— Man you glued that quarter out there, I mean didn’t you…? She creased the paper closed coming forward — I mean this fucking lamp… she yanked it, hand fallen fumbling arm’s length in the dark where she stretched back. — Like listen to the water in there I mean I’m like I’m floating, man? you’re still up there…?
— homes in America, many were treas…
— I mean listen it’s getting closer listen. Man? Like I mean we could all drownd and nobody would even know it listen! I mean it’s getting closer man I can’t see are you up there? Man like my feet are caught in, help! Man like we’re tipping over help! Where’s, here kitty kitty it’s this big fucking storm Bast are you up there help! my feet are caught help! I can’t, man I mean it’s so deep I can’t, man it’s so warm I mean it’s running all down, oh wow, oh wow… and the torrents at sink and tub seemed to rise in the dark swollen by the sound of rain driven against the glass, where light came finally graying a sunless day. — Man like I’m having this nosebleed can you bring me something…? she waited up on an elbow, hand to her face — I mean are you still up there…? and she kicked free the knotted blanket, each step a bright splash on the fall of envelopes and pasted notes and letterheads, Modern Packaging, Financial World, over the collision of Tonic Water Twist Cap past 200 2-Ply where she caught up a damp wad of shirt to her nose — wow who dumped all the, man are you under there…? her free hand swiped through the billow of suds, rose pulling off her shirt and dropped to scratch her leg spread poised at the tub’s edge to kick off a moccasin — who’s, man is that you…?
The door shuddered. — Got a delivery…
— Like who’s stopping you…
It sagged in — look I been here before I’m trying to deliver a truckload of where are you anyways…
— Where does it look like… she batted the rise of suds from a shoulder, — I mean what are you staring at, deliver your delivery…
— Thousand gross plastic flowers down there look, how you expect me to get a thousand gross plastic flowers in here you…
— Man like who said I expect you to do anything? Like I mean that’s your problem, I mean you’re supposed to be this big delivering man do it how they told you in delivering man school, okay…? The shirt wad came up wet abruptly jostling pebbled pinks from the suds — I mean look man at least can you quit standing there pulling your pork and like answer the telephone? No I mean look it’s like right up there behind you…
— The, oh… hello…? want the, who…?
— Like who is it I mean if it’s for me I’m expecting this imp…
— Somebody says where’s the boss at says he supposed to be in court…
— Like tell them to fuck off I mean I’m expecting this very important wow, like I mean what’s this Macy’s window?
— What in, look who the hell are you what are you doing here where’s…
— Man he’s answering the telephone I mean what does it look like he’s doing here, I mean…
— But what, where’s Jack what’s…
— Like how do I know where’s Jack and I mean who’s that, like I mean what am I supposed to be some fucking sideshow?
— Who’s what wait, wait who are you…
— Yes you’re Mister Grynszpan? I have a summons here for…
— Look damn it I’m not Mister Grynszpan my name’s Eigen, now what the hell’s…
— Oh, this Mister Grynszpan on the phone then? Here you are sir, U S District Court Southern District BMT take you right there, now Mister Bast? One here for you from the United States…
— Man look at these I mean do I look like Mister anybody? I mean get out everybody get out of here!
— Sure you’re not Mister Bast either sir? I have a subpoen…
— I’m damn sure yes now get out of here you too, get down from that phone and get the hell watch that door! Look where’s, what are you doing here where’s wait you’re the, your name was Rhoda wasn’t it you…
— Like what do you mean was and I mean what are you staring at, what does it look like I’m doing man I mean look hang that telephone back up I’m expecting this important call and I mean that door, like push something against it before he gets that stuff in here…
— What stuff who…
— This delivering man I mean he’s like delivering this thousand plastic flowers, like I mean can’t you hear he’s knocking the fucking stairs down out there…
— Oh that’s no, no that’s all right that’s somebody else, friend of Jack’s and mine he’s just bringing a big easel up to…
— Like you and him have some friends man I mean hand me that shirt…
— It’s all right he’s not coming in here with it he won’t bother us, he’s a painter been looking for a place to work he’s just putting his things back in the empty, here let me…
— Look I mean I said just hand me the shirt. I mean like I can get out by myself okay?
— Yes I just, here…
— And I mean look man I mean I can dry myself too, okay?
— What’s the matter I just…
— Like nothing’s the matter I mean I just don’t need your hand there okay?
— No but what’s…
— I said I can dry there myself!
— What’s the matter what’s so…
