The Flex of the Thumb by James Bennett Page B

got tan, the shade didn’t work at all. The color was too close to the color of my skin. Are you listening to me?”
    â€œIt’s a real interesting viewpoint,” said Vano. Even though Mary was still completely nude, his hooommm was firm and solid. He let his fingers travel gently the three white scars between her shoulder blades, but he was not sexually aroused by her physical beauty.
    â€œI’m trying to explain something to you,” Mary Thorne reminded him. “Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”
    â€œWhat you said was very nice, Mary.”
    Mary sighed. It was a sigh of impatience. She stood up to begin putting on her bra. She lifted the lovely globes devoutly into the 38D Cross Your Heart Playtex Special. She said to Vano, “You’re not very interesting, are you?”
    New questions generated fog, so the answer didn’t come quickly. “No, I guess not.”
    â€œYou’re real agreeable, though. Maybe you can’t expect one with the other.”
    Vano had an idea: “You know what, Mary. I was thinking that you and I should have a date. All we ever do is have sex. If we went out on a date together, we might get to know each other better.”
    Mary Thorne put her blouse on. “Like I was saying, you’re really not very interesting.” Vano watched as she stepped into her white nylon bikini underpants. He couldn’t help but wonder what would be the benefit of being interesting. To be polite, though, he asked, “What should I do about it?”
    â€œOh, I don’t know. Change your major, maybe.”
    â€œI don’t have a major,” Vano informed her.
    â€œWhatever.” She was ready to leave now. “There’s never any telling how long the heat will last. You’re very agreeable, but without being more interesting, I just can’t say. Seeker can come back now.”
    â€œIt’s not Seeker, it’s Beeker. Arnold Beeker.”
    â€œWhatever.”
    When Arnold returned, he had a splint on his right thumb. “What happened?” Vano asked.
    â€œI just came from the health center,” said Arnold. “It turns out I broke my thumb this morning.”
    Vano was geared up to apologize for kicking him out of the room at Mary’s behest, but he decided this more current subject should be the agenda. “How did you break your thumb?” he inquired.
    â€œI broke it in my computer,” was the answer.
    â€œYou broke your thumb in your computer?”
    â€œYes, yes, if you have to know. I broke it in the printer.”
    Vano wondered if this might be the only case on record of a broken thumb by way of an Epson, but it would surely be embarrassing to ask such a question out loud. “I’m sorry,” he said, “that you were kicked out of the room when Mary came. It’s not fair.”
    Arnold was pouting just the same. “You think I haven’t been treated this way my whole life?”
    After Vano apologized a second time, he said, “Maybe you and I should go to the union. I’ll buy your supper.”
    â€œThe cafeteria meals are already paid for with our meal tickets, Vano.”
    After a lengthy delay, Vano said, “I’m pretty sure that was my attempt at humor.”
    â€œHa ha,” Arnold said.
    On the way, they stopped at the union book store. It was Arnold’s mission to seek out the latest installment of New Age Chronicles, while Vano was content to simply browse. The target of this browsing was the large rack of popular paperbacks near the store’s entrance. Some of the books, the kind that might be found in a drug store or discount house, were currently popular. Others had a more traditional popularity.
    Vano’s eyes moved from cover to cover:
    The Jane Fonda Workout Book
    Chariots of the Gods
    Thin Thighs in 30 Days
    Buns of Steel
    The Late, Great Planet Earth
    Why Not You, Why Not Now ?
    Looking Out for Number