Why I would want to introduce you to a certain man of my acquaintance, I am not sure. For some reason he comes to mind today and since at one time I thought him a fascinating person and a true friend I thought you might like to meet him.
When I think of Larry, the first term that comes to mind is average. He may well be the definition of the average person. He has a college degree, a Bachelor of something or other. Average annual incomes just shy of $60,000 a year, an average wife, home, vehicles and children he hasn't seen in nearly 25 years (from his first marriage). Think of nearly anything that can be classified as average and Larry fit’s the mold perfectly. With one or two notable exceptions, that is. I do not believe Larry’s physical appearance or behavior qualify as firmly average.
In height, I suppose he is near enough to the term. Half an inch shorter and he could qualify as a short man. The loss of ten pounds would place him in the scrawny range. So, as I said, near enough to average in that respect. The interesting aspects of Larry are in his face. He thinks himself to be a cunning man, sly and covert in his thoughts, yet I can tell you he has one of the most expressive faces I have ever seen. There is no doubt about the thoughts running around in his small head (he is a fine boned man) be those thoughts scorn or acceptance, snide or loving, kind or cruel. It is a very easy thing to discern his thoughts, based on his facial expressions. There are his eyes; beady little blue eyes, closely set and not quite so washed out they can be called icy and yet not deep enough a blue to be called true. And his mouth, thin lipped and straight as a Texas highway, is capable of smiling, though he seldom does. The favored expression worn on those lips is a grimace because, you see, most people mistake it for a smile. Predictably, that tickles Larry; he enjoys the feeling that no one can read his thoughts. Nevertheless, there are those of us who can.
He is a vain man, Larry. However, I cannot fault him there. Most of us are, I believe, to some small extent vain. I do wonder though, just what he sees when he stares into the mirror for long drawn out moments. Does he see his face as others do? A face lined with age, his prominent (but straight) nose beginning to droop with age, badly thinning, spiky grey hair that even he in his vanity never stooped to dying. Does he see the deep wrinkles that now incase his beady little eyes because he will not give in to the glasses he should have worn years ago? What of the hoary eyebrows and ears? I believe he knows but refuses to acknowledge the changes time has stamped so clearly on his countenance. I cannot fault his there either because truth be told, none of us want to acknowledge it.
Regrettably, a few things about Larry are not pleasant. He can be one of the coldest people you will ever encounter and that is a strange contradiction because he is also quite capable of caring and concern for his friends and associates. He has no real closeness with his family, though they do maintain a very convincing social front that suggests the opposite and is commendable. He tends to keep his wife out of sight, figuratively speaking, and he excludes her in his normal daily routine whenever and wherever it is possible to do so. Here again, he can be quite concerned and loving one moment and then calling her whore the next. It was this last that put an end to our friendship and turned my fascination to contempt. Pity, I was fond of him.
Larry does have a darker, mysterious side. You can see it in his face when he cocks his chin just so, to the right, and narrows his small beady eyes while keeping his jaw clenched and his thin lips set in a tight line. You can sense his desire (or is it need?) to inflict pain. Emotionally or physically I was never close enough to him to say (I shutter at the appalling thought) nevertheless, it is there. I believe he can be dangerous and I cannot help but wonder, if he is dangerous, is it on the scale of average danger.
Ah well, I suppose by way of introduction this may give you a small impression of the average man as I see him.
There is always hope.
Betty
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