Free On Tuesdays, They Played Mah Jongg by Milton Stern Page A

there were many people who thought Florence was a bit dizzy because she would sometimes get her medications mixed up and become slightly disoriented. This led to her needing a few seconds to be aware of what was going on around her or understanding what people said. She was actually smarter than most people in town, but few took the time to get to know that part of Florence.
    She asked Karl, “Why are you so interested in Hannah?”
    “I don’t know,” he answered. “Just curious, I guess.”
    “Well, if you wanted to know so much about her, why didn’t you ask her out?” she asked.
    He answered, “I never had a chance.”
    Florence sunk slightly into her seat, which at her height almost put her under the table. Karl apologized and asked her if she was insulted.
    “Me? I’m used to it,” Florence said. “When your best friend is tall and gorgeous, with thick black hair, which if you must know she colors, you are bound to get used to this,” she continued. “I have a little confession though. The reason I asked you out was to help my friends with their meddling, and they have no clue about my motives.”
    Karl looked confused.
    “Yes ... you see, Doreen and Rona are worried about Hannah,” she said. “They cooked up this scheme, but they thought I was too dumb to go along, so they didn’t tell me about it, but I have known them for most of my life, and I always know what they are up to. Anyway, ever since Bart died, Hannah hasn’t gone out much. It isn’t because she misses Bart. She misses him like a middle-aged woman misses her period … come to think of it, that is the only good thing about menopause ... anyway, you see, Hannah thinks that she is too old to be having a good time. She thinks that the years have taken away any hope that she has of finding any happiness, and she thinks that she isn’t attractive anymore.”
    Karl said rather assuredly, “Why that is absurd, Hannah is one of the most beautiful women that I have ever seen.”
    “You noticed,” Florence said as she looked up at him with a furrowed brow. “So, what about me?”
    In an attempt to recover, he responded, “Oh ... well ... Florence … you are attractive, and you are a great dancer and very funny … and I really like the way you wear your hair.”
    Florence looked him right in the eye and said, “That is the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me. Really. I mean it. Would you hand me my purse?”
    Karl handed her the purse, and Florence pulled out a bottle of Valium. As she opened the bottle, Karl asked if she really needed one. At the same moment, the piano player in the bar started to sing, “When I Fall in Love.”
    Florence said, “I have just spent the last four hours with the most attractive man that I have ever been out with, who is more attractive than any man I married or slept with, and I am pushing him onto my best friend rather than keeping him for myself.”
    She continued after she put a pill in her mouth and swallowed it with some club soda, “I have done an extremely generous thing. I could have tried to get you into bed ... Not that the thought never entered my mind … and not that it has escaped ... No. I remained true to my friend … I even remained virtuous ... for once ... and all that you have said to me is that I have great hair ... Now, you want to know if I really needed that Valium.”
    Without hesitation, Karl signaled the waiter and ordered another Scotch on the rocks and a martini for Florence.
     

 
    9
    As usual, Michael arrived ten minutes early for his next session and took his usual spot in the waiting area, reading the Advocate . Dr. Mikowsky opened the door to his office and greeted Michael, signaling him to come in. He put the magazine away exactly as he found it, walked into the office and sat on the couch.
    Dr. Mikowsky sat down in his chair, put on his glasses and looked at the legal pad. “So, Michael, last time we left off where your godmother Florence was on a date