Involved in separate accidents. Russel and Finn end up sharing a cubicle in the ER on a busy night. As the hours pass, separately and together, they face issues of life and death, human nature, addiction, perceived shortcomings, love, romance, and sexual arousal.<br><br>Both men are feeling flirty and friendly at first, until they end up in a heated argument about what feature in a man is more important, his face or his body. After some time alone to think, Russel is eager to apologize for losing his temper and to explain where he was coming from. Unfortunately, Finn never returns from surgery, leaving Russel both sorry and worried.<br><br>Is Russel’s chance to make amends really gone? What will happen if the two ever do come face to face again? Can Russel win Finn over or will the need to prove his point screw everything up again?

An Arm and a Leg

“Talk to you later.” He had Dolly with him again, and I wondered if he ever left her behind.


“Okay.” I also wondered when we’d talk and how.


“It’s better to play with more players.” Ruth was already dealing. “But we’ll manage, Lenny.”


I smiled at her, then picked up my cards. The first one was a two of hearts.


We were just about halfway into our twenty-eight-minute trip when I heard a tune, faint, at first, but then louder. It started with numbers. “Five, six, seven, eight.” The previous four not quite loud enough for me to hear, I knew they’d been sung, because I immediately recognized the song. The schlemiel to my schlimazel was paying tribute to the night we met thanks to our own bad luck and clumsiness. I smiled, and hummed along, until half the bus joined in, singing full out. Then I did, too, and so did Ruth. One of us was on pitch. It wasn’t me.


Chapter 22