That summer Roman was always in love, although the object of his love changed. His encounter with Sallou, prompted by flesh need, still had something of love in his anticipation. Sensitive males are no more intelligent than other kinds at judging the females who attract them, often seeing in the dullest of these, qualities that exist only in the lover’s imagination. And so, before their private adventure, Roman had imagined Sallou lively and even witty, hearing her chat and joke in the kitchen with Myrtis and Sharon and the occasional extra helper. After their meeting he ignored her altogether, to punish her for his mistake in judgment, as well as her crude impertinence at touching his back and teasing about it.

For a few days after the picnic he thought of Adam Davis with an intensity that was a kind of love. Reliving that day in his mind, he altered detail. Now, it was Adam, not Adam’s grandmother, who had made him a present of the flute. “Here, Roman, I want you to have this.” “Thank you, Adam, I shall make music for you.” He did not fancy touching the boy in any carnal way, but he daydreamed situations that made contact between them necessary. Walking in the woods he found Adam sitting on a log, having just sprained his ankle by jumping a stump and landing off-balance. Adam was too brave to cry, but his face wore a look of pain and fear until he looked up and saw Roman approaching. Roman quickly assessed the situation and in a minute had Adam laughing. His love giving him strength, he picked the boy up and carried him in his arms all the way home. He felt Adam’s head against his shoulder. After Adam had been put to bed, and the doctor had come and gone, saying the boy must not walk for a month, Adam had been restless and called for Roman. Roman sat with him and read aloud for hours every day; they became friends and remained friends after Adam’s recovery. A variation of the dream had Adam forgetting Roman when he could walk again but finding nothing contenting in his activities and former friends until he suddenly remembered, reclaimed, and asked to be forgiven by his best friend, Roman.