It was several weeks after my Sunday with Alex and the return of my Sunday's with Dan, when my phone rang on a Tuesday evening.
"Hello Sam, its Alex. Did you think about my offer to you?"
"Hello Alex. Yes I did think about it. I also took your gift to Fields and Sid took care of me. He picked a suit, shirts, slacks and shoes for me and he charged me only $300, though I think the actual price was higher. He did spend a long time making sure that the pants had just enough room in the crotch and told me to thank you for sending him such a well endowed customer. As for your offer, I'll give it a try. Is that why you called?"
"Yes Sam. I have a friend who has an extra ticket to the Chicago Symphony for Saturday night. He is an elegant gentleman who has substantial family money. I know you will like his apartment on the eleventh floor of 860 Lake Shore Drive. That's right the Mies van der Rohe building. The symphony tickets are fifth row orchestra just left of center. I know because I've sat with him several times.
"He will send a taxi to your apartment to take you to his place for a glass of wine before the concert. Then it will be a taxi to Orchestra Hall for the performance. After the show it will be a taxi back to his place for whatever you two do. I think it likely that he will want to serve you a cream filled eclair for desert. When you are finished he will call you a cab to take you back home. What do you say?"
"It all sounds grand. Do you know the program so I can be prepared to talk about it with him before and after the performance? After all, I do not want him to think I am not very cultured."
"I have it somewhere. Here it is; Carlo Maria Giulini is conducting Berlioz excerpts from Romeo and Juliet, Mozart Symphony No. 39 the Haffner and Stravinsky's Suite from The Firebird. You should be able to find records of all three pieces with liner notes at your college library. Be sure to know more about the music then the liner notes, he'll be able to tell that you just cribbed from them."
"OK, I'll do it. What time should I be ready and what is his name?"
"The taxi will be at your place at 6:00. His name is Mr. Charlus, not Charles, Charlus. He will tell you about himself when you meet him, he always does."
"Six o'clock Saturday night it is. Here is my address."
"One more thing. He is around 70 years old and as such will not be able to enjoy your sweet ass. This means that you can still keep your regular meeting with Dan for you to get the satisfaction that apparently you have come to need."
"Thanks. I look forward to meeting Mr. Charlus."
I found the recordings of the three pieces and listened to them while studying. I read about them in the Grove Dictionary of Music so I had more to say. I particularly liked the ending of Firebird, the triumphant chords are soul stirring. The Chicago Symphony should make them sound like the world is being reborn.
It was a cool November evening at 6:00 when the taxi arrived and nearly 7:00 when we got to 860 Lake Shore Drive. The concierge called Mr. Charlus and directed me to the elevator. He was there when the doors opened. Alex said he was elegant and that fit him perfectly. He was 5'8" and a trim 165 pounds. He had a full head of gray hair, a pencil thin mustache that matched his gray eyes. I do not know much about clothes but his suit and shirt looked like they were hand tailored.
"You must be Sam. I have heard much about you from Alex and Dan. They say lovely things about you and they were right about your looks. You have beautiful hair and skin. Oh and they both said something about your mouth. But enough of that, come in and let's have some wine before we leave for the concert."
