Bone Deep

17

Kom had asked to meet with her to talk about Becker, and Karen had responded out of curiosity as much as courtesy. He had his usual mixed manner of forwardness and diffidence, but this time Karen noticed something else, a quality she was unable to define precisely beyond ascribing it to a new intensity.

He hugged her when they met, kissing her on the cheek, then holding on to her a moment longer and releasing her with a decisiveness that somehow conveyed reluctance. He looks as if he draws sustenance from a hug, Karen thought.

"We're great huggers," Kom said, as if reading her thoughts. It was not clear to whom the "we" referred.

"I know," said Karen. "I notice." I I "I guess I'm just very tactile in general. I like to touch, like to be touched… It's not the most masculine of traits, guess. Women don't mind but men are put off by it."

"Men are pretty homophobic generally," said Karen. "They're not very good at expressing their emotions toward each other."

"Which brings me to the reason I wanted to see you other than the fact that it's always a treat to see you. I was thinking about doing something special for John. Something to honor him. A toast or a roast or whatever they call it, some kind of occasion where his friends could get together and let him know that we appreciate him."

Karen's surprise was obvious on her face. "What an interesting idea."

"I mean, look, for one thing, he's been so nice to me. I can't tell you how much it has meant to me that he has consulted with me on this Johnny Appleseed case. He doesn't need me, you've got your own experts, I know that, but still he did it, he invited me into New York, he introduced me to everyone, he had lunch with me-men just don't treat each other like that, Karen, unless there's business involved. I mean, to go out of their way to do the nice thing. I've been very touched by that, and I'm sure that I'm not the only one. There must be many men-people, not just men; women, too-who have been touched by John's decency and generosity of spirit. You can tell me who they are, I'll invite them. And then there's his work. This community is enormously proud of him, you have no idea. We don't know the details, there are stories we hear, you know, probably half true, I know that, but still, he has done such a great service to all of society, not just Clamden certainly, to all of America, and I don't think he's ever been adequately thanked for any of that. Maybe the Bureau gave him medals or something, I don't know, but I know the people themselves haven't ever said anything to him directly."

"It's not something John is very comfortable talking about," she said.

"He ought to be proud."

"He ought to be, but he's very ambivalent about that sort of thing-"

He interrupted with a comment that shocked her. "You-are-lovely," Kom said, holding up his hand as if to stop her. "I've always known you were a great-looking woman, but in animation, when you're involved and talking, you're just stunning. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, I just had to say that. Go ahead. You were talking about John's reluctance to take credit for his work."

In the space of a sentence Karen's view of Kom changed, as if a lens had been suddenly brought into focus. She continued to speak normally, giving no indication that she had even heard his interruption except for a discreet, pleased smile, but from that moment on every nuance of his speech, every glance, every move of his expressive hands, was altered.

His eyes in particular were modified, she thought. Where before she had seen sadness, she now read longing. Where previously she had perceived interest, there was now scrutiny. Where there had been warmth, there was now something stronger, far more personal. At the same time, Karen felt herself change too. She was suddenly and acutely onstage, the object of attention. Although it made her slightly uncomfortable, it also made her excitedly alert. She had been aware of a sexual component in her relationship with Kom-Karen felt certain that there was always a sexual component between men and women, however remote and unfulfilled-but it had seemed to her to be muted and generic, almost a function of politeness rather than desire. Each of them was subtly acknowledging the gender difference without hope or expectation, the same sort of acknowledgment that took place daily, a mutual sizing up and decision to go no farther that bespoke not indifference so much as a choice for infinite deferral.

Kom's comment had changed all of that in an instant, and yet he continued so innocently, so seemingly unaware of the effect of his words, that Karen had some doubts about whether she was not overreacting, indeed if she had even heard him right in the first place.

They spoke for some time about the idea of honoring Becker, but Karen took it in as an aside, a distracting noise in the background. The main conversation, she thought, was not between the masks of civility they wore but between the true faces that lay beneath, and the means of their discourse were no longer the words but the exchange of glances, dancing and testing each other, curious, probative, supplicating and denying by turns.

With a glance at his watch, it was over. Kom rose to his feet.

"This was so nice," he said. "I really enjoyed talking to you. We don't have to make any decisions yet, just consider the idea… but don't mention it to John. I have the feeling he'd scotch the whole thing before it got started if he knew about it."

"He probably would," Karen said, wondering if Kom had intended a double entendre or if she was reading as much into his words as she was into his eyes.

"You'll keep it quiet then?" His eyes were wide, expectant. They appeared so innocent but Karen sensed something elusive in the depths, a deeper, more primitive awareness of what he was really saying. She did not mind.

"I won't lie to him," she said.

"Of course not. Just don't volunteer the information that we've been talking."

Karen hesitated, feeling that her answer would be important in a way that had not yet been defined. Finally she nodded, not willing to actually voice assent.

"Great," he said, beaming. "Terrific. This will be fun, you'll see.

Thanks, Karen. You're wonderful." He held his arms out for a hug and she found herself stepping into his embrace.

This time she was very aware of his body pressing against hers, of the change in his breathing, of the effect his arms had upon her. He held her for a long time and Karen said to herself that she should break it off, that she should be the one to terminate it, but she did not.

When he finally stood away from her the expression on his face was so sweet, so shy and warm and affectionate that she was confused by her reactions.

He gripped her hand, squeezed it, touched her cheek with his fingertips, then left. Karen looked at herself in the mirror, trying to find whatever special radiance he had seen there. Was she so starved for compliments? she wondered. Was her self-esteem so low that a little praise could make her feel as flushed and happily foolish as she felt?

There was no shortage of come-ons at the Bureau, sexual policies notwithstanding. She was attractive, and she knew it. It was confirmed to her daily, although seldom in such a way. The approach was usually direct and unmistakable. Perhaps it was Stanley's circumspection, she thought, his humility. The quality of admiration in his tone, the vulnerability in his eyes. Whatever the source, it was compelling. Not that she would consider acting upon it. Never.

She was still looking in the mirror when Becker came in. She waited through the evening for him to ask her directly about Stanley, but the closest he came was to inquire about her day. She told him the truth, as far as it went, editing out the mundane, the irrelevant, the uninteresting. She always edited, she told herself. Everyone did. It was not the same as hiding.

As she readied herself for bed she asked Becker if he ever gave a spontaneous compliment to someone.

"I compliment you all the time," he said.

"I don't mean me. Would you say something nice to another woman if you were just talking? Women do that all the time, maybe it's just a woman thing."

"I don't know. I would have to know the context," he said. "Probably not, no. I might think she was looking good, I probably wouldn't normally say it out loud."

"That's what I thought."

"Unless I was courting," Becker said.

Karen let the subject drop. From time to time she caught Becker looking at her oddly and told herself that it was her conscience.

Just before turning out the light he said, "I ran into Tovah Kom at the center on my way home."

"Oh?"

"I did- not offer her any spontaneous compliments."

"Were you tempted to say something nice?"

Becker waited for a long time before answering. "No," he said finally.

He snapped off the light.