Ray went through his morning rituals in the guest bathroom. He didn't bother to wrap the towel around him as he tiptoed into their bedroom to get his clothes. He glanced at Maggie lying in the bed, one breast exposed, and quietly walked toward her. He stood watching her sleep for a few moments and then gently reached out to touch the nipple but she pulled away and turned over, mumbling that she needed to sleep. Ray sighed and finished dressing. He inspected himself in the mirror to make sure the collar and tie were straight before quietly closing the bedroom door.
Ray recognized the screename from a "BabyBoomer Chat Room" a few nights ago. He had exchanged a few comments with this "MagicalMuse" and found her quite intriquing. He shrugged and typed in "Sure thing Darlin.' You can sit with me anytime."
"What are doing online this early in the morning?"
"Just checking my stocks."
"Ah, come on, you're not into all that are you? You have better things to do than that."
"Yes, I'm into all that and I like watching my money grow. Of course if there were something or someone here more interesting, I might make better use of my time."
"I noticed your profile said that you were married. Where's your wife?"
"She is sleeping right now."
"Ah, I see. I had thought, from speaking with you, the other night that you would spend your free time doing something creative like enjoying art, music, or perhaps working on a book of your own."
"Well, I have played with the idea of writing, but never did anything with it."
"You should think about it. I bet you have a lot of passion and creativity inside."
"You have it right on the passion, Hon'. Maybe you can tap into that sometime yourself."
"*smile* Perhaps I can."
"Hey, I would love to chat with you some more, but I have to be at a meeting in a little while. I have to run."
"Okay. It was nice chatting with you. Maybe we'll bump into each other again tonight or soon."
"Okay...Later..."
Out of curiosity, Ray pulled up her profile and then compared it to his own:
| Member Profile: | Magical Muse |
|---|---|
| Name: | DREAMER |
| Marital Status: | As Free as the Wind |
| Location: | Omnipresent |
| DOB | Eternal |
| Occupation: | Digital Muse |
| Hobbies: | Inspiring Lost Artists |
| Quote: | "Art Happens-No hovel is safe from it..."
--James A. M. Whistler |
| Member Profile: | Discourser |
|---|---|
| Name: | StingRay |
| Marital Status | Happily Married Flirt |
| Location: | Drowning in Dixie |
| DOB: | Baby Boomer |
| Occupation: | Retail Management |
| Hobbies: | Running; Increasing Assets; Good Books; Inteligent Conversation |
| Quote: | Life is not a dress rehearsal. |
He noticed two police cars pulling out of the gas station as he drove onto the lot. He leaned against his truck waiting for the tank to fill, and casually watched as some commotion was taking place inside. It looked like the owner was about to hit Freddy, and yelled at him about something. Ray put the nozzle back in its place and walked toward the door. Other customers were standing around staring at the argument, and it looked like Freddy might need some help. He heard the owner yell, "You're nothing but a worthless piece of crap! You're not worthy to even have a job in this country!" Ray didn't know what Freddy had did but he didn't deserve to be talked to like that. He walked toward the two men and wanted to know, "What the hell is going on here?" But Freddy, who looked like he would like to vanish, just turned his head and stormed out the back door. They heard the squealing of his tires as he raced away.
"What the hell did he do to make you so mad?"
"He just let some thug come in here and walk away with $500 of my money."
"Excuse me? He was robbed by a thug? What did you expect him to do? Be a hero and die for $500.00? His life is worth a little more than that!" Ray yelled as he threw $20.00 down on the counter for his gas and walked back out.
It took him a while to forget the incident and concentrate on his work that morning, but by the end of the day he found himself thinking about the lady online and hoping he could talk with her again.
