in ancient political thought. Some of those guys talked 22
about evil. But that was a long time ago. You’d think that 23
there’d be a modern study of it.”
24
“Are you ever planning to go back?”
25
“To school? No.”
26
“Why not?”
27 S
“It doesn’t mean anything to me. I mean, let’s say I 28 R
went back. I’d go for a year and a half and then I’d have a
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The Man in My Basement
bachelor’s degree. What then? They don’t have political 1
scientists in the want ads —”
2
“But they have jobs for college graduates.”
3
I stopped myself before I could say any more. I realized 4
that I was about to start talking like I always did. I was go-5
ing to make fun of school and jobs and careers. That’s 6
what I always did when somebody tried to give me ad-7
vice.
8
“I got other plans,” I said. “School didn’t do it for me 9
and so now I have to find another way.”
10
“What way?”
11
“Reclamations,” I said. And then before she could ask 12
another question — “It’s a form of international finance.
13
I’ve been studying with a guy named Dent. He’s been, ah, 14
tutoring me, kind of. That’s one of the reasons I go down 15
to New York. I meet with Mr. Dent every week or so.”
16
“Is he a teacher?” she asked.
17
I could tell by the tone in her voice that she believed 18
me. But that’s not what shocked me. I was stunned that 19
the lie, as it came out of my mouth, became truth. The 20
most important part of what I said was true. I
net’s student. That’s why I was wandering the house, be-22
cause I was learning.
23
“Yes,” I said to Narciss’s question. It seemed like hours 24
since she asked it. “And no. I mean, it’s not like school.
25
