Some Things That Meant the World to Me

Начало книги

And I'll tell you about other things, too. We'll talk about the past: the drifting house, my mom, Letch, the sidewinders, Dr. Angel-Hair. There's no way around those things.

Me, Rhonda, the hero.

They doused me in drugs and doctors and words, so many words, trying to make me see some lukewarm world. But I didn't. I don't.

So listen to me.

I was unemployed again but the bartender at Damascus used to work at a restaurant where I was a line cook, so he let me drink for free. I sidled in about ten at night and sat down next to a guy in a bowler hat, who offered to buy me a warm beer. I accepted and he said, "I'm wearing a diaper," and smiled; his teeth looked like frozen ginger ale.

His name was Vern. People had tried to introduce me to him before, but those times he'd been in blackouts, yelling things like, "That's no way to talk to your commanding officer!" He drank warm beers because the cold ones made his ancient teeth ache. His brand of choice was Michelob, and the bartenders at Damascus always kept a warm stash for Vern.

Читать дальше →