my father’s library. I slept with the money and the masks 17
for a day and a half. People came to the front door but I 18
didn’t answer. Once Ricky came around to the library 19
window and called out my name. After he was gone I 20
connected the phone long enough to call his mother’s 21
house and leave a message on his answering machine.
22
“I’m okay, Ricky,” I said. “Just thinking about some 23
stuff, so I need to spend some time alone.”
24
After that I disconnected the phone again and spent al-25
most the next six weeks alone in my house. I only went 26
out for pizzas and whiskey. And as time went by, I had less S 27
and less desire to see or speak to anyone.
R 28
3rd Pass Pages
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Walter Mosley
1
I got letters, mainly from Bethany. Long yearning let-2
ters about wanting to see me and asking what was wrong.
3
Ricky had told her about my phone message, and she said 4
that she was worried about me. Every letter she sent was 5
more intimate and more passionate. They were long let-6
ters, ten to twelve pages in a rolling cursive hand. I didn’t 7
finish most of them but I got the gist. On week three she 8
broke up with Ricky and wanted to see me. By week five 9
she confessed her love.
10
“I don’t know how it happened, Charlie,” she wrote.
11
But I love you. I love you more than any other man I 12
have ever known. There’s something so strong and gentle 13
about you. You don’t care what people think and you just 14
follow your own mind. I don’t know what you’re doing 15
or thinking right now, but I hope when you’re ready that 16
you will call me and see how deep I feel.
17
18
I got a letter from Narciss Gully too.
19
“Dear Mr. Blakey,” she wrote.
20
21
Enclosed you will find a check for six hundred dollars 22
thirty-two. This is from the sale of four of your great-aunt’s 23
paintings to the African American Experience Museum in 24
Charleston, South Carolina. They were very excited to ob-25
