Lunch with New Man

New Man in today. Very tanned. The Contessa asks him if he's been in Fire Island. Maine, he says, smiling faintly. But that is all the Contessa can get out of him. New Man not very chatty. Closes door to do work in office (not sure at what). Harold comes to visit. Harold an emotionally disturbed young man who likes to visit the school and who has formed a special attachment to the Contessa. Because of the heat (presumably) Harold has taken to wearing very very short cut off jeans.The Contessa stares at her screen, trying to act very busy. New Man calls me in. Dread what ever is to come. Am very pleasantly surprised when New Man asks me to go to lunch so that we can talk about Project over food. He suggests the French Roast. Do not care for French Roast--soup known to have slicks of grease on top--but I say I Would Love to go. Rue the character flaw that prevents me from telling the truth. When the hostess asks whether we'd like to to sit inside or outside, am shockd to hear self say, outside is nice. Outside is not nice at all. Outside at least two hundred degrees. The New Man says, why don't we stay in the air conditioning? When we order drinks, I say iced tea and the new man says Sancerre. Decide to chug iced tea. Do so. Order Sancerre. Cold Glass of wine appears. After first sip find myself becomeing quite charming. But also notice tracheotomy scar on New Man's neck. Can't drag eyes away. Tell New Man the saga of the curtains. Imagine reasons for tracheotomy scar. We talk about Books. Order second round of Sancerres. The New Man likes Pynchon a lot. Oh, me too. I say. Am fairly certain that have never read a word of pynchon. Conversation steered to solid ground: Joan Didion. Very pleasant lunch is passed. Return to office. The Contessa says, "Well, I hope you enjoyed your little date." "Are you upset?" I ask. "I'm not upset, why would I be upset?" I sit down in chair. Head slightly fuzzy. "What happened? "I just got asked out on a date too." "That's great," I say, very loudly. "By who? "By Harold."