Page 210 - A Little Life: A Novel

you’re too good for them now. And there’s going to be a ton of other people
we haven’t seen in forever—”
“Yeah, and maybe there’s a reason we haven’t seen them,” Jude said.

“—and besides, Willem, the pussy will be waiting for you whether you
spend an hour in Brooklyn or not. And it’s not like it’s the end of the world.
It’s Bushwick. Judy’ll drive us.” Jude had bought a car the year before, and
although it wasn’t particularly fancy, JB loved to ride around in it.
“What? I’m not going,” Jude said.
“Why not?”
“I’m in a wheelchair, JB, remember? And as I recall, Marta and

Francesca’s place doesn’t have an elevator.”
“Wrong place,” JB replied triumphantly. “See how long it’s been? They
moved. Their new place definitely has one. A freight elevator, actually.” He
leaned back, drumming his fist on the table as the rest of them sat in a
resigned silence. “And off we go!”
So the following Saturday they met at Jude’s loft on Greene Street and he

drove them to Bushwick, where he circled Marta and Francesca’s block,
looking for a parking space.
“There was a spot right back there,” JB said after ten minutes.
“It was a loading zone,” Jude told him.
“If you just put that handicapped sign up, we can park wherever we
want,” JB said.
“I don’t like using it—you know that.”

“If you’re not going to use it, then what’s the point of having a car?”
“Jude, I think that’s a space,” said Willem, ignoring JB.
“Seven blocks from the apartment,” muttered JB.
“Shut up, JB,” said Malcolm.
Once inside the party, they were each tugged by a different person to a
separate corner of the room. Willem watched as Jude was pulled firmly

away by Marta: Help me, Jude mouthed to him, and he smiled and gave him
a little wave. Courage, he mouthed back, and Jude rolled his eyes. He knew
how much Jude hadn’t wanted to come, hadn’t wanted to explain again and
again why he was in a wheelchair, and yet Willem had begged him: “Don’t
make me go alone.”
“You won’t be alone. You’ll be with JB and Malcolm.”
“You know what I mean. Forty-five minutes and we’re out of there. JB

and Malcolm can find their own way back to the city if they want to stay