Episode 31

While Jacqueline and September were spreading out their bedrolls upstairs in the studio, Jill grabbed my arm and pulled me outside under the overhang of the balcony, out of the rain.

"What's the matter with you... ? You're not usually that stand-offish."

"Well ... I'm a bit embarrassed about it but you may have noticed that September is a really pretty girl."

"Yeah, so... ?

"Well, I love you and I'll never regret marrying you but I am a guy and, while I was setting up that last pose, I caught myself looking at her in more than a friendly manner, shall we say."

"Joe, I'm not asking you to be a Man of Ice ... of course, there are times you'll see a pretty girl and your libido will take over. It might even happen that your flagpole stands up to be counted. That's normal ... The very fact that you're telling me this proves to me that I was right to marry you. You're a good person, Joe. Don't ever forget that."

Jane's mind was aflutter. "A date! A date!" she thought, "I can't believe I have a date. How long has it been? Cripes! I don't want to even think about it."

Aunt Jane was normally a very levelheaded person, but meeting Uhuru had thrown her for a loop. The first thing she did when she got home was to jump into the shower and shave her legs. Then she quickly dried herself off and toweled her hair.

She bounced over to her closet to try to find something to wear. "Yuck," she thought, "this usually isn't a problem for me." She finally settled on a light summer print dress.

Aunt Jane wasn't one to put on a lot of makeup or spend a lot of time on a fancy hairstyle so after fluffing and fussing with her hair for what seemed to be an eternity, she finally decided that Uhuru would get her as she was.

She arrived at the Rushmore at 7:30, finding Uhuru in the lobby waiting for her, "My dear, I hope I do not offend you by saying that you look lovely."

Aunt Jane loved the compliment. Uhuru had an 'Old World' politeness that she absolutely adored. He talked of exotic things but contrasted it by describing them in the Queen's English. As for Uhuru, he was captivated by her openness and bright smile.

Aunt Jane suggested that they go to an Ethiopian restaurant near the Rushmore. Jane had never been there before, but had wanted to try something adventurous as well as something from Uhuru's home continent.

The conversation at dinner was polite yet probing at first and then got more and more playful. Jane was swept off her feet as much as he was swept off by her. After dinner, they went to a nightclub for after-dinner drinks.

Midway through their second bottle of wine Uhuru said, "I've had the most wondrous time with you tonight. Um, I hope that I'm not being to forward, but would you care to come up to my room for a nightcap?"