Author's Foreword: I return to the people who DO NOT live next door in this story - although the climax of Part 1 actually did happen.
And again, there are no hot scenes so please read someone else's submissions if that is your forte. Also thanks again for reading my short stories as I continue to teach myself how to write.
*****
Prologue: Article in Harbison Community News: "April 18, 1982. Norman Rounder, an 11-year old star catcher for his peewee league, was hit beside the head with a bat in a freak accident. He was rushed to Greenway Hospital where the attending Physician told this reporter that he had suffered a mild concussion but should be back on the diamond in a few days."
Ten days later their family physician said to his parents, "He has lost 85% of his hearing in the left ear. My guess is that its permanent, and my suggestion is that he quietly begin lip-reading training so that he will appear to be a normal boy when he becomes interested in girls and, later, when he pursues a career. The alternative is to fit him with a bulky hearing aid."
Norman's Mom and Dad were the only two people who ever knew that he had mastered lip reading before he entered high school, where he ultimately was voted both , "'Most Likely to Succeed' and President of the student body."
*****
Norman Rounder and his wife of 10 years, Jill, were dressed to the nines for this gala Christmas Party for local resident alumni of BBA in New York. Snow was blowing outside and the hall was chilly for this annual shindig of 2003, as icy wind found its way into the hall. Fraternity and sorority members of ten years ago grouped together mostly after milling around and chatting with old classmates. The Rounders were talking to Jill's very close friend through the years, and former sorority sister, Susan.
Jill asked her husband, "Darling, will you go back to coat check and get my shawl because I am freezing?"
"Sure, Dear. I will be back shortly."
Norman's return interrupted their intense low-level conversation and he said, "Here you are dear. I am going to find some Frat brothers to chat with."
Neither woman paid any further attention to Norman while deep in their conversation. But he only went to a dark spot a few feet away and turned around to face his wife. He was beside two strangers who ignored Norman. He could see clearly his wife's face. Reading her lips he was shocked and dazed at what she had just said to her Sorority Sister, "Helen, don't tell me you have two men on the string and manage to keep it secret from your husband! Tell me how."
After a pause to listen to her companion whose back was to Norman, Jill continued, "What a clever idea for keeping Jeff from knowing. My pastor and I get it on about twice a month if we are lucky. And he is a hunk. I will tell you something funny that you will appreciate. Both my Hunk and I are non-believers, but I force Norman to go to church with me because I want to see my lover. Norman thinks we are there to worship. And, I am quite sure the whole topic of the Deity is nonsense in my Norman's private mind." Both ladies laughed big over her expose statement.
After another pause, Jill said to Helen, "Oh. I am very active in our church and I am even a Deacon. Hey, look at me I am a pillar of the community as well. Norman was recently promoted National Sales manager of his company at 31 years old. He has worked and traveled 20-hour days to get where he is. I am so proud of him. But that imposes some community obligations on me, as you might imagine. And that reminds me; I have spotted another Hunk in one of the non-profits I work with. Hmm. I just might get invited to his bed using your technique. Thanks for the tip."
Norman was shocked and sick to his stomach so he went to the men's room and sat in a stall to figure out what to do with this new information. He knew she had been cool to him and their two children, 6 and 8 years old, for the past year, but he honestly had thought that it was because she was so busy with her church and non-profit activities. He reasoned that since she hadn't worked in five years and surely had to be busy doing something, she must be busy with her volunteer work. After all, they had a daily Nanny to take care of the children.
He sketched a preliminary plan in his mind, washed his face, and bought a stiff drink from the cash bar. He spotted a group of his Frat brothers chatting, and he walked up to them.
One guy called out, "Hey a celebrity has joined us. I saw your picture in business pages, Mr. Rounder, stating that you had gotten a big promotion. Congratulations!" There were several handshakes and pats on the back as the chatter went on and on until Jill found him to say it was time to go home.
"Jill, if you will hold on just a moment because I want to ask John Massey a question?" He went to the tutor who literally pulled him through engineering school. He was very close to John Massey ten years ago who had been the student everyone affectionately called the' Wizard.' He whispered to John aside from the group, "I would like to buy you dinner soon if you allow me to pick your brain? Say meet me at the Starbucks near West Park at a time of your choosing," as he pressed his business card into John's hand?
John stated a good time and both men shook hands and said good night. He then rejoined his wife and they walked out side by side.
Norman Rounder sat at a Starbucks table awaiting the college friend. John Massey had been the engineering Frat Brother that had pulled all the struggling engineering students through the tough courses. Basically a third of the members were in John's debt for not being washed out of engineering school. This was especially true of Norman who was, as John Massey once said, 'Engineering Challenged.'
Massey came in about five minutes or so late, got his decaf and sat down beside Norman. He said, "Greetings again, Norman. I cannot believe you want to talk about partial differential equations again, did you? Heh heh"
Norman chuckled, "No. Well back at BBA I didn't think I would graduate until you spent all night reviewing previous final exam questions with me. And I never forgot your kindness."
John said, "I remember that. I also remember you paid me well."
"Yes, I had forgotten. But a miracle occurred. I passed the test and the course with a solid C, graduated, got a job designing circuits. But soon I really learned the extent of what I didn't know - i.e., I couldn't design. So they put me into technical sales trainee position and I have done well for the past 9 years, as you know."
"I am very happy for you."
"I asked you to come because I need more tutoring about something unrelated to engineering. I was drinking enough Saturday night to imagine that you might be generous enough to 'tutor' me on some life's lessons ten years later for the price of the best steak dinner you ever had."
"Well, Norman, you gave engineering school the proverbial 'college try 'and succeeded to some extent in spite of your right brain orientation. Let's hear your problem as I am currently alone and have lots of time."
Norman felt much better already and smiling asked, "Since you are still a steak and potatoes and salad bar man, let's go to my country club then."
After both were stuffed and enjoying a coffee liqueur in a nearly empty dining room of the Northside Country Club restaurant, Norman said, "My wife is having an affair - I only found out at the party Saturday night."
John thought for a moment and said, "I am not surprised, Norman. She showed scant interest in you at the party. Beautiful still, as she was for sure in college, but she was a party girl and you knew that before you married her - and it wasn't a shotgun wedding either! Sometimes that kind doesn't ever stop being that kind. And she, being a Number Ten, was always in the crosshairs of the popular Loverboys on campus. Couple that with the modern psychosis many have of only hitting on married women, they really must hit on her now, I suppose."
He replied, "Yeah. You have her pegged exactly right."
John asked, "Are you sure about the cheating, though?"
Norman replied, "Yeah. I was near and stood silently with two guys arguing politics faking participation, while she and a sorority sister talked about the 'men they have on a string.'"
"I am very sorry. You are such a hard working, super guy!"
"John, I read people well - which has made my career blossom and once netted me Jill when the competition for her was keen; plus I have used that same skill in my sales career," as Norman pointed to his custom-made suit and waved his arms to indicate they were in the plushest country club in the city. "
John said, "Of course. Nothing speaks as loudly as the public record. And your dilemma is?"
"I don't know how to tackle a problem like this - just like the advanced circuits final exam all over. My thinking is that John Massey has been divorced twice in 10 years since college, he can help me solve a problem like this; hence, I asked you to be my guest for dinner."
"Actually, Norman, it was three wives in 10 years although one didn't last long enough to count. Heh heh But I can tell you what not to do and what end goal you might consider pursuing visa vie your party girl wife. Interested?"
Seeing Norman's approval, John said, "My first advice is don't seek revenge because nature provides that. The most important reason for that contrary advice is that in the long run you not only don't get your wife's love back, you embitter your children, not to mention yourself."
"W...wait, John, does the correspondent walk away free and she gets to continue to spend my money freely?"
