affair -  -  , , .
rather -  - .
couple -  - .
sign in -   - .
guess -  - , .
suggest -  - , .
sober -  - , .
retire -  - .
enough -  - .
sigh -  - .
stair -  -  .
stairs -  - .
case -  - , .
sobb -  - , .

 28
 
AN AFFAIR
  
 , 
It happened
 
, , 
or, rather,
 
  
it did not happen
   
    . 
at a hotel in London.
   
 , () 
The kind of hotel
  
  
where couples
 w 
  
sign in as
  
    
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
   
 M.  M. . 
or Mr. and Mrs. Jones.
    
   , 
I was there alone,
 w  
    
so was
 w
   X., 
my old friend X,
   
    (  ) 
whom I hadnt seen
   
 . 
for years.
 
    
I diDnt have to
   
 ,  
tell him that
  
    
I was in the middle
 w  
   
of a love crisis 
   
   (  ). 
he had already guessed.
   
  
Thats why
  w
  
he suggested
 
   () 
moving from the bar
  
   
to one of
 w 
 . 
the private rooms.
  
   , 
Here I told him
   
    . 
what my problem was.
w   w
   , 
He gave me sober,
   
 . 
disinterested advice.
 
    
Hours of tears and
   
   
hand holding later,
  
 ,  
he suggestED that
  
  
we retire
w 
  . 
to his bedroom.
  
  һ, 
I said no,
  
   , 
that it wasnt a good idea,
  w  
      
that I couldnt handle
()    
     
any more complications
  
  . 
in my life.
  
  
Things were
  w
 , a . 
bad enough, I sighed.
   
   
As we made our way
 w   w
  , 
up the stairs,
 
   
he gave me
  
   
his room number
  
   , 
just in case
 
()  . 
I change my mind.
   
   
Will we still be
 w w  
,  
friends, 

a ,  
I sobbed, 
 
   
if I dont
  
?. 
change my mind?.
  
  , 
He gave me a nod
   
   
that could easiLY
  
 , 
have meant No
  
    . 
as Yes.
 
