Chapter 16

           AfterIhadmybreakfast,itwasonlyaroundnoon,andIwasn’tmeetingoldSallytilltwoo’clock,soIstartedtakingthislongwalk.Icouldn’tstopthinkingaboutthosetwonuns.Ikeptthinkingaboutthatbeatupoldstrawbaskettheywentaroundcollectingmoneywithwhentheyweren’tteachingschool.Ikepttryingtopicturemymotherorsomebody,ormyaunt,orSallyHayes’scrazymother,standingoutsidesomedepartmentstoreandcollectingdoughforpoorpeopleinabeat-upoldstrawbasket.Itwashardtopicture.Notsomuchmymother,butthoseothertwo.Myaunt’sprettycharitable—shedoesalotofRedCrossworkandall—butshe’sverywell-dressedandall,andwhenshedoesanythingcharitableshe’salwaysverywell-dressedandhaslipstickonandallthatcrap.Icouldn’tpictureherdoinganythingforcharityifshehadtowearblackclothesandnolipstickwhileshewasdoingit.AndoldSallyHayes’smother.JesusChrist.Theonlywayshecouldgoaroundwithabasketcollectingdoughwouldbeifeverybodykissedherassforherwhentheymadeacontribution.Iftheyjustdroppedtheirdoughinherbasket,thenwalkedawaywithoutsayinganythingtoher,ignoringherandall,she’dquitinaboutanhour.She’dgetbored.She’dhandinherbasketandthengosomeplaceswankyforlunch.That’swhatIlikedaboutthosenuns.Youcouldtell,foronething,thattheyneverwentanywhereswankyforlunch.ItmademesodamnsadwhenIthoughtaboutit,theirnevergoinganywhereswankyforlunchoranything.Iknewitwasn’ttooimportant,butitmademesadanyway.

           IstartedwalkingovertowardBroadway,justforthehellofit,becauseIhadn’tbeenoverthereinyears.Besides,IwantedtofindarecordstorethatwasopenonSunday.TherewasthisrecordIwantedtogetforPhoebe,called"LittleShirleyBeans."