Бойцовский клуб

           Isaid,don’trun,orI’llhavetoshootyouintheback. Ihadthegunout,andIwaswearingalatexglovesoiftheguneverbecameapeople’sexhibitA, there’dbenothingonitexceptthedriedtearsofRaymondHessel, Caucasian,agedtwenty-threewithnodistinguishingmarks. 

           ThenIhadyourattention. YoureyeswerebigenoughthateveninthestreetlightIcouldsee theywereantifreezegreen. 

           Youwerejerkingbackwardandbackwardalittlemoreeverytimetheguntouchedyourface, asifthebarrelwastoohotortoocold. UntilIsaid,don’tstepback,andthenyoulettheguntouchyou, buteventhenyourolledyourheadupandawayfromthebarrel. 

           YougavemeyourwalletlikeIasked. 

           YournamewasRaymondK.Hesselonyourdriver’slicense. Youliveat1320SEBenning,apartmentA. Thathadtobeabasementapartment. Theyusuallygivebasementapartmentslettersinsteadofnumbers. 

           RaymondK.K.K.K.K.K.Hessel,Iwastalkingtoyou. 

           Yourheadrolledupandawayfromthegun,andyousaid,yeah. Yousaid,yes,youlivedinabasement. 

           `Youhadsomepicturesinthewallet,too. Therewasyourmother. 

           Thiswasatoughoneforyou,you’dhavetoopenyoureyes andseethepictureofMomandDadsmilingandseethegunatthesametime, butyoudid,andthenyoureyesclosedandyoustartedtocry. 

           Youweregoingtocool,theamazingmiracleofdeath.