Significant Others Read Online Free PDF Page B

passion, it seemed only fitting that gay women could. Somebody had to keep the spirit alive.
    Polly slipped her hand around his waist and pressed her freckled face against his shoulder. “I want a wife, Michael. I want one bad.”
    “Yeah, yeah.”
    “Is it because I’m twenty-two? Is that what it is? Were you this way when you were twenty-two?”
    “I was that way when I was thirty-two, but I got over it.”
    She tilted her face toward him. “My friend Kara went to a psychic last month, and she said that Kara’s true love would show up within the month … and that she’d be driving a golden chariot.” “Right.”
    “I swear this is true. Kara met this girl called Weegie last month and they’ve been inseparable ever since.”
    “What about the golden chariot?”
    “She was driving a Yellow Cab!”
    He snorted.
    “Kara called a cab from DV8 and Weegie drove up, and that was it. Wedded bliss. Me … I look and look and end up with some former battered wife who takes me to see The Women at the Castro and hisses at all the sexist parts.”
    “Why are you telling me this?” he asked.
    She hesitated, then said: “Cuz I wanna go to Wimminwood.”
    “Where?”
    “A women’s music festival up at the river.”
    He shrugged. “Go. You’ve got vacation coming. What’s the problem?”
    “Well … it’s next week, when you’re on vacation.”
    He saw her point; that left only David and Robbie to run the nursery.
    “I really wanna go, Michael.”
    “Sure, but …”
    “I’ve talked to Kevin,” she added. “He says he’ll be glad to stand in for me.”
    “Who’s Kevin?”
    She jerked her head toward the greenhouse. “David’s new squeeze. He’s had experience.”
    “He works at Tower Records, I thought.”
    “Yeah, but he’s off next week … and he used to do gardening for an admiral when he was in the navy, and … C’mon, Michael, don’t make me miss this opportunity.”
    He smiled at her. “Thousands of half-naked women going berserk in the redwoods.”
    “No!” she protested. “Some of them are totally naked.”
    He laughed. “You don’t sound like somebody looking for a wife.”
    Actually, she reminded him of himself years ago, relishing the prospect of a weekend of lust at the National Gay Rodeo in Reno.
    David’s new boyfriend stayed at Plant Parenthood for the rest of the afternoon, making himself useful in the fertilizer shed. He was industrious, cheerful and seemingly honest. Michael saw no reason why he wouldn’t serve as an adequate substitute for Polly.
    At four twenty-five, Teddy Roughton called. “It’s late notice,” he said, “but there’s a JO party at Joe’s tonight. I thought you’d wanna know.”
    Michael felt faintly embarrassed. “Thanks, Teddy. I think I’ll pass.”
    “Why?”
    “I don’t know. Those things make me feel … self-conscious or something.”
    Teddy clucked his tongue like a disapproving English matron. “Foolish, foolish boy …”
    “I know, but …”
    “He’s got brilliant visuals, Michael. That chap from the Muscle System is coming.”
    Michael thought for a moment. “The one with …?”
    “That’s riiight. And if that’s not enough for you, Joe’s rented One in a Billion.”
    “Fine, but …”
    “Think about it, at least. All right?” He might have been recruiting for a parish bake sale. “Eight o’clock. Joe’s house. We’ll see you if we see you.”
    The weather was unnaturally balmy at closing time, so Michael took down the top of his VW for the ride home. Tooling along Clement, he marveled at the warm silkiness of the air against his face. This was nothing less than a true summer evening, and the city smelled of steaks and hibiscus. His loins took note of the tropicality and began to lobby for their rights.
    You remember that guy, they said, that stud from the Muscle System with the beer-can dick and the pecs that won’t quit. What would it hurt to sit in the same room with him? O.K., to sit there naked with him