Chapter 2
He took no notice of my bravado and said, “What are you doing tomorrow?”
“As it happens, I have a very important tuning job. Big and important, actually.”
“How so?”
“You know who Dr. Foster is, right?”
“Full professor. Teaches organ, among other things. That Dr. Foster?”
“The same. He’s also organist and choirmaster at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. Anyway, he has a Steinway Model C in his home studio, and I’m going to tune it tomorrow.”
“Sorry, I don’t get the significance of that.”
“The Steinway Model C is a concert grand piano—it’s over seven feet long, for one thing. For another thing, if he likes the job I do, it might pave the way for me to get the contract for tuning the practice pianos in the music department at the University of North Florida.”
“Really? Does that mean you have to suck his dick as well?”
“Hardly that. It’s well known that both Dr. Foster and his partner, Noah Webster, are held in very high esteem by Dr. Ambrose, the head of the music department at UNF. In a word, they have influence in high places.”
“I’ve heard the name Noah Webster. Is he a cute blond, by any chance? I may have seen him around the campus.”
“So I’ve been told. I think he just finished his master’s this term, or will next term.”
“So, where does this guy live?”
“Avondale.”
“How will you get there?”
“The usual. I’ll take a cab there and back. My fee always includes cab fare both ways.”
“Oh, yeah. I forgot.”
Our conversation turned to gossip about mutual friends and acquaintances, and in what seemed like no time, he stopped the car and announced, “Here we are.”
“At the beach already?”
“You bet. And it’s a gorgeous day. Not a cloud in the sky.”
“That calls for sunscreen,” I said.
“I came prepared.”
“How close, exactly, are we to the beach?”
“We’re in a parking lot about a hundred yards from the surf. Now, get out of the car and pull off that shirt and those shorts.”
“Okay, okay.”
I pulled off my shorts and shoved them under the front seat, hopefully out of sight, since they contained my wallet and keys. Then I removed my pullover shirt and when I stood I could feel the sun on my face.
“Leave that cane in the car.”
“But I’m blind as a bat without it.”
“Josh, buddy, I hate to tell you this, but you’re blind as a bat with it.”
“True, but with it I’m not quite so helpless. It’s the folding one, so I’ll just slip my wrist through its carrying strap.”
“As long as you have me at your side, you’ll never be helpless.”
“Okay, I give up.”
I could sense him standing beside me as he said, “Now put your hand on my elbow and let me be your guide.”
I did as instructed, and I heard a click followed by a chirp from the car as Norm locked it. He led me across the parking lot and down some steps, then I felt sand under my feet and heard the surf
“I wish I could take off my flip-flops,” I said.
“Go ahead. I’m carrying a little bag to put things in.”
I slipped the flip-flops off my feet and handed them to Norm. The sand felt so good between my toes. Between the smell of salt in the air and the sounds of the surf and the sea birds, my senses were reeling. We walked for quite a while, talking about nothing and everything, as friends do.
“Whoa!” he said.
“Say what?”
“About two hundred feet down the beach, heading our way. Twins. Good-looking twins. About our age, I’d say. Brown hair. Lean, muscular bodies, better than well-filled Speedos. Those boys are packing huge weapons.”
“Size queen.”
“Am not—I just appreciate a man who displays well.”
“How can you tell so much from so far away anyhow?”
“Because I’ve seen them on the beach before. Last summer they were here almost every time I was, but they were always with a couple of other guys. This is the first time I’ve seen them alone, and the first time I’ve seen them this year.”
“You sound like you’re in lust.”
“Damn straight. I’m getting half hard just thinking about them.”
“Down, boy.”
“Down, my ass. I’m going to stop and strike up a conversation.”
“Whatever.”
A few minutes later I felt him stop, so I stopped as well.
2
“HI,” NORM SAID. “Nice day, isn’t it?”
“It sure is,” a strange voice with a slight country twang said.