Choices (25 page)

He looked around for a grocery cart with a
child’s seat because he liked to see if he could get everything
except the soup, milk and potatoes in the small area defined by the
size of the average one-year old’s butt. The ice cream invariably
kept him from victory, but each Saturday brought him another chance
to win. He found a cart he liked and strolled past the fruit to the
potatoes, thinking of the Saturday last month that had changed his
life. The day began much like today, much like every Saturday.
After grocery shopping, he had called Barb, Sandra, Jennifer, Sue,
Bob--but Bob was an accident--and finally, Christina. Everyone
except Christina had hung up on him, and he had hung up on Bob.
Christina kept sounding like she was going to hang up, but she
didn’t.

Ronald held his heavy hand to his temple. His
head was really throbbing now. Reaching the waist-high frozen food
section, he bent over the icy air because sometimes, cold air
helped his headaches. He stared at the frozen French-cut green bean
packages and was tempted to hold one up to his head. They had
talked for almost ten minutes. He could still hardly believe it.
Ten minutes! Such a pretty name: Christina. Such a sweet voice.
Ronald had replayed their first phone conversation on his tape
machine so many times he had it memorized.

Hello.

Hi! Who’s This?

It’s me, who’s this?

Christina.

What’s new? How are you?

Uh, fine. Who is this?

Debby.

Debby? Debby who?

You know: Debby!

What number did you want?

Yours.

Okay, I mean really.

Christina, it’s Debby.

(Christina giggles)

Okay, so it’s Debby. What d’ya want,
Debby-Debby?

(She said it like one would say Mary
Jo or Sue Ellen)

I want to have sex with you.

(Silence for four
seconds)

What!

I want to have sex with you. Can I?
Please?

Sure, go right ahead!

(Sound of lighter flicking. Christina
inhales. Exhales. Seems to be going from a sitting position to a
reclining position)

Umm…that’s good. It’s sweet.

Is it?

Yes, delicious.

I’ve never had a dirty phone call from a
female.

(Christina laughs lightly, amused.
Takes another drag on her cigarette)

Better than ice cream. Can I have some
more? Please?

Are you always so polite on your dirty
phone calls?

Is this dirty? Should I stop? I will if
you say so.

Nah. I guess not.

Do you enjoy sex with me,
Christina?

It’s everything I thought it would be.
Yeah, sure, why not?

(Silence. Christina’s breathing
natural, steady, maybe a bit slow. Seven more seconds of
silence)

Are you doin’ it?

Doing what?

Are you, you know, doing me?

(Words “Jesus, what a trip!” off to
side, or maybe to another person)

Yes, I am. Do you like it?

I love it, Debby-Debby, but how are you
doing it? Exactly.

Can’t you tell? Don’t you feel my
hands?

Are you using both hands?

Just one, then. Is that better?

Oh, much! But go slower, okay?

Sure darling, whatever you want.

(Silence)

What was that?

(Silence)

Debby?

Yes, darling?

What was that noise? Are you getting off,
Debby?

Yes. Is that okay?

Yeah. I guess so.

(Sound of another cigarette being
lit)

Should I have waited for you?

Well, it would have been…look, I gotta
go.

I’m so sorry. I’ve hurt your
feelings.

I gotta go.

Wait! Please. Christina?

(Silence. But no clicking from a hung
up phone)

What? Really, I’m late. I overslept.
Probably a good thing you called.

Can I call you again?

Again?

Next week, Saturday? I don’t want to
bother you.

(Pause, not long, but not
short)

Yeah, okay, what the hell. Sure,
Debby-Debby, call me next week. Maybe we’ll both get off.

Bye.

(CLICK)

Ronald felt a hand on his arm. He opened his
eyes and turned to face a man with a plastic nameplate on his
shirt.

“Are you alright, sir? You looked a little
pale there.”

“Thanks, I’m fine.”

Ronald rolled his cart toward toilet paper
and finished his shopping within ten minutes. As he walked through
his front door, he looked at his watch. He had a half-hour to go.
Just enough time to put the groceries up, double-check the tape
recorder and change into something more seductive.

The blue dress with the black tights this
time? No, he really must not do that again. He had lost control
last time. It would be different this time. No black tights. The
hole in the crotch was too tempting. At the sound of her voice, he
would be reaching in again to grab himself. No, this time he would
wear the plain panty hose. This time he would converse like a
normal human being.

He shook his head in disgust. How could he
have known that she would let him call back? Usually they just
listen for a while and then hang up. Usually, thought Ronald, it’s
just sex. But this, this feels different. Different how? Like love?
Don’t be an ass. Whatever. He wanted to make it last, and he knew
that love lasted longer than sex. That’s what he always read. As he
heard her phone ring once, twice, three times, he felt his throat
tighten. Maybe she wasn’t home. Maybe she stayed with another woman
last night. Maybe she made love to another lover. Maybe…

Want to read the rest of
Ronald
Debby
? And more? Check out my website,
www.ttthomas.com
for the exact release date of
Sex on A Regular Basis
, and
thank you! You can also find my novella,
Two Weeks At Gay
Banana Hot Springs
on Amazon or Barnes & Noble now.