`Greater love hath no man than this: that he lay down his best friend's wife `He than gave me a sincere impassioned
lecture on how I had let my compulsive tie to you limit me in every way, let it starve all the creative and imaginative
selves that would otherwise live.'
`My own theories turned against me.'
`So I shook a Die and Fred and I have been enjoying each other ever since.'
Dr. Rhinehart stopped his pacing and stared.
`Exactly what does that mean?' he asked.
`I'm trying to state the matter delicately so you won't be upset.'
'Thanks a lot. Are you serious?'
`I consulted the Die and It told me to be serious with you.'
`You and Fred are now… lovers?'
`That's what the novels call it.'
Dr. Rhinehart looked at the floor for a while (the realization that it was a new rug registered dimly on his
consciousness), then back up at his wife.
`How about that?' he said.
`It's pretty good, as a matter of fact,' Lil replied, lust the other night 'Er no, Lil, the details really aren't necessary. I'm …
hmmm. I'm . . . well, what else is new?'
I'm enrolled this fall at Columbia Law School.'
`You're what?'
`I gave the dice a choice of several of my lifelong daydreams and they chose that I become a lawyer. Don't you want
me to broaden myself?'
`But law school!' Dr. Rhinehart said.
`Oh Luke, for all your supposed liberation you've still got an image of me as a helpless beautiful female.'
`But you know I can't stand lawyers.'
'True, but have you ever slept with one?'
Dr. Rhinehart shook his head dazedly.
`You're supposed to be heartbroken, distraught, anxiety tilled, helpless, desperate, incompet-'
`Oh stuff that shit,' Mrs. Rhinehart said.
`Did Fred teach you such language?'
`Don't be a child.'
`True,' Dr. Rhinehart said, suddenly collapsing in a heap on the couch - it, he was glad to note, remained the same as
from his old life. `I'm proud of you, Lil.'
`You can stuff that too.'
`You're showing real independence.'
`Don't bother, Luke,' Mrs. Rhinehart said. `If I needed your praise I wouldn't be independent.'
`Are you wearing a bra?'
`If you have to ask, it's not worth asking.'
'The Die told me to re-seduce you, but I can't see even where to begin.'
He looked up at her as she leaned again against her new desk. She was smoking and her elbows stuck out sharply and
she didn't look too mousy. `I'm not in the mood for a knee in the groin.'
Mrs. Rhinehart dropped a Die onto the desk beside her and after looking at it said quietly to her husband: `Out you go,
Luke.'
`Where am I going?'
`Just out.'
`But I haven't seduced you yet.'
`You've tried and failed. Now you're leaving.'
`I haven't seen my children. How is my diceboy Larry?'
`Your diceboy Larry is fine. I told him when he came home from school this afternoon that you might be dropping by,
but he had an important touch-football game and had to rush away.'