When Rene Calls

Chapter One

I first met Rene at an Art Museum Benefit. I aware of it at the time but Rene was the guest of honor as a result of his impending
large donation to the museum's endowment fund. The reception and cocktail party was to be the event at which he was expected
to announce his considerable gift. I had been invited to attend the gathering in appreciation for my considerably less extravagant donation.
Whenever I have occasion to visit the museum I make sure to seek out any new acquisition to the museum's collection and also
I make it a point to take in whatever temporary exhibit might be on display. It so happened that on this occasion the museum was
featuring a retrospective of the photographic works of Robert Mapplethorpe. In case you weren't aware Mapplethrope's work often
tended to be of the homo-erotic, sadomasochistic genre. This collection of black and white photographs contained several examples of
this type of material. The fact that the museum was exhibiting them had several of the powers that be up in arms and I was rather proud
that the museum had the courage to display them.

I was standing in front of one of the photographs that happened to be extremely sadomasochistic. The photo was of a beautiful male model
dressed in leather with restraint leather bindings and obviously in a subservient pose. While I stood there lost in staring at the photograph
I heard a voice behind me say "So are you a fan of Mapplethrope or do you just like the bondage?" The voice was Rene's.
I turned to face him and replied "You know I'm not really sure. I love Mapplethrope's work but I haven't decided about the S and M aspects."
"I used to think he only appealed to the Gays" he said "but I must admit I find his photographs quite intriguing."
" I take it that you're not Gay then?" I asked.
"No" he answered "At least not that I'm aware of."
"Well then I guess it's the sadomasochism that attracts you." I said with a smile.