Chapter 13

           Iwalkedallthewaybacktothehotel.Forty-onegorgeousblocks.Ididn’tdoitbecauseIfeltlikewalkingoranything.ItwasmorebecauseIdidn’tfeellikegettinginandoutofanothertaxicab.Sometimesyougettiredofridingintaxicabsthesamewayyougettiredridinginelevators.Allofasudden,youhavetowalk,nomatterhowfarorhowhighup.WhenIwasakid,Iusedtowalkallthewayuptoourapartmentveryfrequently.Twelvestories.

           Youwouldn’tevenhaveknownithadsnowedatall.Therewashardlyanysnowonthesidewalks.Butitwasfreezingcold,andItookmyredhuntinghatoutofmypocketandputiton—Ididn’tgiveadamnhowIlooked.Ievenputtheearlapsdown.IwishedIknewwho’dswipedmyglovesatPencey,becausemyhandswerefreezing.NotthatI’dhavedonemuchaboutitevenifIhadknown.I’moneoftheseveryyellowguys.Itrynottoshowit,butIam.Forinstance,ifI’dfoundoutatPenceywho’dstolenmygloves,Iprobablywould’vegonedowntothecrook’sroomandsaid,"Okay.How‘bouthandingoverthosegloves?"Thenthecrookthathadstolenthemprobablywould’vesaid,hisvoiceveryinnocentandall,"Whatgloves?"ThenwhatIprobablywould’vedone,I’dhavegoneinhisclosetandfoundtheglovessomewhere.Hiddeninhisgoddamgaloshesorsomething,forinstance.I’dhavetakenthemoutandshowedthemtotheguyandsaid,"Isupposetheseareyourgoddamgloves?"Thenthecrookprobablywould’vegivenmethisveryphony,innocentlook,andsaid,"Ineversawthoseglovesbeforeinmylife.Ifthey’reyours,take‘em.Idon’twantthegoddamthings."ThenIprobablywould’vejuststoodthereforaboutfiveminutes.I’dhavethedamnglovesrightinmyhandandall,butI’dfeelIoughttosocktheguyinthejaworsomething—breakhisgoddamjaw.Only,Iwouldn’thavethegutstodoit.I’djuststandthere,tryingtolooktough.