“It?s no problem.”
“Hey, this is the Stick, my friend. You can bullshit me about not finishing things properly and all that
crap, but don?t tell rue it?s no problem.”
“It?s no problem,” I said emphatically. It sounded more like I was trying to convince myself than him.
“Jake, getting into it is never the problem. Getting out of it, that?s the problem.” :I?m already out of it.
What I?m trying to avoid is getting back
“Oh, that?s what you?re trying to do?”
“Yes!”
“You got a unique approach,” he said, and after a few seconds he asked, “Are you still in love with
her?”
“Shit.”
“No shit.”
I sighed. “Hell, I don?t know. Maybe I?m in love with the idea of her. Maybe I never took the time to
get out of love with her. I haven?t worked it out.”
“When are you going to see her again?”
I had a moment of panic, as though I?d told him too much already. The old paranoia.
“What time tonight are you going to see her?” he repeated.
“Who says I?m going to see her tonight?”
He shot me another crazy smile.
“Nine o?clock,” I said.
“You need some backup?”
“Don?t get funny.”
“I don?t mean that, Jake,” he said seriously. “I mean do you want me to cover you? Keep an eye on
the place, make sure nobody?s hound-dogging you? What I?m trying to say is, I?m for you. Whatever
it means to you, I hope it comes out right.”
I was moved by his concern. There was a lot of Teddy in Stick. But I was wary of him. I was wary of
everybody. I had taken two steps, back to back. First opening up to Doe, and now Stick. I was moving
farther away from my safe spots. It scared hell out of me.
“I shouldn?t have come back to this Fucking place,” I snapped finally.
“Aw, c?mon,” he said. “Then you wouldn?t have met me. I?m the magic man, my friend. I can wave
my hand and make the impossible come true.”
“Where are we going?” I asked, deciding to change the subject.
“City docks.”
