entered the apartment. The living room was filled with people. Betty walked over to them and kissed Dan on the cheek. Smiling at him, she said, "Hello Dan. Were you trying to sweet talk Pat away from me?"
Dan laughed and said, "Always, but you don't have anything to fear from me. She's not interested in scrawny little men. She prefers strong Viking women."
Betty swept him up in a hug and said, "It is good to see you again. I see you brought a delicate little flower on your arm."
"This is Ellen. Ellen, this is Betty. She is Pat's partner," Dan said.
Ellen looked at the tall strong looking woman. Nodding her head, she said, "It is nice to meet you."
A pair of hands descended over Dan's head and covered his eyes. A voice said, "Guess who."
"I have no idea," Dan said. He recognized the voice, but couldn't put a name or a face to it.
The woman giggled as she removed her hands and stepped around to stand in front of Dan. She said, "Hello Dan. Do you remember me?"
"Sally! What are you doing here?" Dan asked. Sue had introduced him to Sally a month ago. She had been one of the women that Sue had taken pictures of him in various poses with the woman. She had also asked him if he would be interested in dating Sally.
"I couldn't miss the great unveiling of the painting of Ann," Sally said with a giggle.
Dan turned to Ellen and said, "Sally, this is Ellen. Ellen this is Sally."
"Hello, Ellen," Sally said examining Dan's date. Smiling, she said, "I heard you had your eyes on a very special target."
"Yes," Ellen replied wondering about Sally.
Sally smiled at Dan and said, "There are a lot of eyes on that particular target. You could include me in that number."
"You don't say," Ellen said raising an eyebrow. It seemed to her that every woman she had met was either a lesbian or interested in Dan.
"Are you all members of an archery club or are you using some sort of lesbian code?" Dan asked looking around puzzled.
Sally burst out in laugher and answered, "It is lesbian code."
Ellen turned away to keep from laughing. She noticed the paintings on the walls and went over to look at them. They took her breath away. After studying a couple of them, she was glad that she came to this unveiling. It was obvious to her that Sue Adams was a very talented artist.
There was the sound of laughter behind her and she turned to see what was happening. The sudden appearance of Pat beside her startled her. Pat handed her a glass of wine and put an arm around Ellen so that she couldn't move away. She said, "Ann and Sally love each other. They are both bi-curious. Sally openly admits it. Ann denies it. Sue thinks that Dan is the answer for them both. I tend to think the world of Dan and agree with Sue. Of course, the only fly in the ointment is you."
"I guess so," Ellen said wishing the big woman would let go of her. She wondered if teenage boys felt that way when fathers talked to them about dating their daughters.
"What is your interest in Dan?" Pat asked.
Ellen looked at Pat and decided that honesty would be the only thing that satisfied the big woman. She answered, "I want a friend, but I don't want commitment. It was my hope that Dan would be a fun partner in and out of bed. He's so focused on his restaurant that I don't think he's interested in a committed relationship."
"Why Dan?" Pat asked releasing her hold on Ellen.
"My father is a rather wealthy man. Too many men approach me in the hopes of tapping into that wealth. I don't think that Dan is interested in that. When we met, Dan talked to me. He didn't talk to my breasts or to my money," Ellen said. After returning home from Las Vegas, she had thought often of Dan. In their first conversation he had asked for her advice. In the second, he had demonstrated that he had followed it. Dan also reminded her of her father. She looked over at Dan and said, "I really need a friend and I think Dan can be that friend."
"You won't mind if Ann and Sally have their fun with Dan?" Pat asked.
"No," Ellen answered. The giant woman from the restaurant arrived and moved through the room towering over everyone there. Ellen watched her and asked, "What do you know about her?"
"Who? Cathy?" Pat asked. Seeing the affirming nod from Ellen, she answered, "Cathy was a college basketball player. She was a star and led her team to a national championship. If she had been a man, she'd be making millions as a professional player today. Instead she's a coach for a girl's basketball team."
"She's so tall," Ellen said.
"Yes. She's gangly and not very attractive. She's a lonely woman," Pat said shaking her head. There were a lot of lonely women out there in the world. She said, "Betty and I run a bar. Cathy comes in fairly frequently looking for someone to love. She arrives alone and leaves alone."
"That's sad," Ellen said. She looked at Pat and said, "You'd think that women would be more understanding about appearance."
Pat laughed and said, "You would think that."
Interrupting the myriad conversations around the room, Sue shouted, "It is time for the unveiling. Ann, Sally, and Dan! Would you come up here so that you can see the painting?"
Dan stood to one side of Sue while Ann and Sally stood to the other side. Ann was practically wrapped around Sally. The expression on her face was one of fear. She was afraid of what she would see in the painting. She was afraid of losing Sally. Dan rocked from side to side thinking that this was a big production just to show a single painting.
Sue stepped out from between Dan and the other two women. She walked to stand next to the covered painting. The painting was six feet by four feet in size. Track lights on the ceiling were aimed at the painting. She said, "This was an experimental piece. I've tried something very different. As you can see, it is a very large painting. I hope that you like it."
Sue reached over and pulled off the sheet that covered the painting. The entire room fell silent as they looked at the painting. It was a montage of many little scenes tied together through a common thread; that thread being Ann's sexual desires. At the center was a simple portrait of Ann. The expression on her face gave testimony of a woman concerned about her sexuality. There were hints of fear, desire, longing, and need all rolled up into one.
To one side was the image of Ann and Sally hugging with the reserve of lovers greeting each other in public. It was intimate, yet tame enough that their relationship would not be guessed at by most people. The image was soft as if viewed through a filter. There was a feeling that the greeting would turn much more intimate once they were alone.
To another side was the image of Ann, Sally, and Dan together. Ann and Sally stood together gazing upon Dan. The expressions on their faces hinted at the desire they felt for him. Dan was presented as a figure of virile masculinity, but without the expression of machismo that turned so many women away. Instead, there was a gentle protective look on his face. The little tableau suggested that they came to him for sanctuary from a hostile world.
There was the image of Ann with her shirt unbuttoned with Dan running his hand underneath it. The look of raw pleasure on Ann's face was unmistakable. The red flush of a sexually excited woman was obvious. The expression on Dan's face gave the impression of total concentration on her pleasure.
A smaller picture showed Dan kneeling at the feet of Ann looking up at her with adoration. Ann was wearing a long gown and her image was glowing. Almost easy to miss was a ghostly image of Sally wearing a similar gown. She had a hand over a breast and one between her legs.
There was an image of Dan standing with Ann kneeling at his feet looking at his crotch with her hands moving towards him. Behind him, Sally had her arms wrapped around his chest. Her lips were an inch away from kissing his neck. He had a look of bliss on his face. No man would be able to look at that without feeling envy.
There was absolutely no nudity in the picture, but the overall effect screamed unrestrained sexuality. Each little image captured the tension of desires about to be unleashed on an unsuspecting world. The painting was a powerful declaration that nirvana was to be achieved through passion.
Frozen in place, Dan stared at the picture wondering if that was really his image in it. The idea of him as an object of desire shocked him. He had thought that the painting of Diana had been amazing, but this blew that one right out of the water. He swallowed and said, "Oh my God."
"Oh my God," echoed Ann staring at the picture. It had captured her desires so accurately that it was frightening. She tightened her hold on Sally. She wanted to sit down out of fear that her legs would give out on her.
"Jesus," Ellen said staring at the picture. She owned a collection of Andrew Wyeth paintings and would have traded the entire collection in a minute to have that one picture hanging in her home. She looked over at Sue and knew that she was in the presence of a great artist.
Moved far more than she thought possible, Pat said, "It makes me want to watch what happens next."
"Same here," Betty said hugging Pat closer.
Standing alone, Cathy Jenkins stared at the painting with tears flowing from her eyes. Even though she wanted nothing to do with a man, the feeling in the picture had reached out and grabbed her. It spoke to her of desires about to be satisfied. She knew that desire very well. It was the need to be loved by someone.
Sally turned Ann and gazed into her eyes. She leaned over and kissed her lovingly on the lips. In a soft voice, Sally said, "You can have all of that and more, my love."
Sue watched the reactions of the people in her apartment. Satisfied with their reactions, she nodded her head pleased with the painting. She had felt that it was the best she had ever done. She smiled when Pat and Sally slipped out of the apartment holding hands. She went over to Cathy and looked up at the tall woman. With a sly smile on her face, she said, "You're my next subject."
Lazlo Zalezac