Coe Review

shampoo commercial.
"He graduated from the same school I did," I say.
"I thought so."
"What does that mean?"
"I saw your picture. Your 8 by 10. You're the actor Steve went to school
with."
"That's me," I say and I guess she's off the hook. If she saw my picture,
if Steve told her we went to college together, she had too many preconceptions
about my age before she saw me.
"And how do you know Steve?" I say.
"I sit for his daughter sometimes."
"And what do you do with yourself the rest of the time?"
"Oh. This and that."
"Sounds like a very specific life," I say.
She smiles. She has perfect teeth.
"You're almost as handsome as your picture," she says.
"Well, thank you. I love you too."
"I'm very loveable," she says and holds my eyes.
"Are you?"
"I am."
She keeps her eyes on my eyes. If I was another kind of man I might blush,
but I've been around so much that I don't really care. That's my problem. I
just don't care. If Ryan took Jenny in his Lexus convertible and drove away,
I'd carry on like it was just another afternoon.
"So what's the life of an actor like?" she says.
"I wouldn't know."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means I'm not living the life of an actor yet. I do some acting, but I
don't make a living at it."
"Well, I'm sure it must be fun."
"Fun," I say.
"Are you a depressed person?"
"Me? I'm happy all the time. Nothing beats a birthday party to cheer
up my life. Especially a fortieth birthday party."
"I think it's great. Besides, older men are much sexier."
"Are you calling me an old man?"
"Not at all."
"Good. I was almost going to have to throw you in the pool."
She looks across the pool and waves at Brian's ex-wife.
"Feel that," I say and flex my arm for her.
"Very nice."
Adam Berlin 71