He laughs again.
“Leo Levy,” he says, extending his hand.
“How could I forget?” I blurt. “I’m just flattered you remembered me.”
I stare at this man’s perfect face. I had a dream about him the other day that was not G-rated. I think we were making out in the back of an Edsel, which pretty much sums up the time frame in which I was last intimate with a man.
“Better a slap from a sage than a kiss from a fool,” Esther said about the dream. “And I know you’ve kissed some fools. That dream means something!”
I realize I am staring at Leo.
Speak, Sid, speak!
My mouth is wired shut. What do I say to him?
You... so... pretty. Me want.
Say something, stupid!
“What on earth are you doing here?” I finally ask.
“Well, I saw your show tonight,” Leo says.
“You saw our show?”
“I did.”
“You did?”
“Are you mirroring me?” Leo asks.
“What?”
“It’s an old journalist’s technique. You repeat what the person you’re interviewing just said to trick them into losing track of what they’re saying and eventually give up some good information,” Leo says.
“I’m not doing that,” I say. “You’re just so good-looking I don’t know what to say. I’m all tongue-tied.”
Leo smiles. “That’s very sweet, Sid.”
Sweet. Ugh.
I hold up my cocktail.
“This martini sure has a big mouth,” I add.
He chuckles.
“So?” I continue. “What did you think ofThe Golden Gays?”
“I absolutely loved it,” Leo says. “AlthoughThe Golden Girlswas never my thing, considering I was still in high school when it first aired.”
Kill me.
“But I recently started doing research on a subject I plan to interview, and I started watching the reruns. It’s still very funny, timely and relevant. And each of you was a mirror image of the characters. I enjoyed it more than I can say.”
“Thank you,” I say. “So? Who are you interviewing?”
Mario brings Leo a gin and tonic.
