Крестный отец

           "Oh,Johnny,you’renotakidanymore.You’reoverthirty-five.Whydoyoukeepworryingaboutthatsillysingingstuff?Youmakemoremoneyasaproduceranyhow."

           Johnnylookedathercuriouslyandsaid,"I’masinger.Ilovetosing.What’sbeingoldgottodowiththat?"

           Virginiawasimpatient."Ineverlikedyoursinginganyway.Nowthatyou’veshownyoucanmakemovies,I’mgladyoucan’tsinganymore."

           TheywerebothsurprisedwhenJohnnysaidwithfury,"That’safuckinglousythingtosay."Hewasshaken.HowcouldVirginiafeellikethat,howcouldshedislikehimsomuch?

           Virginiasmiledathisbeinghurtandbecauseitwassooutrageousthatheshouldbeangryathershesaid,"HowdoyouthinkIfeltwhenallthosegirlscamerunningafteryoubecauseofthewayyousang?HowwouldyoufeelifIwentass-nakeddownthestreettogetmenrunningafterme?That’swhatyoursingingwasandIusedtowishyou’dloseyourvoiceandcouldneversingagain.Butthatwasbeforewegotdivorced."

           Johnnyfinishedhisdrink."Youdon’tunderstandathing.Notadamnthing."HewentintothekitchenanddialedNino’snumber.HequicklyarrangedforthembothtogodowntoPalmSpringsfortheweekendandgaveNinothenumberofagirltocall,arealfreshyoungbeautyhe’dbeenmeaningtogetaroundto."She’llhaveafriendforyou,"Johnnysaid."I’llbeatyourplaceinanhour."

           Virginiagavehimacoolgood-byewhenheleft.Hedidn’tgiveadamn,itwasoneofthefewtimeshewasangrywithher.