[I wrote this short story in 2003, and am happy to have found it again on a dusty hard drive. Enjoy!] I am a man of simple means. I lead a simple life. From day to day, I move slowly and attempt only to get by. There is no extravagant flavor, no luxury, no excess. This is not so much a result of poverty. It is not the result of making virtues out of necessities. I was left some money years ago and it still keeps me afloat, although not enough to float in any particular direction. Occasionally, I let myself be involved with a woman, but I make sure not to lose any sleep over complexities stemming from these kinds of relationships. In that sense, I have made many women disappointed. I have wanted little more than sexual comfort and have hardly reacted when, after a period of seemingly frustrated union, the women in question have expressed their dramatic goodbyes. The most honest relationships I’ve ever had with women, have been with prostitutes. I know I must sound fairly dispassionate...