sheet or scratch my back. When I lay back I would take great care to place myself slightly closer than I was before. I now found myself lying upon my stomach quite close to him. He smelled freshly bathed; there was a pleasant essence of soap about him.

Finally, I could endure the pressure no longer and throwing caution to the wind, I rose abruptly on my elbows and stared down into his face. He looked up at me with a strangely calm face that confused me even more. For a long time no utterance was made. Then.

"Bob, is it true? Are you really happy with Eve?"

"Very happy."

"She. . er.. satisfies your needs? Physical and mental?"

"Very well, I'd say. Why do you ask?"

I paused shakily for a nerve-wrung moment and then said bravely, "May I tell you a modern tragedy?"

"What is that?"

He lay now with his arms to his sides. Feeling certain that I was seconds away from being severely bludgeoned, I nevertheless dropped my hands on either side of his head and leaned over him.

"I am thinking how terribly sad it is that I am a man and cannot love you, for I would give the world to be allowed to kiss you." When I had said the words, a panic all but overtook me. Now I had said it, I had ruined a friendship that had suddenly become so vital.

But instead of shoving me away, his face, shaped into a strange smile. "All the world?" he repeated. "Then whatever harm is done would be comparatively small, wouldn't it."

"What?" I could not believe what I had heard.

"We will keep it a secret." When he had said this, he smiled gently and his lips rested slightly open. His broad chest rose heavily under me.

It was inconceivable, beyond my most stimulated imagination! Had I interpreted correctly? I dropped my head to see if it were true and his smile did not break but his eyes began to close. Lower, lower I went, each second fearing the contact would come and yet wanting it also. At last it happened. Our lips touched and I was set afire with passion. He did very little to return by febrile emotions. but he never once resisted and it was far more than I had ever dared to dream. Some time later, our lips parted and I lay my face against his and felt his beard rasp pleasantly against mine. I kissed his neck with my fingers spread wide over his hairy pectoral muscles. The night was long but we did not sleep.

It was not until the first faint rays of dawn began to come into the room that we fell asleep exhautedly. As the hour approached noon I was awakened by Bob climbing out of bed and dressing.

"I've got to run," he said to me across the room. "I promised Eve I'd be back by two. I'll see you tonight-with another load of furniture. D'you want me to take you home?"

"It's all right," I muttered groggily. "I want to sleep a bit more. I'll take a cab." "OK. See you later, hear?"

"Goodbye," I said and fell back upon my pillow as his footsteps disappeared down the stairs.

What a strange feeling I had. Surely, I had just passed the loveliest night of my life. Surely, there was no greater thrill in store for Man. But did all that REALLY happen . . . or was it just some never to return, beautiful fata morgana of the night?

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