At the sound of Sandburg's squeaky sneakers skidding to a halt on the sidewalk below, Jim smiled then returned to slicing mushrooms for the spaghetti sauce.

A few seconds later, Jim cocked his ear to hear his roommate's steps, which seemed to count themselves out -- ten .. nine .. eight .. seven .... And timing it just right -- three .. two .. one -- Jim jerked the door open and laughed in the startled face of his best friend.

"You're in a good mood."

Jim simply nodded and returned to the kitchen to resume his vegie slicing.

Blair hung up his jacket and backpack, then casting a puzzled look in Jim's direction as he moved, he grabbed a beer from the fridge.

"What's up, man?"

"Nothing much, Chief. Just starting to get hungry waiting for you and had just decided to quit waiting. Glad you could make it."

"Sorry, man. End of the semester. Went out with some of the TA's and adjunct faculty for a coupla drinks. Things went on a little longer than I expected."

"Anything interesting?"

"Jim Ellison gossiping?!"

"Yeah, well... figure it'd be a change of pace over the stuff at the PD."

"I think you'll be disappointed, Jim. Gossip's gossip. You know -- who's doing whom."

"Well, at least you guys say 'whom' when you do them."

"You must be bored."

Blair leaned against the post at the end of the kitchen island, swigging his beer and watching Jim saute' the sliced vegies in olive oil. When Jim began adding pinches of herbs, Blair began peeling the label from his bottle thoughtfully.

"Actually, there was something sort of interesting. Shocked me, I guess. One of the adjunct faculty confirmed a rumor that she had a new girlfriend."

"Shocked, Chief? In this day and age?"

"Well, it wasn't that exactly. It was ... Do you remember meeting Betty at the last faculty party?"

"Hmmm ... not sure."

"She was the one from England. In her late 50's? Teaches film? Short? Thin? Red hair?"

"Red hair. Yes, I remember. Liked her. Didn't she have her teenaged daughter with her?"

"Yep. That was her. And that's just it. She's been straight her whole life; been married, divorced, had been seeing this guy in France on and off, whenever she could get away. Then all of a sudden, bang!"

"Bang?" Jim snickered as he stirred the sauce.

"Cut it out, man," Blair grinned and continued, "She was pretty open about telling her story. Seems she met Rose almost a year ago at a New Year's party. They had a common interest in certain local bands so they started going to see them together once in a while. Betty says she had no idea there was anything ... going on. Then about May she started noticing there was this ... extra 'charge' between them and wondered what it was. And then Rose sort of suggested what it might be .. and I guess she was right because they've been together ever since. Betty's pretty surprised and puzzled by the whole thing. But she decided that she was happy so ... that's the way it was going to be."

"Good for her."

"Yeah, Jim, good for her. But it's just so .. I don't know, surprising. I mean she has gone her whole life -- almost sixty years -- never once thinking a gay thought. I mean she really was still pretty puzzled about it herself, so I guess it's not so strange that I'm puzzling over it. I mean how many people live that long before knowing that sort of thing about themselves? How many people switch orientations at the age of 55?"

"Not many, I imagine."

"That's what I thought. I mean, I thought most people knew their orientations by puberty, or at least by the time they got to college. I guess if you're really bisexual, you might not notice it . . I suppose . . . ."

"Maybe. Maybe some people don't really pay attention . . . ."

"Like maybe they repress?"

"Or are just too busy with the gender they're used to . . . ."

"Anyway, it started me thinking . . ."

"Always a dangerous thing," Jim chuckled.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. I started wondering whether that sort of thing could happen to me?"

And quietly stirring his sauce, not looking over at his suddenly silent friend, Jim asked, "You?"

"Yeah, Jim. What if I go another 20 years before I figure out that there's this whole other side to myself?

"Or you. What if this happened to you? You go along for the next 15 years doing what you've always done. Maybe meeting a handful of tall, red-headed women every year, maybe dating them once or twice. Then, all of a sudden, bang! You discover that you like tall, red-headed men"

Jim smiled as he dropped handfuls of spaghetti into the boiling water and set a timer.

"You're way over the edge, Sandburg."

"But, Jim! If it can happen to Betty ..."

"Tell you what, Chief, I'll just wait 'til the time comes. But if I ever start to notice men, I doubt I'll be looking at tall redheads."

"No?"

"Probably short brunettes."

"Brunettes?"

"Yeah, but if the clue bus doesn't make its stop in time, I'll have to make due with gray."

"Short?"

"Of course, gray hair looks pretty good with blue eyes. Should be OK."

"Blue eyes?"

"Dinner's ready, Chief."

-- finis --