DONALD BARTHELME
505
-Yes, you may hang it. Anywhere you like. On that wall or;
that wall or that wall.
-Thank you.
-Probably I can get ahead by working hard, paymg
attention to detail.
-I thought that. Once I thought that.
-Reading a lot of books and having good ideas .
-Well that's not bad. I mean it's a means.
-Do something wonderful. 1 don't know what.
-Like a bass player plucking the great thick strings of his
instrument with powerful plucks.
-Blood vessels bursting in my face just under the skin all
the while.
-Hurt by malicious criticisms all very well-grounded.
-For Leatherheart, I tum my back. My lustrous, abundant
back.
-That cracks them up does it?
-At least they know I'm in town.
-Ease myself into bed of an evening brain jumping with
hostile
£J
uids.
-It's black beans in a pot.
-It's confetti in the swimming pool.
-It's U-joints in the vichyssoise.
-It's staggers under the moon.
-He told me terrible things in the evening of that day as we
sat side by side waiting for the rain to wash the watercolors from
his watercolor paper. Waiting for the rain to wash the paper
clean , quite clean.
-Took me by the hand and led me through all the rooms.
Many rooms.
-I know all about it.
-The kitchen is especially splendid.
-Quite so.
-A dozen Filipinos with trays.
-Close to that figure.
-Trays with edibles. Wearables. Readabl es. Collectibles.
-Ah, you're a fool. A damned fool.
-I?
