What They Did (1973)

Unpublished short story, later collected in Selected Stories.

WHAT THEY DID

By Charles Deemer

Let us admit from the beginning that they went to the same bad, and not always for sleep; that they could make love to climax, they could embrace in other than the missionary position, and In full daylight, performing even your fellatio, even your cunnilingus, they could go to bed for sex and nothing else. Admitting this, we shall not describe their lovemaking. They did other things as well.

THEY PLAYED POOL 

every Saturday night at the Buckhorn Tavern. Joe had his last load of logs to the mill by early afternoon, his check was cashed by a bartender soon thereafter, and six or seven beers brought out a contented grin by the time he drove his rig home to Edna's awaiting wrath. He kept grinning while she swore at him, telling him that he was late and drunk besides, he had ruined the evening for her, they would be late to the Buckhorn, Mike and Helen would have gotten tired of waiting for them and gone home -- and what the hell was so goddamn funny? Joe's reply was to slap Edna on the fanny as he passed on his way to the bathroom. 

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