Dr Jew

and not cause a backlash from Mr. Hyde.
    She said, "I was under the impression my husband had taken care of payment."
    "Were you? Well, yes and no. He has proffered his dividend in our little arrangement, monetary and otherwise, but you have your own price to pay."
    She waited, clearly not comprehending. Oh, the innocence of words.
    I said, "Can we have sex now?"
    Now I had given her enough to catch the flavor.
    "What? " she said. "No. Absolutely not. No. Is that what – no. God no."
    She was playing hard to get. I would have to get psychological.
    "Mrs. Simpatico, I was under the impression that you were under the impression that I was cool."
    "My husband couldn't have possibly agreed to this. You're just a sick, perverted, sick, sick man."
    "Oh, tosh. You have me confused with someone who's not me."
    "I am not going to have sex with you. Let me make that clear."
    "Fine. No problem. I didn't really want to go inside your scabby soft parts anyway. I'll just hop on the next plane home – yes, I'm allowed to return to America unlike you, horrid creature – and call it a day. Try the treatment on a more appreciative carrier, I will, and let you crumble while your children watch through a webcam screaming, 'Mommy! Mommy!'"
    "You 're a horrible man."
    "To some. To some I am a great man. Aren't we all?"
    "And if I do this thing –"
    "Yes?"
    "You will cure the Swine-AIDS? "
    "Absolutely."
    Maybe.
    "I suppose it would be a small price to pay to save the afflicted of this horrible disease."
    "How do you mean?"
    "Well, if it works on me I 'll have paid for it to help all humanity."
    "Well, n ot exactly. I am giving you the cure, but I'll retain the formula for now."
    "You 'll – but – but why? If it works… all those people."
    "Will have to pay for their own share."
    "That's horrible."
    "You 've already used that word to describe me. Please think of another."
    "You may as well be butchering them yourself."
    "That's one perspective. You're welcome to it."
    "I can 't believe my husband ever had anything to do with you."
    "Salvation comes from the strangest places, and when it does show, who can look away? I say, are we done with all this dialogue? My little man says he's ready to get started."
    "Your – oh God."
    "Is that a yes?"
    "Listen. Dr. Jew. If I do this –"
    "You will."
    "I want it understood that no one is to ever know about this."
    "You need not have spoken. You have my word, which is good as gold. The video will be solely for my solitary viewing pleasure in my future hours of loneliness and desolation."
    I began to set up the camcorder.
    "Wait, what?" she said. " No . This is where I put my foot down. If that video fell into the wrong hands, the publicity –"
    "Haven 't you heard of doctor/patient confidentiality? No, no, no, it shall follow me to the grave and only be viewed by our ancestors when my grave is opened in 400 years. But among those living today, only your humble Dr. Jew shall gain delight from this footage. I totally promise. Totally."
    "I don 't care about your promises. I just – no, I won't. I don't like cameras."
    "Come, you expect me to believe that your husband, the great film director Sergio Simpatico, doesn't have a cache of similar films lining his cupboards at home? One more for his dear friend couldn't possibly hurt. It's not like I'll use it in my email newsletter – and if I did I would certainly pixelate your features."
    "It would hurt my family if they ever found out."
    "They won't."
    "Still – no."
    "Mrs. Simpatico! It is my condition. Take it or rot! Go hard or go home! The film is rolling. There is the door. Leave if you wish. But once you begin, don't hold back."
    Now is when she made a predictable show of inner conflict that I greedily ignored to check the camera 's angle on the bed and the lighting. All was well.
    "Do I – do I need to sign an agreement?"
    I laughed. "Foolish woman. Words on paper and the law. Do you think any of that belongs in the world you've entered? Cease your babbling and undress. Oh, and since the transmission mechanism of Swine-AIDS is not fully understood, I will be using a doubly thick condom. This may delay my climax."
    "Oh God," she said.
    She mewled some more, but despite her protestations she did as she was told. I have several hours of film to prove it.

XXXIV.

    Dr. Jew was in Mexico with Lise. That was some relief. She was getting worse and something had to end it, and I had confidence in that man, despite his peculiarities. Who