Page 72 - The Myth and the Moment

Evening

ship’s closed cabin, debunking absolute motion. Two great minds,
two great revelations, both made in closets of the imagination.
Another car coming down, swinging headlight beams announcing its
imminence. Nice big tree will conceal my slinky silhouette.
Zoom!
Not them, for sure; Cadillac with two couples. Hard to breathe and
walk. Better stop and catch my breath. If exercise heats you up and
makes you sweat, and fear cools you down and makes you sweat,
then my thermostat just drowned. Ah, get going again, Nate! Just one
more block. Good and dark now. Traffic light ahead. Got to go
somewhere and think. Got to eat soon. Am I hungry? Doesn’t
matter, got to eat, keep up the blood sugar. Already passed out once.
Why didn’t they do me in right then and there? Don’t know. Got to
get away and think. Go left at the corner and—police car! What are
they doing?
“Freeze!”
Not again! Can’t see. Lights on police car.
“Keep your hands where we can see them, buddy. Now, up against
the car.”
Agh!
What is this? Did Phil sic them on me? They’re frisking me!
“He’s clean.”
“All right, mister. Let’s see some identification.”
Uh, wallet.
“Here. It’s right in here. My driver’s license. Is that enough?”
Picture taken years ago. Maybe not a good likeness anymore.
“You don’t live in Beverly Hills, buddy. My partner’s finding out
where you do live, if that license isn’t phony. We got a call from an
old lady on this street. Seems she saw someone prowling around her
front yard. Fits your description: scrawny guy with long gray hair in a
blue shirt and sneakers.”
“Well, yes, officer, I did step off the sidewalk a couple of times, but
I certainly didn’t intend to trespass or—”
“A lot of scum down on the Strip think it’s a piece of cake to crawl
up the hill and break and enter these houses. Need money for drugs.
Occasional rape and assault. You got a good reason for being up
here, buddy?”
“Uh, could I turn around?”

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