Brooklyn was home to the Dodgers, Vince Lombardi, Michael Jordon, and … Anthony Lanunziata, affectionately known as “Antney.” When he wouldn’t study, his mother thought, “I don’t know if that kid will ever amount to anything.” When he didn’t bring girls home to meet Momma, she thought, “Oh my God, my Anthony is gay.”

When the Harvard Law School graduate–hair slicked back, horn-rimmed glasses, dark gray pin striped suit, burgundy tie, and wing tipped shoes—reported for work at Silverman, Katz, Blumberg, and Dupree, Momma’s first concern vanished. Her Anthony was successful!

Enid, his assistant, handed Anthony an embossed, linen Christmas party invitation. “Everyone is expected to attend. Only Mr. Silverman, Mr. Katz, Mr. Blumberg, and Mr. Dupree are excused should they choose.”

With the party only five days away, Anthony asked Enid, “Can you fill me in?”

Enid adjusted her glasses and put her pencil in her beehive hair. With her chewing gum cracking, she said, “Not much to tell. The party is at the Hilton on Sixth Avenue. Everyone is invited. You can bring a guest if you want.”

“I don’t have anyone to bring; perhaps I should just skip the party.”

Enid looked stunned. “Everyone attends, your absence would be the ultimate lack of respect—a slap in the face. Even the partners send someone to represent them.”

Anthony hesitated. “Are you going?”

“Yes, I’ll be there. I usually take my husband who will remind me throughout the evening about the extreme sacrifice he’s making on my behalf.”

“So, you’re suggesting that the party is boring?”

“Pretty much. But we have to go; otherwise the partners will think we’re not team players.”

After reflecting a moment, Anthony said, “Okay, I’ll go … and you can introduce me to your husband.”

****

On Saturday night, Anthony arrived at the Hilton, a fashionable ten minutes late for the party. He had replaced his standard eyeglasses with contact lenses. Anthony greeted several people he had met during his first week of work but didn’t see his secretary. He was beginning to get nervous.

While talking with some of his new coworkers, he was attracted to a woman at the bar on the other side of the room. She had black, shoulder-length hair and she was wearing a red dress–a short, red dress with a plunging neckline that exposed just enough cleavage to “get you thinking.” Her breasts seemed to be gazing out of their nest to see who was looking at them. Anthony couldn’t take his eyes off them … or, off her, for that matter.

To Anthony’s surprise, the woman looked his way several times and smiled even though she had a group of men laboring for her attention.

“She must be looking at someone else,” he thought and turned around to see who was behind him.

Anthony continued to talk with his coworkers while casting an occasional glance toward his new “love” interest. He thought, “She’s so beautiful. Now she’s someone with whom I could spend the rest of my life.”

He indulged in fantasy. “We’ll get married at the Plaza and buy a house in Westchester County. Our three children–two boys and one girl–will have plenty of room to play in the backyard. We’ll see them graduate from college and law school. Then, when we retire, we’ll watch the sunsets while sitting on the sand in front of our beach house in the Grand Cayman Islands.”

The flurry of activity around her snapped Anthony back to reality. “Someone like her would never be happy with someone like me.”

The letdown was too much, so he decided to call it a night. He left the ballroom and walked outside. As he hailed a cab, he looked to his left and saw the woman in red standing next to him.

“I can’t believe you’d leave the party without saying hello to me!”

Stuttering, Anthony said, “I wanted to talk with you, but you were having so much fun.”

“Where do you live?” she purred.

“Crosby Street near Little Italy.”

“Well,” she said, as she undressed Anthony with her eyes, “Perhaps we can have a nightcap at your place.”

Anthony imagined that he died and had gone to heaven. He nodded his head and in a way that sounded as if he was talking himself into it said, “We can do that. We can certainly do that. Yes, we can have a nightcap at my apartment.” Thank God he moved out of his mother’s house!

During the cab ride, they made small talk. Anthony wasn’t listening to a word she said and couldn’t recall any of their conversation. He was in shock that she would leave the party to follow him. He was so excited he didn’t think once to ask her name.

They arrived at Anthony’s apartment building and, as the elevator door closed, the woman grabbed his tie and pulled him toward her. She kissed him–one of those wet, deep kisses with her tongue halfway down his throat. Now, Anthony was sure that he was no longer of this world.

After another kiss, she put her lips next to his ear and whispered, “I’m not wearing panties.”

Instantly excited, he thought, “I hope she doesn’t look down and see the bulge in my pants.” He thought she was joking about the panties … until … he ran his hand up her thigh.

“Oh my God, she’s telling the truth!” He wasn’t sure he could hold out until they reached his apartment.

Anthony had never noticed how slowly the elevator worked in his building. Although he had a number of women that shared his bed–maybe a half-dozen, always at his instigation–nothing like this had ever happened to him. Until now.

As soon as they entered his apartment, they were all over each other, fumbling with buttons, zippers, shoes, and clothing. Before Anthony knew it, they were in bed making love.

Afterward, they lay next to each other. Anthony felt the warmth relaxation. A few moments later, the woman teased, “Would you like to have another go at it?”

Anthony reached for her and they were at it again.

Afterward, the mystery lady said, “I need to use your bathroom.” As the woman got out of bed, Anthony watched as she sashayed toward the bathroom. He pinched himself just to make sure he was awake.”

It seemed she was gone for an eternity and when she reappeared in the bedroom, she was fully dressed. “I need to be going.”

The blood drained from Anthony’s body. He thought, “It can’t end this soon.”

“Do you need to leave so soon? Why not stay … I’ll make breakfast,” Anthony said.

“I can’t. My husband will worry about me.”

“Your husband? You have a husband?”

“Yes.”

“At least tell me your name.”

“Silverman.”

“Silverman! Like in Silverman, Katz, and Blumberg?”

“Yes, honey. Don’t worry, he won’t find out.”

****

The next morning, Anthony had a chance to reflect on his Saturday night guest and the ramifications of sleeping with his boss’s wife. He worried that the firm would fire him less than a week after giving him his dream job. “If I lose my job, what am I going to tell my mother,” he thought. Anthony was thankful his boss wasn’t Sicilian; otherwise, some parts of his anatomy might be sleeping with the fishes.

****

On Monday morning, Mr. Silverman summoned Anthony to his office. Next to the door was a bronze plaque with his name, Philip Silverman, JD in bronze.

“This is it for me,” Anthony thought. “What am I going to say to him? What excuse can I come up with for my stupidity? Surely, he knows I wasn’t the instigator. Surely, he knows that I didn’t know she was his wife.”

Anthony sat erect in the brown leather wing chair across the desk from his boss. He felt like a lost child, like Lily Tomlin when she played Edith-Ann sitting in the giant rocking chair. He could feel the sweat running down his chest.

“Well, Anthony, how did your first week go?”

Somewhat relieved, Anthony said, “I believe it went well.”

“You’re happy with your secretary and your coworkers?”

“Enid is great. Yes sir. I’m very happy with my job and everyone I work with. I couldn’t be happier.”

“And the weekend? How was your weekend?”

Anthony could feel perspiration on his upper lip, “Good, sir. The weekend was good … Yes sir.”

“I heard that you had a good time at the Christmas party.”

His hands began to shake and his tie suddenly got tighter, “Yes sir, the party was great. Thank you for inviting me.”

“I’m happy that you felt comfortable enough to attend. So often, the younger associates avoid these gatherings and miss some of the camaraderie with their peers or miss a chance opportunity. We like our employees to get involved. We like to share our ‘wealth.’ We’re like family here.”

Anthony thought, “Wow, he almost seems happy I slept with his wife.”

“If you have any questions or have any problems, my door is always opened. Keep up the good work Anthony.”

Consumed with curiosity, Anthony wanted to ask someone about Mrs. Silverman but couldn’t come up with a way without raising suspicion. He thought, “If I’m patient, perhaps I’ll learn about Silverman and his wife.”

****

Midweek, Mr. Silverman called Anthony into his office again. “Anthony, I hope you don’t have plans for Saturday. My wife and I are having a few friends over for an intimate dinner, and we want you to attend.”

“No sir.”

“You can’t come on Saturday?”

“I mean, no sir, I don’t have plans.”

“Then you can come to our house?”

“Yes sir.”

“You’re welcome to bring a date if you think she would play along.”

Anthony thought, “What’s going on here? If he’s suggesting what I think he is, I don’t know anyone who would be willing to get involved in something like this.”

“Mr. Silverman, I’ll think about bringing a date and let you know tomorrow.”

“All right then, young man. Glad you can come.”

****

Anthony worked up enough nerve to ask his secretary point blank about Mr. Silverman. “Enid, Mr. Silverman invited me to his house for dinner. Is there anything I should know or be prepared for when I get there?”

Enid smiled. “I don’t think anything unusual.” She leaned over to Anthony and in a hushed, non-judgmental voice said, “Mr. Silverman and his young wife–she’s his third you know and about thirty years younger–like to ‘party,’ so be prepared for that.”

“He asked me to bring a date. What do you think of that?”

“I think you need to answer that question.”

“Are they a traditional couple?”

“I don’t know much about what goes on at their house. They once invited a lawyer who no longer works here. After dinner, everybody got in the Jacuzzi. When he told them he couldn’t go in because he didn’t bring a bathing suit, Mrs. Silverman said he didn’t necessarily need one.”

Anthony had mixed feelings. On one hand, he was thrilled for the invitation. On the other, the behavior he presumed was going to happen was a little beyond his comfort zone. He wanted the job but not at such a price. Perhaps he should attend alone to avoid subjecting anyone else in this discomfort. Anyway … how was he going to interact with Silverman’s wife now that he had slept with her? Should he pretend not to know her? Will she make a pass at him? Are they swingers?

****

On Saturday evening, Anthony arrived at the Silverman’s large colonial house sitting behind a twelve foot high wrought iron gate. A butler answered the door and led him through the imported Italian marble foyer to a large living room. Mr. Silverman introduced Anthony to the other guests and offered him a drink. After getting his Screwdriver, his voice crackled as he began to talk with one of the other couples.

Barney and Phyllis Saperstein were cordial, with a subdued smile. “So, you’re the new guy,” said Phyllis. We were waiting to see what you looked like. Elaine told us you were quite the lover.”

Anthony blushed. He thought, “Elaine? So, Mrs. Silverman’s name is Elaine?”

Anthony suddenly felt a hand gently rubbing his backside. He turned and recognized his Saturday-night fling.

“I’m Elaine, good to see you again.”

“It’s certainly good to see you again.”

“And your husband?”

“Oh, I’m not married. I’m Philip’s daughter. I wanted you to think that I was my father’s wife. I hope you don’t mind a little practical joke every now and then?”

Anthony sighed with relief as he leaned over to kiss Elaine’s cheek.