380
JONATHAN STRONG
most people don't know that I'm copying, yet. My ladies applaud.
But my wife knows. She always knew, and she loves me still. She
keeps my name, Supperburger. That's a very silly name, but every–
one gets used to it and forgets how silly it is. It's German. Nonsense.
She had her own lovely name, LePays. We're French and German.
Patrick, you must be Irish, or Italian. What are we doing here? This
is North America, some Indian land across the sea... Lakme, Selika
the Mrican... What are we doing speaking English? None of us are
English. What's Matty speaking English for? She's Mrican. The
music they're playing on the hill tonight, is that Mrican?
It
is sung
in English. How did it get here? In this land... I wish I were out of
sight of land.
He
is
standing by the edge. I think he wants to sail out, over it,
to fall down to the gray circle around the gas lamp in front of the
house. I am scared of heights. Luckily Mrs. Supperburger has his
hand.
S. They're eating me away, my nine. I can't spend my time
poring over them anymore. Soon they'll lose themselves in libraries.
Stars... shootings stars only.
We are all looking up at the sky. When you look up you forget
about the roof. You might be at sea or on a beach, except for all the
music and the sound of cars, but I forget about them. Weare stand–
ing quietly for a long time. Louie looks cold. I had almost forgotten
about him while Supperburger was talking. So I give him a smile
now. There is some noise in the alley behind the house. Someone
is calling "Pony!" It is Charles. I just heard the kitchen window
slam. Matty is yelling, "You come back here, young lady!" What is
she doing? "Pony!" she keeps yelling. She sounds sort of hysterical,
but that is not unusual with Charles. I think she is climbing the fire
escape. We all go over to the back edge of the roof, and here comes
that silly, dumpy
girl
stumbling up.
C. Pony! Pony! I saw you up there from the party across the
street. You've got to go! Your dad found out you were here. I didn't
tell him. I promise! He's mad. I had to come warn you. I didn't want
you to think it was me that told him.
Now everything inside me is uneasy. A car horn sounds in the
street. I am scared. Supperburger is walking to the front of the roof.
I can hear my father's voice below.
