"I eat potatoes raw."

(a beat)

"Potatoes make me horny."

(another beat)

"Let's fuck."

And they begin to roll among the potatoes.

I watched until it ended, or rather until someone on the staff changed the cassette shortly before the end. It's a good flick and I recommend it if you can figure out what it is.

The next "feature" was much more basic concatenation of sex scenes, so I left for the sauna--perhaps the only legitimate reason I have for going to the baths. I've liked them since college for their dry heat and the sweat they evoke. One difference is that the school sauna was kept at a much higher temperature. But the main difference between a school sauna and the Washington Baths is that at school you could go naked into it. Here that's not safe.

Anyway, I took a corner and settled in to perspire. The other occupants were a white haired man of 45 to 50 years who had an air of dignity, and an overweight, Jewish business consultant in his late thirties named Lenny. I knew Lenny from a meeting in similar circumstances about six weeks ago. He would be a difficult person to deal with under any circumstances. He has too much intelligence not to imagine the end of any relationship he deals in, and not enough faith to trust that goodwill might persist. I remember him saying, quote, "My self-esteem is not exactly the highest." So though we had talked a goodly while--and not trivial talk, either--he didn't know my name. There is nothing really wrong with him that a change of attitude wouldn't fix. Still, I'm glad I haven't taken responsibility for his therapy.

Well, Lenny put the make on me--all direct and touchy--and I responded out loud: "No thanks, Lenny. I really do come in here to sweat." He has style enough not to have bridled at this, and he continued to touch a neutral part of my knee in a way that signaled truce but not withdrawal.

"That's all right," he said. "I can wait."

"I appreciate the kindness of the offer, but I don't think so tonight."

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