Pas de Deux

From the short story collection, So They Say, “Pas de Deux” finds Southern-Baptist-to-the-bone Inez Fordham confronting the troubling notion of non-traditional masculinity—and, peripherally, gay relationships. The focus of her aggravation is reclusive neighbor and—by reason of his background in ballet—town oddball, Thomas Tuttle. When Thomas’s mother Ramona falls ill, Inez must confront the reality of “Thomasina” Tuttle’s difference. A long-delayed neighborly visit in the name of Christian charity and a sudden torrential downpour set the stage for their pas de deux—a meeting of mind and spirit that forces Inez to see that beauty and difference do indeed dance together.