stuck-up and pretentious? I'm
feeling a little uncomfortable."
"This is about Poe , isn't it?" Leah
asked.
Adam sipped his champagne.
Sophia said, "I really hope this version is
as good as the one I saw in Amsterdam last year."
Adam smiled. People turned their heads to
look at them.
"I hope so," Leah said. "But I predict it
will be conventional. Nothing will beat the all gay La
Boheme I saw, set in a gritty Americana street block."
Ward leaned in and whispered, "You're just
talking about Rent , aren't you?"
Leah grinned. "Maybe I am."
Ward said, "Let me tell you, do not mention Angels in America in this town."
Adam cringed.
Sophia frowned. "What do they have against
Mary Louise Parker in Charlotte?"
"The world may never understand," Ward
said.
"Oh, I hope you don't think we're like that,"
a man said, stepping closer to enter their conversation. His eyes
meaningfully looked over Ward, as he added, "Anyone's welcome to
enjoy the opera."
"Thank you," Ward said. He raised his
glass.
"It's our first opera," Leah said. "In
Charlotte."
"We're season ticket holders," the man
said.
Not to be outdone, Adam offered his hand and
said, "We're from New York."
"Don't tourists usually flow in the other
direction?" The man asked, smiling and shaking Adam's hand.
"We're producing a play. A musical, actually.
In Durham."
"A musical. Regional theater? Working the
kinks out?"
Adam nodded. "It's a bit safer. The New York
crowd can be... dangerous."
The man smiled. "The last time I was in New
York I saw, oh, what's the name... Once Upon a Mattress .
Delightful."
Adam nodded.
Ward choked on his drink.
The man patted Ward on the back and said, "I
save the serious theater for here. New York is for escaping. Hey,
didn't I see you in Death of a Salesman in Columbia last
year?"
Ward beamed. "Yes sir, you may have," he
said.
"Where's Columbia?" Leah asked Sophia.
Sophia bumped her.
The lights flashed and the man went back to
his wife.
Adam said, "I'm writing all that down."
Leah rolled her eyes. She followed Adam to
the entrance, walking side by side with Sophia, wondering whether
or not to take her arm, or her hand, or if that would be too
personal for a public space, or too personal, just in general. She
finally settled for brushing her hand against Sophia's back as they
descended the steps. Sophia arched her back. She looked over at
Leah, and looked like she might purr if they were in another
setting.
"Where are we sitting?" Ward asked. "In the
movies they always sit in the boxes."
"These are fourth row house seats," Adam
said.
"Do we need to sit that close at the opera?
They'll spit on us when they sing," Ward said.
"Good. You experience it. You spit on me all
day long," Leah said.
Ward frowned.
"They'll see me if I sleep. They'll get all
offended," Leah said.
"So don't sleep."
"But it's opera. I'm not sure what else to
do."
"Read the subtitles."
Leah perked. "Okay."
They crowded into their row, stepping on
people, apologizing, beginning to sweat already from the cramped
space. Sophia, then Leah, then Adam, then Ward.
"Are we sharing the arm rest?" Sophia
asked.
Leah shook her head. She reached into
Sophia's lap, took her hand, and brought it into her own lap,
linking their fingers together. Sophia scooted closer, putting her
cheek on Leah's shoulder.
"Aw," Ward said.
"Does he really spit on you?" Sophia
asked.
"Only when he sings."
Adam said, "And don't forget, it's a
musical."
The house lights went down. The orchestra
began to play. Leah wondered if she knew anyone in the pit. And
then, with Sophia's fingers stroking along hers, and Sophia
breathing softly to her right, she wondered if she'd follow any of
the opera at all.
* * *
The house lights came up. "Half time," Ward
announced. He bolted for the bathroom.
"Why's he rushing? He's a boy," Leah
said.
Sophia squeezed her hand.
The last hour had been a blur of affection
and German farce. Leah had settled against Sophia's hair until
she'd
feeling a little uncomfortable."
"This is about Poe , isn't it?" Leah
asked.
Adam sipped his champagne.
Sophia said, "I really hope this version is
as good as the one I saw in Amsterdam last year."
Adam smiled. People turned their heads to
look at them.
"I hope so," Leah said. "But I predict it
will be conventional. Nothing will beat the all gay La
Boheme I saw, set in a gritty Americana street block."
Ward leaned in and whispered, "You're just
talking about Rent , aren't you?"
Leah grinned. "Maybe I am."
Ward said, "Let me tell you, do not mention Angels in America in this town."
Adam cringed.
Sophia frowned. "What do they have against
Mary Louise Parker in Charlotte?"
"The world may never understand," Ward
said.
"Oh, I hope you don't think we're like that,"
a man said, stepping closer to enter their conversation. His eyes
meaningfully looked over Ward, as he added, "Anyone's welcome to
enjoy the opera."
"Thank you," Ward said. He raised his
glass.
"It's our first opera," Leah said. "In
Charlotte."
"We're season ticket holders," the man
said.
Not to be outdone, Adam offered his hand and
said, "We're from New York."
"Don't tourists usually flow in the other
direction?" The man asked, smiling and shaking Adam's hand.
"We're producing a play. A musical, actually.
In Durham."
"A musical. Regional theater? Working the
kinks out?"
Adam nodded. "It's a bit safer. The New York
crowd can be... dangerous."
The man smiled. "The last time I was in New
York I saw, oh, what's the name... Once Upon a Mattress .
Delightful."
Adam nodded.
Ward choked on his drink.
The man patted Ward on the back and said, "I
save the serious theater for here. New York is for escaping. Hey,
didn't I see you in Death of a Salesman in Columbia last
year?"
Ward beamed. "Yes sir, you may have," he
said.
"Where's Columbia?" Leah asked Sophia.
Sophia bumped her.
The lights flashed and the man went back to
his wife.
Adam said, "I'm writing all that down."
Leah rolled her eyes. She followed Adam to
the entrance, walking side by side with Sophia, wondering whether
or not to take her arm, or her hand, or if that would be too
personal for a public space, or too personal, just in general. She
finally settled for brushing her hand against Sophia's back as they
descended the steps. Sophia arched her back. She looked over at
Leah, and looked like she might purr if they were in another
setting.
"Where are we sitting?" Ward asked. "In the
movies they always sit in the boxes."
"These are fourth row house seats," Adam
said.
"Do we need to sit that close at the opera?
They'll spit on us when they sing," Ward said.
"Good. You experience it. You spit on me all
day long," Leah said.
Ward frowned.
"They'll see me if I sleep. They'll get all
offended," Leah said.
"So don't sleep."
"But it's opera. I'm not sure what else to
do."
"Read the subtitles."
Leah perked. "Okay."
They crowded into their row, stepping on
people, apologizing, beginning to sweat already from the cramped
space. Sophia, then Leah, then Adam, then Ward.
"Are we sharing the arm rest?" Sophia
asked.
Leah shook her head. She reached into
Sophia's lap, took her hand, and brought it into her own lap,
linking their fingers together. Sophia scooted closer, putting her
cheek on Leah's shoulder.
"Aw," Ward said.
"Does he really spit on you?" Sophia
asked.
"Only when he sings."
Adam said, "And don't forget, it's a
musical."
The house lights went down. The orchestra
began to play. Leah wondered if she knew anyone in the pit. And
then, with Sophia's fingers stroking along hers, and Sophia
breathing softly to her right, she wondered if she'd follow any of
the opera at all.
* * *
The house lights came up. "Half time," Ward
announced. He bolted for the bathroom.
"Why's he rushing? He's a boy," Leah
said.
Sophia squeezed her hand.
The last hour had been a blur of affection
and German farce. Leah had settled against Sophia's hair until
she'd
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