3rd Pass Pages
ManInMyBasemnt_HCtext3P.qxd 10/24/03 8:16 PM Page 174
Walter Mosley
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“There’s lots of reclamations in Africa, Charles. Dia-2
monds and oil, slave labor to cobble tennis shoes and as-3
semble fancy lamps. They have armies over there who will 4
strip down to the waist and go hand to hand with bayo-5
nets and clubs. They have tribal factions and colonizers.
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The streets, in short, are paved with gold.”
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“My house isn’t in Africa.”
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“But you are a black man. You come from over there. I 9
need a black face to look in on me. No white man has the 10
right.”
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“Suppose I was crazy? Suppose I hated white people 12
and I decided to torture you in here and kill you?”
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He shrugged again. “Killing is hard work, Charles.
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Children have the stamina for that kind of labor, but 15
most mature men do not. Not unless there’s something to 16
gain — or if they’re in love.”
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“You’re supposed to leave here in two days,” I said.
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“Unless you change your mind.”
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“Is this some kind of trick?” I asked. “Are you playing 20
some kind of game on me?”
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“No. I’m not, Charles. I’m simply executing a punish-22
ment. A repentance.”
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“You don’t seem to be suffering to me.”
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“You wouldn’t know,” he said. “But living locked up 25
with no out, with no control over food. Most of the time 26
you won’t even talk to me. And the world I live in is mov-27 S
ing on while I sleep. No one knows where I am. When I 28 R
get out of here, it’s going to be hard on me.”
3rd Pass Pages
ManInMyBasemnt_HCtext3P.qxd 10/24/03 8:16 PM Page 175
The Man in My Basement
In a flash of intuition I asked, “Is somebody after you 1
now, Mr. Bennet?”
