27 S
“I guess,” she said. “I mean, they think they’re all crazy 28 R
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The Man in My Basement
and wild. And they don’t have to get up and go to work in 1
the morning. Really all the difference I can see is that they 2
think that they’re smarter and better than people don’t 3
make as much money as they do. And they want a lot 4
more. You know, like that artist I used to go with. He 5
wanted to be the best at everything. And he was so rich 6
that everybody told him that he was the best. When he 7
started playing trumpet, his friends said that he sounded 8
like Miles Davis. It wasn’t like us. You know somebody set 9
you straight in a minute around here.”
10
Bethany smiled and I wanted to kiss her, not because 11
she was beautiful, even though she was, but because she 12
wasn’t impressed by the lies rich people wore like clothes.
13
She knew where her feet were planted. Right then I think 14
she wanted to be standing a little closer to me.
15
She stood up and walked over to my chair. I stood to 16
meet her.
17
She was about to lay her hand on my chest, but I took 18
hold of her wrist and gently pushed her away.
19
“I want to see you, Bethy,” I said. “But not downstairs 20
from Ricky after you made him all happy like that.”
21
“We could take a shower,” she suggested.
22
“It’s not that. You know Ricky can get low and dirty, 23
but he’s the only friend I got right now. Believe me, this is 24
not easy. But can I make you some tea?”
25
Bethany frowned for a few seconds, and then she 26
shrugged and smiled. There was a sweater on the floor.
S 27
R 28
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Walter Mosley
1
She must have let it fall from her shoulders when she saw 2
me slouching on the couch. Now she picked it up and 3
covered all that youthful beauty.
4
