At Graham's

- I’m not sure, Graham. This place sounds a bit dodgy…  

– Oh, no, no, no… – Andy’s agent shook his small chubby palm in front of his hamster-like face, expressing his agitation.  

– You can’t assume that New York’s mayor would visit some wretched den of cheap dirty pornography…  

– New York’s mayor? – Andy’s eyebrow jerked up.  

– Yes, – Andy’s agent nodded politely, as if telling a trivial trifle, – and other certain well-known people. You’ll be surprised how many of them you’re personally acquainted with...  

Andy’s puckered his forehead, rounding his lips in an overexaggerated gesture of pretended astonishment.  

– You’ve been there too!  

Graham smiled, revealing a set of small glowingly white teeth.  

– Me and Martin…  

– Who’s that? – Andy wrinkled his forehead again. – Your boyfriend?  

– Yes… and I can tell you it’s been quiet a … revelation for both of us!  

– Well done, you two… – Andy shrugged his shoulders and simpered. – I hope you enjoyed it…  

Graham added another sugar cube to his cup and started stirring again.  

– Oh, we certainly did, – he ponderously smiled. – I know, it sounds dubious, but this was rather an unusual experience – far more than a simple act of mating… something out of this land, something… – he stopped stirring, searching for the right words. – I’d say it was both heavenly and hellish…  

I hope you’re not gonna tell me what it was. Just keep it between yourselves...  

– I never fully grasp when you seriously mean it or just joking… -Graham made a short chuckle. – But this time, I couldn’t tale you even if I wanted to. It’s a highly discreet venue, and everything that happens there has to remain in between its thick walls. Its guests have to keep up their good names, you know.  

– Ooh, a secret mystery brothel, ooh, how enchanting! Scooby do, where are you?! – Andy loosened his posture, laughing, sliding down his chair’s back. – I’m sure those old pricks get to enjoy their elite whores… But how is it going to help me? I’ve never had a shortage of decently normal girls! Besides, I’m engaged now… – Andy tried to smirk, but it looked more of a sad sneer. – I can’t do this to Cristine… – he said the last sentence in a fainting voice, which indicated to Graham that his dependable client had been having some negated doubts and remorses.  

– I know you not that type of guy, Andy! You’re an overly confirming fellow. I’d say too honest for a person of your current screen idol display…  

Andy smirked again. This time it resembled a yielding mien.  

– I’m just an actor. I only do what the film director tells me to... That is all..  

Graham looked down at his teacup, meddling with its teaspoon.  

– At times I think, I still face that insecure youngster I’ve met at the very start of his acting career… when was that… eight years ago?! – the four-eyes shuffled his glasses, pondering. – Unbelievable, the time flies at the speed of light, doesn’t it?! – Graham pulled the teaspoon out, accurately putting it on the tray in a perfectly linear way, parallel its silver rims.  

– And the older you get, the faster it flees from you, – the man sighed, probably thinking about himself starting aging.  

Andy kept silent, gazing at his untouched sugarless teacup, compressed between his large palms.  

– Probably…  

By now he slid halfway down the chair, his right leg nervously shaking, the snowy sneaker tapping over the spotless parkette.  

His agent smiled with politeness and began savoring his tea by tiny soundless sips.  

– We are all people, Andy, and we all have our guilty pleasures and special needs. Some have them more special than others. I want you to understand, this place is not about deriving fun from polished prostitution, it is about something far bigger and far more important than just momentary pleasures – suddenly his agent’s voice sounded somewhat aloof and unusually high pitched. – It shall open you up with its golden keys like a long-rusted lock, oiling your soul’s hinges with lustful despair. It shall raise up and free out your divine libido, to create wonderful miracles out of its gleaming crops full of fledgling agony and delight, full of darkness and vibrant light, full of wrath and harmony, full of warmth and scorching fire of your genuine passionate self and the ignited brightness of your lavish selfishness, – with each new word the vibrating voice sounded more and more muffled, as if covered by a shadowy veil of streaming vapour.  

Andy was getting deafened, feeling his awareness shifting somewhere inwards into the depths of his mind. Though he still saw the man talking in front of him, he could barely distinct the words, for they all sounded like a fusion of rain and wind, falling and hitting down the glassy bells of purity with its virgin drops, which sounded like somewhat chaotic yet beautiful tune. The obscured golden keys of his awakened essence emanating repetitive mantra song; repeatedly singing:  

– “You’re a sealed music box..., You’re a sealed music box.. You’re a sealed music box…”