She thought about the question for a moment, and 1

then a moment more.

2

“I don’t know,” she said. “I was mad. I didn’t want to 3

see you. And I didn’t know what you would be like in the 4

morning all alone out there. When By and Jodie left, it 5

was only you and me. I was afraid, I guess.”

6

“Afraid that I’d hurt you?”

7

“I guess.”

8

“Then why did you come here?”

9

“I felt guilty. That’s why.”

10

“Guilty because you kissed me? Or guilty that you left?”

11

Extine frowned and did not answer.

12

I stood up and she scrambled to her feet.

13

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I wouldn’t have hurt you even in 14

those woods. I’m a safe Negro. You could put a soap bub-15

ble in my hand and it’d never even pop.”

16

Extine liked neither the sound of my voice nor the 17

words that I said.

18

“I have to go,” she said.

19

“Yeah. I know.”

20

21

22

I watched her drive away in a convertible Jaguar sports 23

car. I don’t remember the model, but it was expensive, no 24

doubt.

25

“Charles,” Miss Littleneck called from across the street.

26

“Yes, ma’am?”

S 27

R 28

225

3rd Pass Pages

ManInMyBasemnt_HCtext3P.qxd 10/24/03 8:16 PM Page 226

Walter Mosley

1

“Who was that white girl?”

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