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"Then your friend Howard and some of his friends." He put on water for tea. "You are so predictable." "But predictability is so reliable." She nodded. She took mugs down from the cupboard. "I just thought we'd have a few of your people round." "And maybe Pilar," she said. that autumn, for the people Lily knew, to be young in New York. There were lots of jobs for people who didn't feel like doing much. There were always new important people no one had met yet. No price was too high for real estate, and still everyone had money to buy houses at the beach, in the country. A lot ofJohn's friends paid what might turn out to be too much for lofts in TriBeCa on streets that would turn out to be a little too noisy. One night of cocktails would easily cost a third of what a journalist made in a week, but even the journalists had stock in their companies. The summer had eased into autumn, and the autumn was warm and promising and no one thought his luck would end. "Pilar likes you," Howard said that Monday at the Plaza for lunch, the first cool afternoon of the autumn. Lily shrugged. The idea of Pilar made her feel, in a way, optimistic, as if good news were coming. "I liked Pilar. I liked her in that way when you realize you really want someone to be your friend." "Did you like me in that way?" "I liked you a lot," she said. She smiled. She touched his face. There was no risk in touching Howard's face in the Oak Bar at the Plaza. "She's leaving her gallery," Howard said. "She's had a hard year, I guess." "Anyway, I think we'll all make very good friends." Howard was at that point where it's still possible to think business makes for real friendships. IT WAS VERY EASY
cocktail party given by one of John's friends, a trader of soft fruit and drupe. Lily could never bear evenings at the fruit trader's house. There was never a thing to eat but grape salad and apricot slices and nectarine salsa. "I cannot drink another bellini on this man's terrace," Lily said as they left the car in front of the building. John didn't respond. He continued into the building. "I'm going to throw myself off the terrace," Lily said. "Then throw yourself off the terrace," John said. "I know fruit people, John; there's no reason we have to eat grapes on sticks every single time we come." John stopped before getting in the elevator. "Do you want to get
THERE WAS A
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FUGUE #29