Chapter Eleven

David was with another one of his female customers. He was seducing her into signing a contract for him to work on her boat for quite some time. She readily accepted his hopes for a engaging for the long time it stood in making the vessel crafty and insinuated an invite for to have a romantic evening with her now and then on that boat.

But what he didn't know was that this woman – or girl, rather – knew his sister very well from school. She had talked there – more than at home – about him being the empty shell of a man to have as a role model. She therefore thought thoroughly about how he could have tricked her into finding him too attractive to be wanting other men besides him. At the same time, though, she felt a deep attraction from him, something saying that he would be appreciative of her attitudes if she only did give up all other men.

She handled the contradiction by stating:

ـِـ You and I should be into getting laid as easily as anybody!

He smiled at her.

ـِـ Oh, sure. I beat we can really make them appreciate that if we have it!

She smiled back, now scornfully certain that he was a playboy and not the fake idol his sister had described him as.

ـِـ It's fine with me, he said, if we do have some summer's romance. But what if you and me somehow eventually get married?

She looked at him in amazement.

ـِـ Oh, wow!

He smiled again, but without knowing why he suddenly had gotten that idea.

She smiled back, now knowing that he even would appreciate her for being absolutely cunning about him.

At that moment, a male costumer entered his workshop. They both turned their heads towards him. He was tall and almost handsome, but a little too skinny to really be that.

ـِـ Hi, is this the place to have one's car painted?

David gave a shrug and said:

ـِـ I can hardly keep it here, but OK, I'll go to your house and take care of it.

He smiled inwardly before adding:

ـِـ That is if you pay me, of course!

ـِـ I was going to, of course.

The tall man smiled awkwardly when saying it.

The girl in the work-shop looked around for a while. She didn't say anything, but seemed to be feeling somewhat attracted to all the work going on there. The tall man said nothing.

David now turned to her and said:

ـِـ We should finish our business for now! If you like we can sign the first contract already.

She looked at him.

ـِـ Wow, you're really a good-looking man!

The words sounded more like a dumbbell than an appreciation.

David looked puzzled. The tall man stood and looked at him and was puzzled as well.

ـِـ Well, David said, we'll either sign it now, or we can work on it later – whichever you want!

The tall man giggled.

ـِـ Why are you talking to him about him being handsome and not about the contract you were talking about?

She almost laughed out loud at the misplaced repetition of the words talking and about. But she settled for saying:

ـِـ It's all about friendship, isn't it?

Then looking at Dave:

ـِـ You and I should have to appreciate one another during that summer job on my boat.

She indicated with her hand that she wanted to caress him.

David looked annoyed.

ـِـ Either way we have to finish our contract! Either that or I can't be working on it!

She was startled.

ـِـ OK, she said at last.