much like my father, I guess. Both my parents loved life, and loved their family, and it was over for them ‘way too soon. I miss that – I miss the love, and the noise, and the activity – it’s too quiet here now.”

To break the somber mood I gave him back some of what he gave me earlier. “Man, how can it be quiet around here – you must have every cute chick in town chasing you – you’re young, your cute, you’ve got a great job – they must be lined up to get on your dance card, and the only dance they know is the Chicago Horizontal Polka!” he laughed out loud again at that and say “Jeff, you are too much – ‘way too much!”

He stretched his lean, taut body luxuriantly and I watched him closely, feasting my eyes on every graceful movement. He refilled both of our glasses with the Courvoisier and said “What about you? What’s your life been like?”

I said “Nothing as spectacular as that. My father is a union carpenter, my mother is a 4th-grade teacher. I’m the oldest of five, and two of them are still at home. We never had a lot of money, but we were comfortable. My sister graduated with her nursing degree last year, and my brother is working on an engineering degree. My younger sister and brother are still in high school. My younger sister is a violinist, and wants to study music, and my younger brother wants to be an architect – he wants to go into business with my middle brother the engineer, and they want me to be the money man – fat chance of that!”

Tony took a big slug of Courvoisier and said “You are so lucky to still have that – I remember the times all the cousins would come over here, and we would all be running around like wild Indians – all that energy and life and brouhaha. Yes, we had our quarrels, but we are all still family. Trouble is, they have their own families now so they don’t come around as much. I still see them a lot on holidays, but – I want something like that for myself, in my own way.”

This speech chilled me, because it sounded like he wanted to start a family – and that slammed the door shut on my own inclinations, which he didn’t even know about yet. Oh, well…

Tony yawned hugely and said “I guess I better show you where to crash – I’ll take you on a full tour tomorrow when it’s light. The house shows better that way.” We cleared up the remains of dinner and I grabbed my bag and followed him up the grand staircase in the center hall. The balustrades on the marble staircase were brass and crystal, patterned on the sconces in the living room, and each one had a small light in it so the steps were well-lit. When we got to the second floor, he showed me where the bathroom was and then to my room – a bedroom that was almost the size of my entire loft apartment. He said “My room is just the other side of the bathroom, so if you need anything I’m right there. Tomorrow is Saturday, so the housekeeper is off, so we’ll be on our own. If I’m not up by the time you’re ready to leave come get me and we’ll go anytime you want.” He