Page 28 (2/2)

I walk the streets a lot I always have When I was an angry, homeless seventeen year-old lost on the mean streets of Harle on the streets, so I walked I walked to stay out of trouble, to stay awake, to stay warm Then, when I met T-Shawn and Split and the boys, the streets became our livelihood, our life, our turf So I walked the streets doing business Noalk the streets because it’s fah shit, I walk I slip uitar into the soft case and tie on ht start at my apartment above the shop in Queens and end up in Harlem or Astoria or Manhattan I walk for hours, no iPod, no destination, just mile afterskyscrapers and apart and sht Old friends, old enemies, people I don’t associate with anymore But they leave me alone, friend or enemy, and let ot nowhere to be, and I’ I’m not ready for the cold, quiet apart to convincefor the last two years, only now it’s even harder because I have fresh ies of her, the scent of her shale of the silk of her bra against e of her seductive beauty, the harsh chasm of pain in her heart

So I’ her building in Tribeca The door to the building isn’t locked, oddly For reasons I don’t care to exah and up the stairwell I hear her voice first

“Dan, I’ inside Alone I’m tired”

His voice is low, but audible “Cohs in exasperation “I’m not stupid, you know I knohat you want And the answer is no That hasn’t changed”

“Yet I keep hoping” His voice was a?”

“You tellWe’re not You just won’t go away I’ht, not toht”

“What can I do to convince you?”

“Be so

I’ht of stairs, hand on the railing, head tilted up, as if I could see thehter at the barb “You’re such a fking tease, Nell” The aone

“I arope you, you’ll go out with et here, and you close down” His voice is rising, getting angry “I’ve put up with this shit for threeup with it LeaveYou’re a nice enough guy You can be funny when you’re not being a douchebag But this isn’t going anywhere and it never was” The silence is palpable He’s pissed, even I can feel it froht of stairs away I hear a key in a lock, a door knob twist “Goodbye, Dan”

Then a hiss from her, contained pain

“I don’t think so, babe I haven’t put threeyour drinks and your lunches and your coffee just to get du to show for it”

“Sorry, Dan I never asked you to do that stuff In fact, I told you not to, and you insisted”