So I'm simply sitting on the beach, reading my book and letting Lyle do his own thing. Next thing I know God's gift to women is in my face, saying,

"So do you like reading your book on my property?"

I looked up, said "huh?" and gave him a dumb look.

"You see, that's my house up there," he said, and continued his walk down the beach.

Silly me for thinking that was the last of him.

No less than a chapter later he's back, saying "I just love a natural redhead."

Being the honest person that I am, I say, "I just dyed it yesterday"

Reaching towards me as if to carress my cheek, he says, "Well, you can tell it's red anyway because of your ruddy complexion"

"Ruddy? Thanks...I've never been called 'ruddy' before."

"No, it's a compliment, really."

Not done yet, he goes back to the house overlooking the ocean line-of-attack: "So I only spend my weekends here and my weeks down in Hollywood. But you know, I've never seen you here."

(ooh! A double whammy with that one!) "Well I come here a lot and I've never seen anyone at your house up there."

"Well, actually, that one's not my house, the one right behind it is" (Men can be such liars!)

And still not done: "Say, that is a very attractive tattoo on your ankle. What is it? Spiritual?"

"No, it's Felix the Cat."

OK, so maybe I'm a bit näive, but I really think he was just trying to make conversation. It's not like he didn't already have a redhead with him (I guess it was unnaturally red since he chose to talk to me while he was with her).

8/96