As she described it...he shook his head, pursed his lips, his face was in obvious pain. His glassy pensive eyes looked past her shoulder, over steam that was rising from his coffee and riding the air between them, making her turn around to see who was there.
No, he was not trying to say anything specific, he said. Only he was going through some kind of damned phase... Damned phase, introspection, call it what she wanted. He was taking a hard look at himself, inside his own person. And the fact was that, did she know what, all in all, whatever the outside, whatever his personal packaging, he didn't think he was, in general, good material. Of any kind.
She said she was tired, and all she said was, 'Oh...'
Well, he went on, he was no bargain when it came to women, and women shouldn't get involved. See, he was...a cracked plate. This was the sad, sad conclusion he'd come to.
'I think you're being too hard on yourself,' she said, 'I really do.'
Look, he went on, maybe he'd shake it off. The mood. Kind of like he was walking in a cloud--depressing mist--that totally enveloped him. He sure damn hoped to shake it off, because the fact was he found it painful to have such a low opinion of himself over something as basic and important as human relationships.
She saw his face crumple again, in obvious pain. She tried to take his hand, but he pulled it away slowly and gently. She watched his hand recede from hers, slowly. He was not worthy, see. He was not worthy even of touching the elastomer fabric of her panties. Not anymore...
And one time, he was always doing that--pulling on the elastomer, removing her panties.
Ins and Outs on the Ups and Downs that include some Notes on the Cut, Thrust and Parry that is part of the Great Game--Sexual Politics. And encompassing too Single Men and Women and the Pleasures of Youth.
