FICTION
LEONARD MICHAELS
A Girl with
a
Monkey
In
the spring of the year following his divorce, while traveling alone in
Germany, Beard fell in love with a young prostitute named Inger and
cancelled his plans for further traveL They spent two days together,
mainly in Beard's room. He took her to restaurants for lunch and dinner.
The third day Inger told Beard she needed a break. She had had a life
before Beard arrived. Now she had only Beard. She reminded him that
the city was famous for its cathedral and zoo. "You should go look.
There is more to see than Inger Stutz." Besides, she'd neglected her
chores, and missed a dental appointment as well as classes in paper resto–
ration at the local museum.
When she mentioned the classes, Beard thought to express interest,
ask questions about paper restoration, but he wasn't interested. He said,
"You could miss a few more." His tone was glum. He regretted it, but
felt justified because she'd hurt his feelings. He'd spent a lot of money on
Inger. He deserved better. He wasn't her life, but he'd cancelled his plans,
and he wouldn't be staying forever. She didn't have to remind him of the
cathedral and zoo. Such things had been noted in his travel itinerary by
the agent in San Francisco. He also had a travel guide.
Beard had in fact planned to do a lot of sightseeing, but, moments
after he checked into his hotel there was a knock at the door and he sup–
posed it was a bell hop or chambermaid, and he saw the girl. She was
very apologetic and apparently distressed. She'd come to the wrong
room. Beard was charmed, not deceived. He invited her in.
Now, the evening of the third day, Beard said, "I don't want to hear
about your chores or classes." He would double her fee.
Beard wasn't rich, but he'd inherited money and the court excluded
his inheritance from the divorce settlement.
It
was enough money to let
him be expansive, if not extravagant. He'd quit his job in television pro–
duction in San Francisco, and gone to the travel agent. The trip cost
plenty, but having met Inger and fallen in love, he was certainly getting
value for his money until she said, "Please don't tell me what I could do
or could not do. And it isn't a question of money."
