thatanyonekickaround.Whatisaman’sworsenightmare?Isn’titfindingoutthathiswomanhadbeenunfaithfultohimandhadsexwithsomeoneelse?Ifheisabletoenduresuchshamewithoutreag,heisnotarealman.”

    “No,youdon’tuand”sadViostoppinghisself-righteousupbraid.“It’sbecausehetoleratewhatnonormalmancouldthatmakeshimacutabovetheaverage.IsupposeIshouldreassessmyevaluationoftheman.”

    “There’ssomethingevenfunnier!DimitriresumedhisclosefriendshipwithJamaz,thatbigbckguywhowashiswife’slover,asifnothinghadhappehey’recloserthanbrothers.Don’tyouthinkthat’sstrange?”

    “No,it’snotatallstra’sjustanotherproofofhisslidevasivepsychologyoflife.Butwhenporisbroken,itcouldbemendedandlookgoodasnew,butthecrackwillwaysbethere.Wemustseizeeverycewehave.Wemakeuseofthistobreakuptheirunityforourownpurposes.”JustthenadogbeganbarkingfuriouslyandDimitri’svoioutsidethebuildingsoundedloudandclearintheroom.Mr.FingerandVioexgedalook,greatlysurprised.

    “That’shisvoice.I’msureofit””whisperedMr.Finger.Vionodded.

    “That’sdaringofhim!”shesaid.“Wehaven’tbeeofindhimbuthehasfoundus!That’sgood.Itwillsaveusalotoftrouble.Wewillsettleeverythingtonight.”

    Thesunhadseti.Carsarianswerefewandfarbetween.DimitriheldMaureeninhisarmsandstoodatthecrossroadthinking,“It’salongwayfromheretoCharina’shouse.IfIreturnthisdogtoitsowner,Iwouldhavetowalkquiteadistance.GoingtherewouldbeeasyasIhaveMaureeheway,butingbackwouldbehardandtime-ingasIwouldbeentirelyonmyownwithonlythewhiteeasmyguide.Also,Charinawouldbesuretoaskmetostayfordinnerahediablewewoulddrinkandtalkaboutherfavoritesubject–storiesofwhatisbeyondtheblueskies.Iwouldthenmissmyappoiwiththosetwolittlepeople,therebymissingtheopportunitytotalkaboutourdifferenduheknotthathasbeeweenusforsolong.ButifIletMaureengohomebyhimself,Iamfullyfidenthewouldbeabletodoso,butthatwouldbeirresponsibleofme.Whatifhemeetsthedogcatcherandistakentothepond?HemayevehanasizedifwedoohimihatwouldbeaburdenonmyscethatIwouldn’teverbeabletoresolveinmylifetime.StandingthereDimitriwasinaquandaryanddidnotknowwhattodo.

    Adipidatedpick-uptruckcttereddowreetwitheverysirattlinginunison.ThefamiliarsoundofbrakesbeingappliedsoundedbehindDimitri’ssolitaryfigure,followedbythesoundsofsmmingcardoorsandrunningfootstepsbihgdshouts.

    “Hey,Dimitri,youson-of-agun!You’reback!Whydidn’tyouletusknowaheadoftime?”shoutedonehappyvoice.

    5

    “Damnit,Iknewyourdisappearaothinairwasnotreal.YouleftyourFKingclothesbehindonthegroundintheparkjusttofoolus,right?”saidanotherhoarsevoice.AwarmandhappyfeelingpermeatedDimitri’sbody.Heknewwhotheywerewithoutturninghishead.Theywerehisbestfriendsandlife-longbuddies,RichardandJamaz.Thethreeofthemstoodonthesidewalk,ughingandshoutingiglee,happilysppingeachother’sbadpungeachother’sshouldersaswhileshoutingboisterousobsities.Thelittledogsittingonthegrouleftoutandbarkedinprotest.DimitristoopeddowntopickupMaureenandsaidtohistwofriends,

    “LetmeintroduylittlefriendMaureen.”RichardandJamaztookturnsholdingandkissiledoging,

    “Oh,youarethatpreciouslittledogMaureen.Look

thatanyonekickaround.Whatisaman’sworsenightmare?Isn’titfindingoutthathiswomanhadbeenunfaithfultohimandhadsexwithsomeoneelse?Ifheisabletoenduresuchshamewithoutreag,heisnotarealman.”

    “No,youdon’tuand”sadViostoppinghisself-righteousupbraid.“It’sbecausehetoleratewhatnonormalmancouldthatmakeshimacutabovetheaverage.IsupposeIshouldreassessmyevaluationoftheman.”

    “There’ssomethingevenfunnier!DimitriresumedhisclosefriendshipwithJamaz,thatbigbckguywhowashiswife’slover,asifnothinghadhappehey’recloserthanbrothers.Don’tyouthinkthat’sstrange?”

    “No,it’snotatallstra’sjustanotherproofofhisslidevasivepsychologyoflife.Butwhenporisbroken,itcouldbemendedandlookgoodasnew,butthecrackwillwaysbethere.Wemustseizeeverycewehave.Wemakeuseofthistobreakuptheirunityforourownpurposes.”JustthenadogbeganbarkingfuriouslyandDimitri’svoioutsidethebuildingsoundedloudandclearintheroom.Mr.FingerandVioexgedalook,greatlysurprised.

    “That’shisvoice.I’msureofit””whisperedMr.Finger.Vionodded.

    “That’sdaringofhim!”shesaid.“Wehaven’tbeeofindhimbuthehasfoundus!That’sgood.Itwillsaveusalotoftrouble.Wewillsettleeverythingtonight.”

    Thesunhadseti.Carsarianswerefewandfarbetween.DimitriheldMaureeninhisarmsandstoodatthecrossroadthinking,“It’salongwayfromheretoCharina’shouse.IfIreturnthisdogtoitsowner,Iwouldhavetowalkquiteadistance.GoingtherewouldbeeasyasIhaveMaureeheway,butingbackwouldbehardandtime-ingasIwouldbeentirelyonmyownwithonlythewhiteeasmyguide.Also,Charinawouldbesuretoaskmetostayfordinnerahediablewewoulddrinkandtalkaboutherfavoritesubject–storiesofwhatisbeyondtheblueskies.Iwouldthenmissmyappoiwiththosetwolittlepeople,therebymissingtheopportunitytotalkaboutourdifferenduheknotthathasbeeweenusforsolong.ButifIletMaureengohomebyhimself,Iamfullyfidenthewouldbeabletodoso,butthatwouldbeirresponsibleofme.Whatifhemeetsthedogcatcherandistakentothepond?HemayevehanasizedifwedoohimihatwouldbeaburdenonmyscethatIwouldn’teverbeabletoresolveinmylifetime.StandingthereDimitriwasinaquandaryanddidnotknowwhattodo.

    Adipidatedpick-uptruckcttereddowreetwitheverysirattlinginunison.ThefamiliarsoundofbrakesbeingappliedsoundedbehindDimitri’ssolitaryfigure,followedbythesoundsofsmmingcardoorsandrunningfootstepsbihgdshouts.

    “Hey,Dimitri,youson-of-agun!You’reback!Whydidn’tyouletusknowaheadoftime?”shoutedonehappyvoice.

    5

    “Damnit,Iknewyourdisappearaothinairwasnotreal.YouleftyourFKingclothesbehindonthegroundintheparkjusttofoolus,right?”saidanotherhoarsevoice.AwarmandhappyfeelingpermeatedDimitri’sbody.Heknewwhotheywerewithoutturninghishead.Theywerehisbestfriendsandlife-longbuddies,RichardandJamaz.Thethreeofthemstoodonthesidewalk,ughingandshoutingiglee,happilysppingeachother’sbadpungeachother’sshouldersaswhileshoutingboisterousobsities.Thelittledogsittingonthegrouleftoutandbarkedinprotest.DimitristoopeddowntopickupMaureenandsaidtohistwofriends,

    “LetmeintroduylittlefriendMaureen.”RichardandJamaztookturnsholdingandkissiledoging,

    “Oh,youarethatpreciouslittledogMaureen.Look