was a paper bag that held almost eight thousand dollars 20
on top of a brand-new boom box that I’d picked up in 21
East Hampton. Next to me was a half-empty bottle of 22
Courvoisier. A cognac high is the smoothest thing in the 23
world. Even the hangover is like being squeezed by a vel-24
vet vise.
25
“Ricky? Ricky, what time is it?”
26
“It’s afternoon, Charles. Afternoon.” As wild as Ricky S 27
thought he was, he was still a blue-collar man. The R 28
3rd Pass Pages
ManInMyBasemnt_HCtext3P.qxd 10/24/03 8:16 PM Page 80
Walter Mosley
1
thought of sleeping during daylight hours was sinful to 2
him.
3
“What you want, Ricky?”
4
“My mom got back home from her sister’s last night.”
5
“Yeah? Tell her hello for me,” I said. Ricky’s mother had 6
always been kind to me.
7
“Yeah, okay. But listen. Bethany wanna come over 8
tonight, you hear what I’m sayin’? She got a roommate 9
and I got my moms.”
10
“Doesn’t she have a room?” When I sat up, a spasm 11
went through my intestines. For a moment I thought I 12
was going to vomit right there on my money.
13
“Yeah, man, but the kinda lovin’ she spoons out is too 14
loud for a small apartment.” I could hear the greed in 15
Ricky’s voice. “Let us stay with you tonight? You know —
16
the same deal you used to make with Clarance.”
17
I saw a hawk through the window. She was stiff-winged 18
and wheeling round.
19
20
The thought chilled me, and I forgot for a moment or 21
two about Ricky on the other end of the line.
22
“You could keep the fifty you owe me,” he said.
23
“I got your fifty right here in my wallet, man.”
