"carlee, do you have any white wine?" she asked, i could barely hear her. i knew that she was really upset.

"i don't think so, but i can go and get some, my drink really has the blaughs anyway." and it did.

as i left though my one and only door, i heard grey talking in his room. i didn't notice him home when i came in, but, i don't look for him anyway. suddenly i was afraid to leave carie in the tub. he was talking to someone, or something, sounded strange.

"hello carlee." it was ms. manasco, coming up the stair.

"hi, ms. manasco, how are you?"

"i'm fine dear, thank you for asking." she was pretty nice.

"is russell ok?" i asked.

"oh, he's great....does mr. grey have company?" she asked with a concerned look in her eyes.

"i'm not sure ms. manasco, he's a strange one." i answered.

"quite." she said, and walked up the stairs to her apartment, never taking her eyes from his door, forgetting that i existed.

the street outside was practically deserted, i drove quickly to the grocery store and bought a bottle of white wine and a can of grapefruit juice. "that'll be $25.00 ma'me." the pleasant cashier said. he was very young, and kind of cute.

"your ass, sir." i returned.

"would you believe $6.50?" he smiled.

"that would be more like it." i responded.

"and you shouldn't leave your car running while you're in here shopping."

"why?"

"someone might steal it."

"it's an '85 and has 200,000 miles on it, i think car thieves would be a little more particular." i smiled. he was flirting with me.

"your name's carlee isn't it?" he asked.

"yes, carlee mccord, but how did you know?"

"leroy talks about you." he answered. god, leroy, i had to figure him out.

"i hope my dear friend only says very nice things about me." i replied.

"i'm andy." he smiled, and i smiled back. i shook his hand.

"better scoot, while my car's still there." i flirted back.

"yes, you'de better." he sounded kind of sexy.

when i returned home, i could here mr. grey, still rambling, he was worrysome. i unlocked the door and carie was sitting in the mayflower chair, combing her hair.

"good bath babe?" i asked.

"wonderful carlee, i feel much better, and thank you for letting me use the tub." the nation was secure, her green eyes shown between the misty brown stands of her hair. my telephone rang, i kept looking at carie, she was better, and a towel became her.

"miss mccord's residence." she answered pleasantly, then she smiled. "no, i'm her neighbor. that's very thoughtful, yes she is very nice, would you like to talk with her, no, no, i'm sure it wouldn't be any inconvenience." carie muffled the phone and said to me--"i think it's your boy friend."

"hello.oh, hi sidney, no honey, i'm fine,thank you, that was carie, my friend. yes, i will see you next week end, and don't worry, i'm fine." carie messed with my butt while i was trying to talk with sidney. i chuckled and looked down at her, she was smiling. "yes, your dad seems very nice sid, and it was sweet of you to call. see you saturday." and i kissed the receiver.

"should i be jealous?" she asked.

"maybe, two boys, very interested in me." i said. carie pulled me into the chair with her and kissed me.

"get into something more comfortable baby, like me." she said as she removed my top, then unsnapped my bra and pulled me tight against her bare chest. carie had the softest skin that i had ever felt, it made me think of what mr. grey had said to me the other night "soft as a bird", i didn't care for that thought though.

i peeled of my shorts and panties and removed my sandels. "i love to watch you undress carlee, i don't think anything turns me on as much." she smiled as she gazed at me intently. her green eyes were cloudy. she stood and walked toward me, held me and kissed me, pushing me backwards toward the bed. when my legs hit the footboard, i told her that i needed a bath.

"not yet carlee, i'm about to explode." she lay on her back on the bed, spread her legs, she was simply beautiful. i got on top of her, she placed her left leg between mine, and i rubbed back and forth on it, it took my breath for a moment. then i lent forward and kissed her belly button; i backed up until i reached her pussy, it was hot and swollen, it smelled like soap, my soap. carie gently stiftened the muscles in her leg and gently placed her hand on my head, stroking my hair. i didn't have to even ask. as i sucked and licked and even bit, carie moaned and groaned as only a woman can do. "there carlee! right there, please don't stop...." her orgasm must have lasted three to four minutes, i thought i was going to have one. she thrashed and bucked and moaned. it was a rewarding moment for both of us. i lay in her arms, and there was nothing bad in the world, nor were there anyone else at this time. the sounds from inside and outside abated as we stared deeply into each others eyes. suddenly a song passed through my mesmerized mind, and old one that dad listened too sometimes, the melody was clear but i was having trouble with the title. it was lovely anyway.

i heard carie at the fridge while i was taking a bath, i had the soap in my hand, just smelling it's boquet. "do you want me to open this can of juice and freshen your drink carlee?" she called in to me.

"open it, but empty my glass, i'll make a new one when i get out." i answered.

"can i do your back?" and she didn't have to ask twice. carie's hands and the hot water felt absolutely wonderful. she soaped my breasts and did them very gently. despite the hot water, my nipples hardened, she washed my legs and feet, and my toes hardened. she had me turn over in the tub, then did my backside, then kissed my shoulder. "i love you carlee." she whispered.

"and i love you"......i said.

feeling very hot and aglow, i dried off and beamed while i watched carie watching me. she was smiling so pretty. my phone rang, and carie asnwered. "hello general mccord, no, she's right here. it's your dad, carlee." i didn't feel right talking to the colonel naked, so i grabbed an old pair of jeans and zipped them up.

"hi there." i said.

"hi princess, listen, do you have to work tomorrow?" he asked.

"yes dad, i do, is it something important?"

"no, dear, not vital anyway, but i do need you to sign some papers for me." he explained. an unusual request, but i told him that i would down there after work if he'd like. "no baby, i'm afraid you'll be too tired, i'll drive up there."

"what kind of papers do you want me to sign soldier?" i asked.

"oh, just some legal stuff, no big deal, but i must have your signature before midnight tomorrow." he replied.

"see you then i guess."

"get some rest." he snapped.

"love you." then a dial tone.

"what's up babe?" carie asked.

"gosh, i'm not exactly sure, but dad is coming up tomorrow evening, he needs my signature on something."

"good, it will be good to see general mccord again carlee." she smiled.

carie quickly finished he wine and said she was sorry, but had to go. she dressed, gave me a peck on the cheek and hurried down the stairs. i suddenly felt very alone.

i finished the drink that had just made and lay down on the bed, in my jeans only. i unbuttoned them and unzipped, slid my right hand down, and moaned slightly as i felt of myself. it was far too restraining though, so i pulled them down past my knees. the bedspread felt wonderful to my backside, the world was quiet as i lay there. as i proded and rubbed i remembered a girl friend of mine long ago describing her clitoris as "the little man under the hood." as i gently lay there exploring that little man, her expression seemed so appropriate. martha was sexy beyond her years, she had taught many of us the joys of sex, of self fulfillment. i thought about martha as i manipulated myself. she had brought me to orgasm with her foot once, it may have been my first, i wasn't sure. i only remember that she was very beautiful, and she tasted good. god, i thought, if it hadn't have been for her, i would never have known about sex. oh, i knew that wasn't true, but the thought felt good to my imagination at this time. i felt an orgasm swelling inside me, i gritted my teeth, awaiting the falls of pleasure, they came quickly, i felt like i was going to explode.

work came early the next day. bob, smiled as i walked in. "good week end carlee?" he asked.

"not bad at all bob, you're as black as ever." i smiled. he did too.

"we're all the same under the skin." he cheerfully replied. i guess he was right.

"get on the job mccord! enough of your loligaging."

"what crawled up his ass bob?" i asked.

"i think he's on the rag carlee."

we laughed out loud. charlie didn't think anything was funny, maybe he was on the rag. typical monday, i spoke gently to my tobacco pans--"good morning darlings, i need to weigh you today." i winked at bob. he smiled broadly.

the first pan weighed 655.004 grams. prior to being in the thousand degree over over night, he weighed 910.002. "gosh bob, freddie lost 254.995 grams last night, maybe we should shove charlie's fat ass in there tonight." bob laughed until he cried. charlie came over and told him to shut up, very loudly, bob looked at him sternly, charlie kept on hollaring at him.

"and you shut up charlie, if you don't think i'll have the naacp down here on your ass before the day's over, you're crazier than you look." bob snapped.

"get the hell out of my lab, both of you, you're fired!! both of you are trouble makers, and i can't stand trouble makers!!" bob pushed me hard, towards charlie. he caught me in his arms.

"sexual harassment!" bob shouted, you're in for some big trouble buddie." i thought charlie was going to have a stroke, and i wasn't sure bob wasn't going too.

"you two have 30 seconds to get the hell out of here, or i'm going to call security. i was concerned about bob.

"fuck him, if he can't take a joke bob." i tried to ease things.

"that son-of-a-bitch is in for a rude awakening carlee."

bob wasn't that easy to calm down. as we left, i pulled the chain over the decom hood, which we were warned would release over a thousand gallons of water in less than three minutes.

"oops, sorry charlie." i said as we left and saw a veritable flood commensing. it was beautiful, simply lovely. i smiled, all the way to the unemployment office.

when we were on the streets, bob laughed- and ask me why i pulled that chain as we left. "i didn't want to leave and let them think i had lost my sense of humor."

"oh, i see."

"besides, i thought they needed to be cooled off." we laughed.

"i can't go home carlee." bob sadly said. i knew why, even though being unemployeed hadn't really hit me yet. "it's not that easy for a black man with two years of college to get another job."

"my last job was at a day care center in new jersey bob." he didn't have much on me. "oh, cheer up black boy, come home with me and we will figure this thing out." bob grabbed my hand and held it tightly, he looked deeply into my eyes and smiled.

"you're a real friend carlee." i think he really meant it.

we ate home made hamburgers and drank rc's and gracefully sat on my veranda over looking central park. it was simply beautiful out, the air was so fresh and clean. bob was reading the want ads while reading and relaxing.

"here's one carlee, a pullman porter. my grandfather was one, retired after 30 years of service."

"can't say he couldn't hold a job." i smiled.

"hey, do you know much about the 'red mile?'" he asked.

"what's that bob?"

"a race track, the trotters, it's not far from here. they open at 6:00, are you game carlee?"

"oh, bob, my dad's coming down this evening, i really can't go tonight." dad, my god, what will i tell him, i can't tell him i was fired. problems, problems--and they're doing hamlet in the park next week, maybe i should apply for the pullman porter job. the phone rang.

"hello?"

"hello carlee, it's me, i'm in the phone booth in the park--you can see me if you look out your window." the voice was vaguely familiar, but not enough to rise to my consciousness.

"who is this?" i asked.

"can i take you to hamlet, i know it's your favorite." his voice became scarey.

"listen, you have to tell me who you are." i demanded.

"trouble? bob asked.

"i'm not sure." i walked over to the window. there was one phone booth in central park, far on the south side. i peered, i could see stringey blonde hair and white skin, leroy, yes, it was him.

"what's the matter carlee?" bob asked.

"shhhh." i replied. "what do you want from me leroy?"

"who's your black friend carlee?"

"that's none of your business." i snapped.

"be nice to me carlee, i've killed for you and i will again, just ask me." he was really scaring me.

"you're dreaming sir. i don't know what you're talking about." i nervously replied.

"you remember that cop who was giving you a hard time in bowling green, and that girl, hazel, that you got in trouble with?" i remembered the cop, he wanted go go to bed with me, and when i refused, he drummed up a phoney charge of robbery, he claimed that a friend of mine (brent) broke in a restaurant and took several thousand dollars. soon after that, he was killed in what they called a high speed chase. hazel was my gf in college, she was found dead in a ditch behind snell hall, raped and sodomized; date rape was what they said, but the investigation was short, and nothing was conclusive--i thought of her for an instant, the became very frightened. bob came and put his arms around me.

"what is it carlee, please tell me?"