I walk into the small room to find Paul sitting at a desk by the window making a drawing on the i-pad. The text of the book is stored as a text file in his nearby laptop. For a few minutes I watch in silence.
"What's the book about?"
He swiveled the chair around to answer me.
"I just met the author the other day and made the deal with him to illustrate a book about ancient warriors: Romans, Italians, Celtics, Celteberians, Iberians, Carthiginians, Numidians."
"May I have a look?"
Paul opened the finished works. I looked at each of 5 pages for a few seconds.
"I wish I could draw."
He let the comment go so I added that "I'd make a web page and post them but I would still make web pages for a living."
He turned his attention back to an i-pad screen dominated by a colorful drawing depicting armored warriors and added a finishing touch.
I peeked at the watch on my left hand.
"Aren't you going to call it a day?"
"It's a day."
I didn't react to his quip.
"It's six o'clock. You put in a long day."
"I enjoy drawing. It's not work if one love what one does."
"I've heard that."
Of course I heard those words. He had uttered them on a few occasions.
He added, "I just started drawing a couple of hours ago."
I would love to have a job like he has, make my own hours.
"Why the late start?"
"For one thing I had to read the book."
I asked, "and research the equipment of the day."
The one thing I really wanted was a piece of ass or his cock.
Paul saved his drawings and closed the software.
Walking on the road under the darkened sky and stars, we were both deep in thought, at least I was. My fling with Anne Lockwood, though a distant memory, was not a lost memory. We had our moments together but I knew deep down that she meant nothing. Maybe I'll tell Paul about it, if he's curious about my past.
"A penny for your thoughts," he said finally as we took seats on the bottom bench at the football stadium.
