Page 120 of Rhymes with Metaphor
The folder contained one of the photos from “Elements”—specifically, of the drawing Reg had made of a blackbird’s head on the sole of Joel’s foot.
“I had to give the artist something to work from,” said Joel.
“What do you mean ‘artist’?You had someone draw this?”
“In a manner of speaking,” said Joel.He bent his knee and carefully removed the white bandage.
On the sole of Joel’s right foot, on his red and swollen skin, was a tattoo of a blackbird’s head.
“Did that hurt?”said Reg.
“Yes,” said Joel.“That was half the reason I did it.”
Reg felt a trace of apprehension.“And the other half?”
“It’s my body,” said Joel.“It’s my life.”
“It is.”
“Could you clean it for me?”said Joel.He pulled a bottle of cleanser from his backpack and handed it to Reg, then he lay back on the settee.
“I wrote all over you that night,” said Reg.“Why did you choose to get a tattoo of that?Why there?”
“It’s me,” said Joel.“A blackbird.Good voice, nothing special to look at.And you drew it on the sole of my foot.So no one can see it, unless I show them.”
“Youarespecial to look at, Joel.”
Reg cleaned the tattoo carefully, moving his thumb in tiny circles over his skin, as though if he rubbed it enough, it would disappear.Joel winced.
“All right?”said Reg.
“Yes,” said Joel.“Keep doing that.”
Joel was becoming aroused, Reg noticed.He continued stroking Joel’s foot.Then he carefully rinsed away the cleanser.He dried his hands on a towel.Joel sat up and kissed him, open-mouthed, and his tongue tasted bitter and sharp.Joel grasped Reg’s hand and guided it across his body to rest on his buttock.
“No,” said Reg.
Joel sighed.
“I’ve done enough to you already.”
“No, you haven’t,” said Joel.“Not yet.”
Reg pulled away.“I have good news.I got you a job voicing a character in an audio play.You won’t be reading by yourself.”He fished in his coat for the card he’d been given.“They’ll need you to start soon.”
Joel read the card, then put it on the coffee table.
“Have you eaten?”said Reg.
“No.”
“There’s last night’s curry in the fridge.I’ll warm it up.”
The subject had been successfully changed, but Reg felt guilty about Joel’s tattoo.Permanent, visible evidence of Reg’s impact on Joel was the last thing he’d wanted.
