Tallulah Bankhead Slept Here

by Sam Lollar

  Isaac turned away and continued to sob softly. He got up and ran to my bedroom, locking the door behind him.

  “Guys, what’s going on? Why’s he so upset? Aaron, what happened last night?”

  “Mark, you’ll need to ask Isaac,” I said. “Scott, let’s go out to the patio and leave Mark and Isaac alone.”

  “Good idea.” We went to sit on the patio with the ladies. We had a nice little breakfast while the two men stayed in the guesthouse for over an hour. Through the patio doors, we could see Isaac on the sofa and Mark pacing around the room. Finally, Scott picked up the phone on the patio table and rang up the guesthouse.

  Mark answered.

  “Hi, Mark, this is Scott. Is everything all right in there?”

  “I’m not sure, Scott. Isaac won’t say much, but I’m guessing that he and Aaron had sex last night. Could you ask him?”

  Scott leaned over to me. “Did you and Isaac have sex last night?”

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  “Bingo, Mark. That’s exactly what happened. I’ll bet that Isaac is terrified of coming out of the closet to you.”

  Mark hung up rather abruptly, as Scott looked surprised and put the receiver down. “I think they’re going to have a lot to talk about. We may as well get comfortable.”

  Chapter Twenty-six

  The Lincoln Model K

  “I’m sorry we’re going to miss this,” Miss LuLu said, “but Ruby and I are going shopping. Come along, dear. I feel adventurous today. Let’s go in that old Lincoln of mine.”

  “You’re not really going to drive that fantastic car, are you?” Scott asked.

  “Sure. Cars are meant to be driven, as my late husband used to say. So come on, LuLu. Let’s drive that old girl.”

  They took off to go on an exciting adventure while Scott and I remained at the pool. Another fifteen minutes or so passed, and Scott dialed their room again. “Are you guys hungry?”

  Apparently they weren’t. Scott just said okay and hung up the phone. “Well, what to do? You want to go anywhere, Aaron? Do anything?”

  “Like what?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. How about going shopping like the ladies did?”

  “That sounds like a good idea.”

  Scott again dialed the phone. “I’m sorry to keep interrupting, Mark, but Aaron and I are going shopping. Just thought we’d let you know.”

  We went to the garage for the Corvette and headed out. He drove downtown, and we went window shopping. At least it was window shopping for me. Scott seemed to be in a buying frenzy. He bought all kinds of clothes and, to my amusement, several pairs of shoes.

  “I had forgotten that you have a thing for shoes, Scott. How many pairs does this make? A hundred?”

  “Aren’t you clever? Only about twenty or so, give or take a few dozen. I like new styles. You could do with some new shoes, too, Aaron.”

  “I’m sure, but I’m poor, so I’ll have to do with these.”

  “Which shoes do you like? I’ll get them for you.”

  “Why does this sound familiar? Okay, Scott, why do you want to buy shoes for me?” I tried to sound cynical, but inside I was secretly glad he still wanted to buy me things.

  “Jesus Christ, Aaron. You are the most suspicious person I’ve ever known. Have I ever made you do anything for the gifts I give you?”

  “Well, no. I suppose not.”

  “So quit your worrying. Just find some damn shoes.”

  I found a pair I liked and returned to where he was trying on another pair. “Only one pair?” he asked as I sat next to him.

  I went back and found another pair that I liked. I returned to where he was still trying on shoes. “This is all I want, Scott.”

  We left with my two pair and six pair for Scott. I thought it was shamelessly extravagant, but I was beginning to get used to this rich lifestyle. Get whatever you want any time you want it.

  I had been ruminating on my relationship with Rick ever since we got to L.A. and hadn’t talked with anyone about it, so I decided I’d get Scott’s view. “Scott, I have something I want to talk with you about,” I said as we were getting into the Corvette to return to Miss Ruby’s place.

  “Sure, doll, what is it?”

  “Um, I don’t quite know what to say, but I’ve really enjoyed having sex with Mark and Isaac.”

  “I’m sure you did,” he teased.

  “No, I’m serious. I thought if I was in love with Rick, no other man would be tempting to me. But here I am, not only tempted, but actively engaging in sex with other men. What does that mean about me and Rick?”

  “I don’t know. What do you think?”

  “Each passing day we’ve been out here, I’ve thought less and less about him. What do you think that means?”

  “I don’t know. What do you think?”

  “Maybe I’m not actually in love with him like I thought? Maybe it really is just infatuation and not real love? Do you think that could be it?”

  “I don’t know. What do you think?”

  “Maybe I shouldn’t see him anymore. Maybe I should see other people. Or maybe I should not see anyone. I’m beginning to feel like a slut, to tell you the truth. Do you think I’m becoming a slut?”

  “I don’t know. What do you think?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe I am being a little slutty, but does that make me a slut?”

  “I don’t know. What do you think?”

  “Is all this sexual activity telling me that I don’t want Rick? Am I going to become a predator like you’ve said Rick is? And if you say ‘what do you think?’ one more time, I’m going to slug you.”

  “Aaron, you have all the answers. You know what’s troubling you, and you understand why the troubles exist. You also know what to do about them. I can’t tell you what’s right or wrong. I don’t want to tell you to do something and then have it turn out to be wrong. Use your own instincts. If something doesn’t feel quite right, it probably isn’t. Then again, if something feels good, like having sex with Mark and Isaac, then what’s wrong with that?”

  “Since I have these ambivalent feelings about Rick, are you saying I shouldn’t continue to see him?”

  “No, I didn’t say that.”

  “Well, what then? That I should not have sex with anyone else and be faithful to Rick?”

  “I didn’t say that, either.”

  “Damn it. You haven’t said anything. I need some advice here, Scott. Help me.”

  “I’ve already said you have all the answers. Think through your confusion. You’re always so cerebral, Aaron. Now’s a good time to put that trait to work for you. Analyze your situation and make a decision. Only you can decide who or what is best for you. I can’t do that. Rick can’t do that. Ruby and LuLu certainly can’t. Only you can do it.”

  “Sheesh, you’re no help.”

  “I’ve been more help than you realize. Someday you’ll thank me for what I’ve said to you just now.”

  “I’m sure.”

  We drove home about the time the Misses LuLu and Ruby arrived home. We had to ask how the old Lincoln did, and they were most complimentary about its performance. “They don’t make cars like that anymore,” Miss Ruby said. “I’ll tell you, boys, if you want to get attention, drive an old classic like that. Everybody but everybody wanted to get a look at it.”

  “So, guys, what happened with Mark and Isaac?” Miss LuLu asked.

  “Frankly, neither of us knows. We left about two, and they were still in the guesthouse talking. Let’s go look and see if they’re still in there,” Scott suggested.

  We walked onto the patio, and we didn’t see anyone through the guesthouse patio doors. “I guess they’ve gone home, or maybe there’s a body buried in your backyard, Ruby.”

  “Don’t even joke about such things, Scott. You call them right now and find out how they’re doing. And use this phone,” she said, indicating the one on the patio. “I want to hear what’s going on.”

  Scott called
Mark’s number and talked with Mark for several minutes before he hung up. “It looks like Isaac told Mark about his fear of being gay but refused to admit that he’s had sex with anyone. Although he did say that you made a pass at him.”

  *

  “Dad. You mean Isaac didn’t want to admit that you two had sex? That’s…just weird.”

  “Yeah, and it got a lot weirder, believe me.”

  *

  “But Mark knows we spent the night together,” I said. “And it was Isaac who came on to me, not the other way around.”

  “I believe you, but Isaac insists you came on to him and that nothing else happened. He’s saying he doesn’t think he’s homosexual, but that he might have occasionally noticed some feelings of interest when he’s around certain men.”

  “I’m going to call Isaac,” I said, and went to the guesthouse.

  “That’s not fair,” Miss Ruby said. “we want to hear.”

  “I’ll tell you everything, later. Geez.”

  So I called Mark’s house and finally managed to get Isaac on the phone. “What’s going on with you, Isaac? Everyone knows that you and I slept together.”

  “What?” Isaac said after a moment’s pause. “Slept together? What are you talking about, Aaron? Just because you made a failed pass at me doesn’t give you the right to tell everyone that we actually slept together.”

  I was starting to be confused. “Isaac, I’m talking about last night. We slept together.”

  “Last night? Aaron, you may wish that we slept together, but you know we didn’t. I slept on the couch and you slept in your bedroom. If you call that sleeping together, then I guess technically, you’re right. But if you’re alluding to anything sexual, I must insist that you stop spreading rumors.”

  “Isaac, what’s going on? Are you purposely lying to me? Making me feel insane?”

  “I’m not terribly concerned about how you feel, Aaron, but I must demand you stop saying such malicious lies about me. I’m stunned you would take a rejection from me so badly and then have the gall to go gossiping all over the neighborhood about a nonexistent sexual foray. Now Mark thinks I’m as queer as you are, for God’s sake.”

  “Isaac, you and I did go to bed together.”

  “Now, Aaron, I’m flattered you might want to have sex with me, but you know as well as I do that I rejected your pass.”

  “Isaac, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m really getting annoyed by this charade.”

  “I’m really annoyed, too, but by your accusations. The only charade is in your head. Please stop bothering me, or I’ll have to call the police. This isn’t the first time someone has tried to get to my brother through me. It’s never worked before, and it won’t work this time. And if you’re thinking of trying to blackmail me, you can just forget it, because I already told Mark everything that happened last night—or didn’t happen. Just stop spreading rumors, Aaron. Grow up, for Christ’s sake.”

  He hung up. I was so stunned I couldn’t even let go of the receiver. I knew full well we had sex. The towels we used to clean up afterward were still in the hamper, as I discovered when I looked. What was Isaac doing?

  I went to the patio, shaking my head. “What happened, Aaron? Scott asked. “You don’t look so good.”

  “I don’t know what just happened. Isaac said we never slept together. He insists the only thing that happened was I made a pass at him and he ended up sleeping on the couch while I slept in my bed.”

  “That’s pretty weird,” Miss LuLu said. “Did he say anything else?”

  “He sure did. He said he’d call the police if I continued to spread these ugly rumors about him. He said he rejected my pass, even though it was he who came on to me. I just don’t get it. What’s going on?”

  “I think we have a classic case of closet-itis,” Scott said. “I’ll bet Isaac is so afraid of coming out of the closet, he denies even to himself the very things that happen in his life. As far as he’s concerned, these things never really happened. And the farther away from you that he can get, the better things will be for him. And to tell you the truth, Aaron, I think it’s a wise idea to stay as far away from him as you can, also.”

  “At least you do believe me, don’t you?”

  “Of course we do, dear,” Miss Ruby said. “I think Scott’s right. Isaac is not of sound mind, I’m afraid.”

  The phone rang a few minutes later, and it was Mark wanting to talk with Scott. He related the message after hanging up. “Mark says that Isaac told him we weren’t the right sort of people to hang around with. He’s convinced Aaron is after Mark and the only way he can get to him is through Isaac. I guess he’s forgotten Mark and Aaron already went to bed together. But Isaac insists we are ‘riffraff,’ his word, and that they shouldn’t associate with us again.”

  “Is this normal, Scott?” I asked, incredulously.

  “Not by a long shot. I’m betting this isn’t the first time this has happened. Mark said Isaac has stayed out all night before. He’s never pretended to sleep with a woman, but insisted that he slept on the couch or a guest room of a male friend he never saw again. I think this is a pattern with Isaac. I don’t think he’s psychologically balanced.”

  “How creepy,” I said.

  “Yeah, it is, isn’t it? But Mark says he still wants to go out with us again.”

  “I don’t know that that’s such a good idea, Scott,” Miss LuLu said. “Maybe you two should stay away from a nut case like that. I don’t think you can trust Isaac. What if he starts to spread rumors about you two?”

  “Actually, I think Mark runs the show over there. At least it seems that way. Maybe we really don’t have anything to worry about from Isaac. Mark probably keeps him on a pretty tight leash.”

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  The Blue Lincoln

  Scott and I decided to stay in that evening and enjoy the pool. The ladies had no plans either, so the four of us played canasta. We also swam the night away, since the warm weather was holding. I was having a blast, even though I was troubled by my interchange with Isaac.

  A couple of days passed before we heard from Mark again. He apologized to me for what Isaac had said previously.

  “Isaac’s staying with my parents for a few days. I’m getting really tired of his denial of his homosexuality. I’ve tried every way I could think of to get him to accept facts, but now he refuses even to acknowledge the idea he might possibly find some man attractive. But you know what’s weirder yet? He hasn’t claimed to be a ladies’ man. He’s never talked about girls he’s been with. But he’s made up a girlfriend now.”

  He asked if we wanted to go out that evening, and I asked Scott.

  “What do you think? Do you want to see him again?”

  “I really don’t think so, Scott. How about you?”

  “I have to admit I’m hot for him. I do want to see him again.”

  I put Scott on the line, and the two men made their plans for the night. As the ladies were going out for the evening, I was alone, which I didn’t really mind. I was hoping for some peace and quiet after the past week’s activities. I had brought a book from one of my English lit classes, so I planned on reading and going swimming.

  At about ten, the butler came to the patio and said someone wanted to see me in the front hallway. I slipped a robe on over my swim trunks and walked into the house. I was shocked to see Isaac there.

  *

  “What? You mean Isaac came back?” Number Three asked. “Weren’t you scared?”

  “Yes, I was. This whole homosexual thing was still new to me. I didn’t know what was happening or supposed to happen. I began to wonder if all gay men were psychologically unbalanced. Remember back in the sixties, the psychological and psychiatric associations labeled homosexuality as being a mental illness. Was I going to become as unbalanced as Isaac? Yeah, I was scared.”

  *

  “What on earth do you want?” I demanded.

  “I wanted to see you, Aaron. I enjoyed
our time together the other night so much. You’ve been on my mind ever since. I’m really growing to like you. I thought since Scott and Mark are going to be out for the evening, maybe you and I could spend the night together. What do you say?”

  “Not on your life, buster. Just get out of here and go back to wherever you came from. I want nothing to do with you.”

  “Aaron, I’m hurt. What’s got you so upset? I’m sorry I haven’t called in a couple of days, but I didn’t want to call you from my parents’ house in the Valley. I’m still a bit concerned they will find out I’m gay, although the idea really never bothered me.”

  “Let’s take a trip in Mr. Peabody’s WABAC Machine, Isaac, and relive the other night when you lied to Mark about our encounter. You called me a liar and denied having had anything to do with me. Now you want to sleep with me again? I just can’t believe this.”

  “I know you’re upset, but that was just for show. I didn’t want Mark to get jealous of me sleeping with one of his boyfriends, that’s all.”

  “What about your girlfriend at school?”

  “Who? I don’t have a girlfriend any place. Frankly, it’s you I’m interested in.”

  “Isaac, I’m enjoying some peace and quiet for the night. I’m going to go to bed early and read. I don’t want any company at all and would appreciate it if you would not come around anymore.”

  He lunged at me and all but dragged me to the floor as he embraced me and kissed with tremendous force. I was so stunned, I’m sure I stared at him wide eyed in terror. He began groping under my beach robe and slipped his hands inside my trunks before I could disentangle myself from him.

  “Get out of here, now,” I said as I moved toward the phone. “I’m calling the police.”

  “Well, I see someone is playing hard to get tonight. I’ll leave, but I will see you again, Aaron. I’m not letting you go.”