The Drink

(First Nude, 1974--Not Quite Up To Gowland's Standards)

I'd bought a camera for myself at Christmas, a Canon, and I had several lenses. I had seen the film "Blow Up" and knew that was what I wanted to do. I had the Kodak Guide to Better Photography and learned about holding the camera still and when to frame things horizontally and when to frame them vertically. I knew to put the sun at my back. What I learned from other books was not so clear, and Peter Gowland's "Guide to Glamour Photography" had really only confused me. Still, as best I could, I was aping the photos I saw in his book, for I was certain he must be the expert in such things.

I took my camera with me everywhere, shyly making pictures of my family and friends. It was exciting and the photos pleased me, sort of. I mean, they were beginning to look like the ones I saw in the book by Kodak. I still, however, had not reached the mysterious mastery revealed by Mr. Gowland.

The rest of the week following the invitation for a drink by the girl in my Chaplin class was an anxious misery. I had little experience in such things. Rather, I had none. This is what I'd hoped for, I was sure, all those days sitting in darkened theaters watching handsome men pursue the affections of beautiful women with assured sophistication. But unlike the photography, I hadn't gotten a handbook on this. It was exciting enough that she had noticed me, had spoken to me. I relived those few minutes before class again and again, slowing down and exaggerating certain bits of time, enlarging the look in her very brown eyes. But Saturday would bring act two. I needed a script.

"Where're you going?" Mike asked.

"I'm going to meet that girl in the Chaplin class for a drink."

"Now? The Knicks are playing Boston this afternoon. It's a huge game."

"Oh, I'll be back. I'm just going to stop by her work and say hello. It isn't going to take long."

Mike looked dubious about this, and in truth, it felt a little like a betrayal. We had fallen into a routine and did just about everything together. Wednesday's we went to Sonny's Barbecue for the student's discount. On Friday nights from eight to ten, we watched the CBS lineup of shows before going out. Saturdays were basketball. The look in his eye as I left the trailer seemed an evil omen.

Driving to the Coral Reef, I was fairly shaking. What was I doing? I had a girlfriend. I wasn't doing anything, though, I told myself. Hell, I was just saying hi to a girl in my class. It was cool. Everything was cool.

Everything but me. When I pulled into the parking lot, I was already lost. I had never eaten in such a restaurant before. My parents would never have spent this much money on a dinner, and until I met Sherri, the only places I ate out were the Burger King and Frisch"s Big Boy and a small local chain called Taco Tico. I felt scruffy walking in.

But the place was fairly empty this late on a Saturday. When I walked in, I waited at the hostess stand looking around for my new friend.

"Hey," she said. "You're just in time. We can have a drink here if you want, but I just got off, so if you want to come over to my house, I have a bottle of wine. I'd really like to get out of these clothes. I smell like a seafood restaurant."

Jesus Christ, I thought.

"Sure, sure, that's good."

"OK. Did you drive?"

"Yup."

"Well you can follow me home. I'm in the silver car over there. It's not far."

"OK."

I watched her walk across the gravel parking lot and slide into a car I had no name for. I knew American cars made by GM, Ford, and Chrysler. I even knew Volkswagons. But I had no name for this.

I followed her across town to her house in a little wooded neighborhood. The house was small and covered in dark wooden shingles. It made me think of Hobits.

"You've got a nice car," I said. "Is that a Mercedes Benz?"

She looked at me with her head canted to the right. "No, I wish. It's an Audi. Come on."

An Audi? Is that what she said? I'd never heard of that before. I could feel myself beginning to shake and hoped I wouldn't have to ask her if I could use her bathroom.

Inside, she held up a bottle of wine. "You like this?"

I didn't know. I didn't drink wine. I'd never bought a bottle before.

"Oh, sure, that's great."

She brought out a full glass and tinked her glass against mine.

"Cheers. Listen, if you don't mind, I want to take a quick shower. I won't take long. I just feel like a smell. Do you mind?"

"Uh-uh," I mumbled. My mind was racing.