Chapter 5

           IthinkyouknowIdidn’tfindallthatoutduringonehotOctoberafternooninthesoon-to-be-defunctprisonlibrary,fromonesetofoldnewspapersstackedinapairofPomonaorangecrates,butIlearnedenoughtomakeithardformetosleepthatnight.Whenmywifegotupattwointhemorningandfoundmesittinginthekitchen,drinkingbuttermilkandsmokinghome-rolledBugler,sheaskedmewhatwaswrongandIliedtoherforoneofthefewtimesinthelongcourseofourmarriage.IsaidI’dhadanotherrun-inwithPercyWetmore.Ihad,ofcourse,butthatwasn’tthereasonshe’dfoundmesittinguplate.IwasusuallyabletoleavePercyattheoffice.

           "Well,forgetthatrottenappleandcomeonbacktobed,"shesaid."I’vegotsomethingthat’llhelpyousleep,andyoucanhaveallyouwant."

           "Thatsoundsgood,butIthinkwe’dbetternot,"Isaid."I’vegotalittlesomethingwrongwithmywaterworks,andwouldn’twanttopassitontoyou."

           Sheraisedaneyebrow."Waterworks,huh,"shesaid."IguessyoumusthavetakenupwiththewrongstreetcornergirlthelasttimeyouwereinBatonRouge."I’veneverbeeninBatonRougeandneversomuchastouchedastreetcornergirl,andwebothknewit.

           "It’sjustaplainoldurinaryinfection,"Isaid."Mymotherusedtosayboysgotthemfromtakingaleakwhenthenorthwindwasblowing."

           "Yourmotheralsousedtostayinalldayifshespilledthesalt,"mywifesaid.