— I don’t know what you’re, why you can’t give me this either can you any credit for, credit for any loyalty to his memory my God see him in that canvas sack it’s like being loyal to a nightmare…
— Had your choice of nightmares go ahead I mean you’ve got custody of his memory Christ, all you’ve done for it certainly got the right to sweep it up with the trash why not take along that picture he had of her too, see you waiting there in the lofty drawing room her pale face floating toward you in the dusk takes both your hands in hers no chick but good Christ she’s survived hasn’t she, probably tell you she knew him better than you did want to hear his last words give her something to live with, dream the nightmare right through to the God damned end when you come out with it…
— What with, what do you mean I…
— Mean you’d better fix your trousers in front there first that’s all.
— What I, damn it why didn’t you… he paused half backed between the torrents on either side — Jack damn it you, why the hell you’re acting this way… he reached his free hand for the doorframe, backed from the light of the doorway — I, I don’t understand you…
— I know Tom… came after him in the dark of the hall where he turned, hand running on the rail feeling for the stairhead and suddenly down two steps at a time from the voice up there in the darkness, — I know… he made the door with a final tug at his waist and, hand plunged in an inside pocket as though to clutch the desperate consequence of the papers he’d found there, came out with the lunge of a man abruptly threatened by the weight of the overcast sky.
— Say excuse me, could you tell me where the…
— One flight up end of the hall, the door’s open…
— Want to move that truck buddy? You’re blocking the whole…
— What’s this kid in my car!
— Excuse me just let me get past here…
— Out of this God forsaken place, taxi? Taxi…!
— Watch where you’re pushing that junk heap you crazy bunch of, look out!
— Coño…!
— So who finally died?
— This green panel truck where’s the driver, tell him to get it the hell out of there.
— Excuse me I’m a reporter from…
— Hey Mister Bast we going to the movies?
— You’re not going anywhere no now get back in the cars, now where’s…
— Excuse me I’m a rep…
— You kids get away from that car I’ll bust your…
— Wait I thought these cars were hired for this school group…
— This here’s a private limousine now get that kid out… and the door swung open on the figure cringed in the back, battered portfolio spilling from knees quivering at anchor where a sneaker worked wedged in a gleaming hinge of the jump seat, — out!
— Private limousine what’s it doing here, they told me these…
— Come up to see my mother that’s what it’s doing here now get him and his pile of crap out of there before I…
— Okay okay holy…
— We going to the movies Mister Bast hey wait what happened to your…
— I told you to get back in those cars, come on J R hurry up…
— Okay how was I supposed to, wait could you hold this stuff a second while I…
— I can’t no I’m holding enough stuff now get in that first car up there, the rest of you get in the other two hurry up!
— Look at the cowboy coming hey!
— Be quiet just do what I no, it can’t be no…
— You getting in with me hey Bast? because boy I got this whole bunch of stuff to ask you like…
— Yes well I’ve got a whole bunch to ask you too just get in quick here, get these boxes before they slide off my…
— Wait look out for my…
— Well get the door closed!
— No but holy, I mean what happened to you anyways you…
— I’ve been on a bus for twenty-six hours I’ve got a cold I haven’t eaten since here look over my shoulder, is he out there? the man in the cowboy…
— He’s like standing there by these garbage cans looking up at this dump we’re parked at who’s he suppose to be, I mean what are we doing here anyways we…
— That’s what I’d like to know! that Mrs diCephalis when I saw her I thought I was having a…
— No but where are we, like we fix up this here whole field trip which Mister Davidoff gets these here limousines so we go to this Waldorf place where this general’s suppose to excort us which he’s not even there and Mister Davidoff they say he already went someplace and will we please leave so…
— Driver let’s, where is he where’s the driver…
— So like Mrs diCephalis is suppose to have this here headquarters address to meet you so then we ride around awhile and stop at this dump where she can go in that lousy looking place where its says bodeega to call and they tell her it’s this bomb scare then you come down the street in these here funny looking clothes with your…
— Just be quiet a minute where’s the driver where’s that woman look, go find…
— What Mrs diCephalis she already went in this taxicab she…
— What do you mean went, where…
— Well see she has to go to India to show them how to do birth control and all see she’s got social studies since Mrs Joubert went so she’s always telling us how everybody’s real poor down at India so mainly all they do is…
