The following day I dismantled the cell. Over the next 2
few weeks I used a blowtorch and an electric saw to cut 3
the metal into pieces, which I deposited, along with the 4
dismantled toilet, in dump sites around the island. I 5
burned his trunk and books and clothes.
6
All that was left of him were those letters and about 7
forty tapes of his confessions.
8
He was right; I never sent his letters. I buried them with 9
his tapes in the basement where he died.
10
I started my museum. Now, with Narciss, I collect 11
pieces of black history from the area where I live. Narciss 12
and I don’t go out anymore. I told her that I’m not 13
monogamous but I’d still like to be friends. After a while 14
she came around.
15
I make my money from admission fees and from the 16
historically black colleges that send up graduate students 17
and professors now and then to study my collection. Nar-18
ciss is good at applying for grants, so we usually have 19
enough to pay our salaries.
20
Chastity Littleneck died and I was the only one other 21
than Irene and the minister at the funeral. The whole 22
time I kept thinking that it was Anniston Bennet’s funeral 23
I was attending. It was sad, but I didn’t cry.
24
Irene died four weeks later. She left me her house in a 25
new will. It was that one pecan pie and a walk in the 26
graveyard. Bennet was wrong but he would never know 27 S
it. Some people live according to love and being loved —
28 R
if only a little.
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ManInMyBasemnt_HCtext3P.qxd 10/24/03 8:16 PM Page 249
The Man in My Basement
I rent the Littleneck house to rich people in the sum-1
mer. And I still live up in my childhood room, playing 2
cards on Thursdays (closing the museum early) and doing 3
very little to make life grand.
4
Extine went away at the end of the season. If she ever 5
came back she didn’t call me. Bethany married Ricky.
6
Clarance was his best man.
7
I don’t think I’ll ever get married. I still haven’t found 8
love, and whenever I think about children, I remember 9
