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So she did know about me-I'd wondered about that Bea wasn't easy to fool And she didn't care at all about reconnecting with ed

When Jay died, she told ame and prove that I could still do it It was the only way I'd ever get overwas different I did h the cons, but I keptout

Then, four years later, I sawpile ofto stash it all in her locker, but I beat her to it I took it all and ran, sending so life, and done with all the lies

Flush with cash from that con, I moved to New York City and found a place in Chelsea where I hid out for , because I kne to stay off the radar The first thing I'd done when I got to New York was change my hair to make it short and white, a total reaction to the years spent hiding ed new documents for myself, and Dee Kirkland ceased to exist Noas Dee Frank, just another jobless kid on the streets of New York

I beca across the hall from me: Wanda Petrillo, the hat-lady of Manhattan Wanda had so many hats that she could have kept every New York City milliner in business

So with Wanda and a few other friends, I h the New York scene without ever looking forward or back The present ht not have been as together as some, but ay better than a fa well until Wanda discovered I could paint We went to one of those pottery places where you do your own painting, and I decided to do soot drunk and slopped on the paint But I hadn't done any art in a while, so I had some fun and really put in the effort

Wanda went nuts over it-she wouldn't stop telling me how impressed she was She kept it up until I finally quieted her down by giving her the pot Then, ot people to ordera of e ride Wanda made me into a New York art sensation before I could stop her