"Bob, how are you?"
Suddenly, he was next to me. Oh good
god, how do I get into these things?
"Uh, fine, Doug. How are you? Having
fun?"
"Yeah, it's great. Look, can I borrow a
book I saw in the other room?"
I didn't answer for a moment. First, I
thought I didn't want to lend anything to
someone I didn't even like. That would
mean actually SEEING him again to get it
back.
Second, it occurred to me that I couldn't
think of a single book I had in the house. I
hadn't read a book in about ten years.
"Uh, what book? What are you talking
about?"
"I saw it in your den upstairs. The room
with the candles. Please?"
Were we even in the same universe? I
don't have a DEN. There is a little room
with a TV, but . . .
"Look, I don't know what you're talking
about. Ask me about it later, OK?"
"Uh, could you just come up? I need to
ask you about something in it anyway."
Sigh. "FINE! Jesus!"
I stomped up the stairs behind him, and
we stepped into the TV room. He closed
the door behind us. Only a candle
illuminated us, casting ghastly dark
shadows across his strange expression.
"Uh, Doug. What's going on?"
That's when . . .