The Artist

"There are about two dozen major companies like that in New York and they have a sort of informal association that meets for lunch about a month to keep them up to date on various business developments. Like deadbeat tenant scams, security problems, you know, unusual occurrences."

I started shivering.

"Did you know that a lot of the commercial building have security cameras now, in the elevators and hallways, just like the hotels do? They say it helps prevent break ins. About two months ago one of the guys brought in at CD of a woman running around practically naked in the hall in one of his buildings. He said that she could really shake her tits and her ass. Can you imagine my brother's surprise when he watched that CD on the TV screen over the bar in that restaurant?"

My blood froze. "Harvey," I croaked.

"Wait," he said, "There's more.

"It seems she was banging some artist who was living there in his studio and the building super knew all about it. The super was clearly visible in all the hall videos. Did you know that it's possible to takes videos through a wall now? Well not exactly through the wall but they drill a hole and slip a fiber optic cable through and they can record everything that goes on, on the other side. So with the super's help that's that they did last Thursday. Would you like to see the recording of that Irene?"

"Noooo," I groaned

"Good." He said, "I would have been embarrassed showing it to you. Would you believe that she took on two guys at the same time? It was the slutiest thing I ever saw, more than I ever could have imagined.

Them he turned and left the room. No accusations, no shouting, no questions, no nothing. Not much conversation either over the weekend. Nothing beyond what was absolutely necessary for next five days. I didn't know what to expect and I certainly didn't want bring the subject up.

I was served with the divorce papers at work on Tuesday.

"It didn't take you long to get these drawn up," was my greeting to him when I got home.

"I had months to prepare for this and you made it so easy for me. I suspected something was going on the night you came home late because you were shopping. You were all over me and the guilt was written on your face. I just wasn't sure exactly what was going on, so I played along with you. And the next Thursday, for God's sake Irene, you brought home a hickey, on your tit. Did you really think I didn't see it or that I believed your telling me about my imagination? I just decided to wait until I had some hard evidence before I took action; I wanted more leverage in our divorce settlement. And, boy oh boy, do I have it now."

"But Harvey, after all our years together........."

"Yeah, all our years together and what did they mean when you whored yourself out to pay his rent. No Irene, look at the papers. Accept 'Irreconcilable Differences' and you get twenty grand. One lump sum, enough to start a new life and that's all. Go somewhere, faraway from us, or I file for 'Adultery' and your parents and friends and the whole world gets copies of the DVDs."

I took the money, and my sorrow for what I had done, and I left the world that I had destroyed.