Chapter 16

I dropped Kim and Tess off at Tess' parents' home late in the afternoon on Tuesday. We had taken our time getting back, stopping on the road overnight at an RV park, all three of us relaxed and looking forward to a week without the stress of competition.

I stayed around long enough to say hello to Marlene, help with the luggage, disconnect the Scion from the RV, and, in general, make myself useful to Tess. Tess (and Kim, who was too new to the household to be simply left behind) followed me in the car to the local facility where the RV was to be parked, and then gave me a ride back to my apartment.

It was easy to see, while we were still at Tess' house, that Kim was somewhat in awe of the Henderson estate. Forget your stereotypes about poverty-stricken Asians living in cramped urban apartments or primitive rural huts. For all I knew, Kim was as middle class, back home in Korea, as -- for example -- I was, at home in Raleigh. But Kim (no less than I) had been somewhat overwhelmed by Henderson Manor. (No, they didn't actually call their house that -- but they could have, and nobody would have laughed.)

The poor woman might, in the coming week, be so spoiled by her association with True Wealth that she'd never be comfortable sleeping in a "Traveling Lodge" again.

Actually, I had really learned to like Kim, and I looked forward to our several days together in Chapel Hill almost as much as Tess did. But I was hoping that, once we were finished with the Laconia Savings Bank Classic in Concord, New Hampshire, some graceful means would be found for the three of us to part company.

Kim was delightful company, but, let's face it, living with her in the RV definitely was interfering with my love life. Oh, Tess hadn't cut me off, no. I had no substantive complaints. But we were under the natural constraints of having a guest in the "house." Would you want to go on a honeymoon with your mother-in-law along? (OK, so I'm exaggerating, but you get the idea. Once again, less was more. Or, fewer was better.)

But back in Chapel Hill, Kim's presence was pure pleasure. There was a very nice place to leave her while Tess and I bounced around on my bed in the apartment. There were two nice places to leave her, actually, since we could always just turn Kim loose at Brookdale Country Club and let her play golf until her arms fell off.

After picking up my own car at the apartment and saying a few words to my lecherous landlord, I left, with all my dirty laundry, to spend Tuesday night in Raleigh with my own family. It was strange, because since I'd met Tess I was actually seeing my parents and sisters more frequently than I had in some time.

Probably, it was more a function of having finally graduated than it was Tess' influence. Still, when Tess went home to Mama, I was developing a tendency to imitate her behavior.

Wednesday morning early, however, I showed up at Henderson Manor in time for a breakfast that would have cost $18 plus tip at the Sheraton downtown. Tess' dad was nowhere around -- gone out to refill the coffers, I assumed -- but Marlene sat with the three of us through breakfast and coffee after.

The fact that Tess and Kim weren't in any hurry to get to the golf course didn't mean it wouldn't be a long day. If anything, it meant they had no conflicts on their schedule, and we'd probably be at Brookdale until dark.

Hell, Tess would have stayed for putting practice under the lights on the Club's putting green, if I hadn't convinced her, during our last trip back home, that reading putts under artificial light was bad for one's "game." (Whether that was truth, or a complete fabrication, I had no idea, but Tess bought it, and I got laid that evening about an hour earlier than I otherwise would have.)

Wednesday night, after Tess and Kim had played 36 holes on Course one, the issue of night-putting came up again. Tess repeated my theory to Kim (without attribution) and -- what do you know? Kim bought it, too.

Maybe they both were just tired. Hell, they should have been tired. Guess who else was tired?

When I dropped the women and their equipment off at The Manor, Tess got me alone and said, "I'm bushed. Is it OK if we take a night off?"

I tried to look disappointed, but, after making a vulgar joke about how she shouldn't mention her 'bush' if I wasn't going to see it, I graciously consented.

Hell, the truth is, I was relieved!

However, when I got back to the apartment -- alone -- my landlord was crushed.

Thursday was a re-run of Wednesday, except that the women played 36 holes on Course Two. Kim was absolutely joyful at her good fortune in finding Tess, and in getting access to these two first-class golfing venues.

I wasn't certain that Tess would have done 72 holes in two days, had she been practicing alone. She was far from lazy when it came to practicing, but this pace seemed a little hyper, even for her.

We weren't all that tired, though, on Thursday, and Tess dropped Kim off at home before following me back to my rooms for a little late-afternoon delight.

Kim and Tess had showered at the club after their rounds, but I had not. I showered at home and, emerging from my tiny bathroom, found Tess waiting, bare-assed, on my bed.

"Kim is a sweetheart," I said, "but thank God we've got a few minutes to ourselves!"