The Peacock 203

 "My turn?" Carol says coyly.

"As the boys sometimes say, "Dude, you show me yours, then I'll show you mine."

"How dreadfully, how awfully vulgar!"

"Carl's fault", deadpans Melissa.  "His adolescent vocation, you know."

Carl doesn't answer, but his rapidly reddening face already says it all.

"I suppose that was a bit crass", says Melissa.  And it is already clear that that is as close as she is going to come to giving an apology.

"Carol", says Carl, "I understand that during the time of that concert, you were going through some challenges"

"Yes, I was."

Melissa says, "That would have been back in June, 2011."

"What were you doing ten years ago, Melissa?" says Carol.

"Challenges."

"What manner of challenges, dear?"

"Oh, same as you, I guess.  Marriage.  Husband."

"But, Carl", says Carol, "How did you know about my, my difficulties back then?"

"It was in the papers.  During that time, while I was trying to set up a new magazine, I was studying different models of journalism, and so I got hold of some of the London tabloids, as ideas of what I should not do in journalism."  He is smiling sheepishly.

"I suppose I have been rather well-known."

"Famous, I would say", says Carl....