"This is the dream." "I find myself standing in the lobby of a thousand-story grand hotel," "where a bank of elevators a mile long and an endless row of attendants in gold braid wait to carry me up, up, up." "When I reach the elevator, everything seems possible." "I press its only button to discover where it leads." "But I never get anywhere because the moment the doors shut, that's when I wake up." "The summer of 1 983 began with my father, the gangster, who was in town to conduct some of his vague business." "And the only elevator I'd taken was the one that brought me a mile above the Allegheny to his favorite restaurant." "My graduation two weeks prior with a degree in Economics was cause for celebration, which, in this case, took the form of a mandatory steak dinner." "For the past eight months, my father had been followed by the FBI ." "He assured me it was nothing to worry about." "Which, of course, was what made me worry." "Don't look at them, Son." "Look at me." "They can't do anything." "Just look at me." "That's me over there, that's my life." "That has nothing to do with you." "Do you understand?" "Yes." "So, Art, what are you gonna do this summer?" "I don't know." "You don't know?" "I'm not sure." "You're not sure that you don't know?" "Or you're just not sure?" "I'm not sure, I guess." "I see." "You studying for the test?" "Yes." "Well, you'll ace it." "It's regulatory, Dad." "I just have to pass." "They don't care what your score is." "Well, you care, don't you?" "You don't graduate cum laude and not care about your grades." "Am I right?" "Yeah." "Did you call Uncle Lenny about the job, like I asked?" "Yeah, yes." "And?" "And..." "Yeah, it' s all set, I think." "Good." "That's good." "Baltimore's a great city, Art." "You'll like it." "Yeah, yeah." "I thought about my fat Uncle Lenny and the job he'd strong-armed for me that would start in the fall." "Which meant I had exactly three months left to live." "My father wanted me to take an internship at one of the firms downtown." "But if this was to be the last summer of my life," "I wanted to have the least amount of responsibility possible." "A job whose only requirements were continuous breathing, the ability to stack objects without hurting yourself and a passing acquaintance with the alphabet." "Fortunately, the Book Barn was hiring." "August Van Zorn." "What?" "Van Zorn?" "Does that go under "V" or "Z"?" ""V." It's Dutch." "Art to storage, please." "Art to storage." "I'll be right back." " Have fun, dude." " What?" "Nothing." "Ten days into my employment," "I got bored enough to sleep with my boss." "Apparently, the word had gotten out." "Fuck." " Phlox?" " Yes." "I can't remember how it all started." "And honestly," "I'd never done anything like this before." "Where are you?" "Come find me." "It began as a lark." "A game to play." "Something to break up the monotony." "But it soon became a schedule to keep." "You're getting warmer." "Another item on my list." "Have you been thinking about me, Art?" "Yes." "And as I walked through the Book Barn basement that day, on my way to do what I was about to do..." "Have you been thinking about fucking me?" "Yes." "... I rememberfeeling a familiar sense of obligation wash over me." "Good, I'm ready." "Phlox was three years older than me and my supervisor." "At this point, we'd pretty much screwed" "In Travel, in Self-Help, and in Sports and Recreation, which, at times, was downright eerie." "Welcome, folks." "This is 1 87F." "Series Seven Prep." "Prep means preparation." "Taking the Series Seven exam is a requirement for trading." "Passing it is the first step to becoming a stockbroker, which was definitely the last step I wanted to take." "All right, let's get started." "Hey!" "Art Bechstein!" "I thought that was you, man!" "What the fuck is happening, bitch?" "Mohammed Abdul was my roommate freshman year." "Jesus, Momo." "You almost killed me." "Fun, right?" "And I'm pretty sure he's never had a driver's license." "Hey, you come with us, man." "We are going to a party." "You like it." "There's no room." "No." "Bullshit, man." "You can ride on the back." "Okay." "Yeah." "I knew that if I got in the car with Momo, there was a better-than-even chance I'd end up in jail." "Which, if you think about it, isn't a bad way to start your Tuesday night." "What are those?" "It's drugs, man." "Oh." "Yeah." "Enjoy this trip." "You have a bitch stomach, man." "Come, we get some vodka to fix your vomit mouth." "I need gum." "No gum, man." "Vodka." "After you've thrown up in the topiary and rinsed your mouth out with cheap vodka, you don't really wanna talk to anybody." "I just wanted to go outside and get some fresh air." "And that's when it happened." "Hey, man." "I look for you, man." "I had to drink your drink on the way, man." "Momo, who is that?" "Oh, that is Jane Bellwether, man." "She like angel, man." "Like angel." "Yeah, but she got boyfriend, man." "Cleveland." "He like the devil, man." "Like the devil." "How do you know?" "Momo used to date." " What?" " Come, I introduce you." "No, no, no." " Jane!" " Mohammed." "Yes, of course." "Jane, I want you to meet my friend, Art." "Art Bechstein, this is Jane Bellwether." "A pleasure, Mr. Bechstein." "Likewise." "I admit I could've been more charming at our introduction." "Okay, I'm hungry like a motherfuck." "Who is for pie at Lola's?" "Do you like pie, Art?" "But when a girl asks you if you like pie, there's really only one answer." "The Book Barn, huh?" "Really?" "Yeah." "But it's only till the end of the summer." "My father has this job lined up for me that starts in the fall." "And what does he do?" "What does your father do?" "He manipulates Swiss bank accounts with money that comes from numbers, whores, protection and cigarette smuggling." "Really?" "No." "He's in finance." "For a second there," "I thought we were gonna talk about something exciting." "Yeah." "I have a boyfriend." "I know." "It's Cleveland, right?" " How did you know that?" " Mohammed told me." "He's a gossip." "And jealous." "Jealous?" "Well, he and Cleveland used to spend a lot of time together, I guess." "And what happened?" "Cleveland starting spending a lot of time with me." "Oh." "Art, would you do something for me?" "Sure, what?" "I mean, up until this moment, this has been the relatively normal, getting-to-know-you chit-chat, right?" " Yeah, well..." " But if you tell me something that you've never said out loud to anyone before, then this moment becomes unique." "It becomes indelible." "Can you do that for me?" "I don't know." "I'm not sure I have one." "Of course you do." "Everybody has something that they have never told anyone else before." "I can wait." "There's no time limit." "Well, I have this..." "I have this thing that happens to me." "An experience." "It happens before I realize it." "I don't feel it coming on or anything." "It's just, suddenly I'm..." "I'm aware of it." "I can feel it." "I vanish." "When it first happened, I was nine and it was right after my mother died, and I was..." "I was scared." "I don't know how long it lasts." "I know when it happens." "I look people in the eye, strangers." "But they never look back." "They never see me." "I've thought to myself, this must be what it's like." "This must be what dying is." "Just sort of fade away." "Vanish." "I guess I worry there's gonna be a time where it happens and never ends." "And I'd stay that way forever, you know." "Yeah." "Anyway, I've never..." "I've never told that to anyone." "I'm sorry about your mother." "That's okay." "Probably wasn't your fault." "Art, would you walk me home?" "Yeah." "Can I help you?" "I'm looking for Son of a Gangster, by Art Bechstein." "Suddenly, my mind went blank." "All mental activities ceased." "Just not here, okay?" "All right." "Outside, then." "Someone, somewhere was trying to send my father a message." "They were gonna hit him where it hurt, and that meant me." "At my funeral, my cousin Debbie would play guitar and sing Blackbird or Moonshadow." "Who the fuck are you, bro?" "Death." "I decided that my only chance was to play along." "Get him to trust me and then try to make my escape." "Get on." "Get the fuck on." "I hear you like pie, Bechstein." "Cleveland?" "Where are we?" "What is this place?" "It's a surprise." "When I finally saw his face, it wasn't what I'd expected." "He looked more like a court jester than a criminal." "And to this day," "I don't know why I followed him." "But I guess it all seemed suddenly like an adventure." "What you see before you, young Bechstein, is the Cloud Factory." "The mighty coliseum of Pittsburgh." "How long has this place been abandoned?" "About 30 years." "But the clouds keep coming out." "All day, all night." "No one knows why." "Wait, Cleveland." "where are we going?" "Up." "Fuck." "Jane mentioned you." "Yeah." "She mentioned you by name." ""Art Bechstein, who works at the shitty Book Barn,"" "which doesn't have a single copy of either Brautigan or Bukowski, and I said to myself," ""Well, Art Bechstein," "I know that name."" "How do you know about that?" "About my father?" " Everyone knows, don't they?" " No." "No one knows." "I'd prefer to keep it that way." "Please." "Please?" "Pretty please?" "With sugar on top?" "Look, I don't know what Jane told you, but nothing happened between us." " Nothing?" " Yeah." "Nothing." "That's not what Jane said." "She said the two of you had fun together." " No, it wasn't like that." " You like doing that?" "You like having fun with another guy's girl?" "Look, we just had pie together." "Pie?" "Look, I'm not interested in Jane." " You're not?" " No." " Why not?" " I don't know." "Because she's dating you?" "Yeah, well, that didn't stop you last night." "You think you could jump off this?" " No." "I don't think so." " No, wait, wait." "What if surviving wasn't a priority?" " What?" " Off you go!" "No!" "No!" "It was there, suspended 300 feet above the earth, staring at a lunatic, that my summer finally began." "Stop fucking around, Bechstein." " We're gonna be late." " Late for what?" "Fun." "Hello, Art!" "Hey." "So you're into punk?" "No, no." "I can't stand the stuff." "Jane is." " No kidding?" " Yeah, no kidding." "Listen, don't tell your father that I brought you here." "I don't think he'd approve." "Seriously, how do you know about my father?" "Nobody knows about that." "Your cousin, Danny Burns, he knows." "He's not my cousin." "He needs to learn to shut his mouth." "Yeah, tell me about it." "Hey." "Whiskey." "So how do you know the Burnses?" " You work for them?" " No, I don't work for anyone." "They're associates of mine." "That's not something to brag about." "Well, I get to make my own hours." "And nobody knows." "Absolutely nobody." "Come on." "Relax, Bechstein." "It's gonna be a great summer," " I promise." "Okay?" " Okay." " Hey, you boys ready?" " Yeah." "Oh, my." "So it's going to be like that, then?" "To whiplash." "Rock and roll!" "Thank you, Pittsburgh." "Good to be back." "This one's called Devil Rise." "One, two, three, four." "Jane?" "Jane?" "Are you okay?" "Where's Cleveland?" "He went to the bathroom." "I'm not feeling very well, Art." "Okay." "I'm gonna go get him." "Just stay here, all right?" "Hey, Cleveland, Jane's ready to..." "He's fucking busy, man." "Oh, my, I'm sorry." " Excuse me." " Watch it, asshole." "Thanks for waiting." "What?" "Nothing." "Is there something you'd like to say?" "No." "You sure?" "I won't mind." "Really." "I'm an open book." "No, I'm fine." "I'm fantastic." "Drive Jane home for me, would you, Bechstein?" "Don't do this." "Leave the keys in the ashtray." "Cleveland." "Do you want me to go get him?" "Screw him." "Okay." "Cleveland, you're not going in there." " Chill out." " What are you doing?" "I'm just gonna have a good time." "Get in the car." " You're not going in there." " What?" "What?" " You're not going in there." " Hey, next time..." " No." " Fuck you!" "Leave me the fuck alone!" "What's he doing?" "Nothing." "Cards." "You know, most nights they won't even let him through the door." "Do you want to wait?" "No." "Let's go." "Yeah." "Art?" "Oh, my God, are you okay?" " Yeah, I'm fine." " What are you doing here?" "Well, I was worried, so I came right over." "I'm glad you're all right." "When Keith told me what happened," "I totally freaked out." "I was ready to call the cops." "You didn't call the cops, did you?" "No, I figured it might' ve been a fraternity thing or something." "I was never in a fraternity." "So who was the biker guy, then?" "He was a friend of mine." " You don't know him." " How do you know?" "I don't know," "Because you've never met him, Phlox." "Why are you being mean to me?" "I'm not being mean to you." "It's just..." "I don't..." "I don't know, okay?" "So, what's his name?" " Who?" " The biker guy." " Cleveland." " Like the state?" "Yeah, like the state." "Well, you disappear on the back of some bike, like an abduction or something, and you're gone all day, and then you show up after midnight and it's like you're a different person." "Like your aura has changed." "My aura has not changed." "It has." "I can tell." "I feel so far away from you right now." "I'm sorry." "Hey, I am sorry, okay?" "It's just..." "It's been a weird day." "Promise?" "Yeah." "Cross your heart and hope to die?" " Phlox..." " Do it." "Fine." "I cross my heart and hope to die." "You're a dork." "Gee, thanks." "If amalgamated, consolidated and corporated were to issue 50,000 new shares at $1 0, then working capital and shareholders' equity would be increased by $500,000." "Note that the original 200,000 shares will now be increased to 250..." "Bechstein, old sport, what news?" "What news?" "Cleveland, I feel like an idiot." " Nonsense." "You look smashing." " What're we doing here?" "Jane's got her first paying gig tonight." "I thought we'd provide her a cheering section." "Where's she playing?" "Rome." "Thanks." "Cleveland, we're the only ones here wearing tuxedoes." "Some people have no sense of style, Bechstein." "She's really good, you know." "Yeah, I know." "Yeah!" "Yes!" "All right!" "Please, take your seat." "What?" "I didn't say anything." "Oh." "Enter." "Hey, you wanted to see me?" "Take a seat, Art." "Uh-oh." "Gonna fire me?" "No." "I'm not going to fire you, Art." "Okay." "But, Art, we do need to talk." "Why are you saying my name so much?" " What?" " You keep saying my name." " So?" " So, it's weird." "I'm sorry you feel that way." "Jesus." "What's going on?" "Are you ashamed of me?" " What?" " Are you ashamed of me?" "Is that why you don't want me" " to meet your friends?" " I'm not ashamed of you." "You can meet them if you like." "What about your father?" " What about him?" " I want to meet him." "I never said you couldn't." "We've been together since March, Art, and he's in town every four weeks on business." "You have dinner with him alone at Lemont, and you've never once asked me to join you." "What am I supposed to think?" " I don't want to fight." " This isn't a fight, Art." "This is just you being impossibly strange again." "You know, as your girlfriend," "I don't think it's unreasonable for..." " Oh, my God." " What?" "Oh, my God." "I'm so stupid." "You don't think I'm your girlfriend, do you?" " No, I ..." " I'm just some girl you're fucking." "Wait, no, I thought that that's how you wanted it." " I'm like a joke to you." " You're not a joke to me." "You go home and you laugh at me." " I don't laugh at you." " No wonder you won' t introduce me to your father." "Okay, hold on a second." "Okay?" "It's getting a little out of hand, here." "It's spinning out of control a little bit." "Phlox." "Come on, don't..." "Don't cry." "I'm not crying." "I'm not fucking crying for you." "I've cut you out of my heart." "Do you hear me?" "You've been cut out of my heart, Art Bechstein." "Get out." "Get out of my office!" "Hello?" "Hey." "Wait, what?" "Usually, in situations such as these, we would simply call the police." "But the other patron was a regular and so discretion was required." " What happened?" " Your friend's girlfriend perhaps had too much to drink this evening." "She was creating a bit of a disturbance." " And?" " I believe a remark was passed." "Oh." " How much?" " $300 for the meal and $1 50 for the other activity." "Okay." "Is this your card?" "It's my father's, yes." "We're very sorry for any inconvenience." "Please accept our sincere apologies." " We'll take care of everything." " I'd prefer to pay." " Jesus Christ." " Oh, no, sir." " I could never allow that." " I don't care." "Let's just fucking leave." "I broke my strap." "Baby." "Don't worry about that." "Hi, Art." "I still love you." "Don't judge me, okay?" "Yeah." "Okay." "She wants me to go to graduate school with her." "She asked me." "What did you say?" "I don't remember." "But it wasn't good, whatever it was." "She drinks too much sometimes, you know?" "Yeah." "Anyway, I can't go with her where she's going." "Why not?" "I don't know." "That's not where I'm going." "Love can only do so much in this life." "It's beautiful, but it's not real." "Don't do drugs." "I guess I could quit, but..." "Let me get a pull." "I don't know, part of me wants to see how bad it's gonna get, you know?" "I kind of respect that." "Jesus hates a quitter." "Yeah." ""Hello, my name is Asshole." That's funny." "Yeah." "That's good stuff." "I'll be sure to tell her you're pleased." "I understand where she's coming from." "Say, I'd like to meet your old man." "Shake that fabled iron hand." " Oh, God." " What?" "Not you too." "What?" "I think I'd like him." " I think he'd like me." " No." "He wouldn't like you." "Yeah?" "Why not?" "Because he doesn't like any of my friends." "And he wouldn't be happy to know that I with one of Lenny Burns' errand boys." "Hey, I'm not Lenny Burns' anything." "It's not gonna happen." "Okay." " Okay." " Okay." "I'm starving." "You wanna stop at the O?" "Yeah, sure." "Shit." "Stay cool and you'll keep your teeth." "Hey, Lurch." "How's your mom?" "Stop!" "Stop!" "What the fuck did I tell you?" "Relax, all right?" "Your boyfriend's gonna be fine." "He's got protection." "Cleveland, you handle your situation or your situation is sure as shit gonna handle you." "I stopped by the bookstore." " What?" " You weren't there." "You came to check on me?" "I liked the aprons." "Very becoming." "Dad, I don't..." "You don't have to do that." "What?" "I'm not allowed to stop by your work?" "Do I embarrass you?" "No, that's not the point." "What is the point?" "What is the point of what you've been doing this entire summer?" "I'd like to know." "Am I keeping you from something?" "What?" "No." "I'm supposed to meet somebody." " That's all." " A girl?" "Sort of." " Sort of?" " I mean, yes." "It's not polite to keep a woman waiting, Art." " I know that." " I don't think you do." "Okay." "Where do you think you're going?" " I'm late." " Dinner isn't finished." " I'm full." " I'm not." "Sit down." " What?" " Sit down until I'm finished eating." " Dad..." " Sit down!" "Now." "Thanks for coming with me on short notice." "I hope it wasn't too much of a bore." " Thanks." " Cleveland always says that the theater is phony." "Yeah." "Sorry I was late." "So when do you leave for your audition?" "Tomorrow." "How long is it?" "It's, like, half an hour." "I mean, less if they hate you." "It's so weird." "When I was little, my mother forced me to play and I hated it." "I mean, I hated every minute of it." "And now if I get in, it'll just change everything." "You know, I'll move to California." "It's like a whole new life." "So is Cleveland going to go with you?" "I don't know." "I mean, I hope so." "I've asked him, but he won't give me a straight answer." "You know what Cleveland's like." "Yeah." "I think it's gonna rain." "No, it's a tease." "You really don't miss, do you?" "Not usually." "So when is Jane coming back?" "Monday, I think." "Her audition was yesterday?" "Yeah." "You haven't heard from her?" "No." "So have you thought about it?" "I don't really spend much time thinking about why Jane hasn't called me." "No, I meant have you thought about going with her?" "Moving to San Francisco?" "Have you thought about it?" "No." "I haven't thought about it." "Have you thought about it?" "Jesus, I'm just trying to help you with your future." "You don't need to be an asshole." "You wanna talk about the future, let's talk about the future." "Let's talk about your future." "You've got your face buried in a book, studying for a test you don't need, for a job you don't want, and the joke of it is, the real test is whether or not" "you're gonna take the test at all." "I know you think you can't go with her." "But you can if you want to." "You're not doomed." "We're all doomed, Bechstein." "That's the point." "Shit." "Shit." "It won't start." "Help me with this!" "Help me with this!" "You can't do it that way, it's electric!" "Push!" "Push!" "Push it under those trees." "Shit!" "Oh, man." "Who's that?" "It's Jane." "Art!" "I got in!" "I'm going to San Francisco." "That's great!" "I came straight here from the airport." "I wanted it to be a surprise." "I hope I'm not interrupting" " your boys' weekend." " Is she, Bechstein?" "No." "Of course not." "Oh, I brought groceries." "I'm going to make a salad." "Oh, great." "Salad." "That's just what we need." "Asshole." "What?" "What?" "I love you, you asshole." "Then don't ask the fucking question!" "Just let it go, Cleveland." " Are you okay?" " I'm fine." "Ah, she's okay." "I'm okay, we're all okay." "Are you good?" "We're all fine." "Just one big, fine fuckin' family." "Me and my girlfriend and the guy who likes to watch us fuck." "Jesus Christ, Cleveland, Art is our friend!" "You're right." "You're right." "You're right." "You're right." "You're right." "You're right." "Okay." "You're right." "We're all friends." "You wanna fuck my girlfriend, friend?" "Shut up." "Just shut up." "Shut up!" "No, no, no." "Hey!" "Hey!" "Okay?" "Now." "Or do you wanna fuck me?" "Huh?" "Is that it?" "Are you done?" "I'm sorry." "Hey." "It's my birthday in two weeks." "I didn't know." "Last year, Cleveland bought me a beautiful dress, with a black rose that wrapped at the neck." "He said when he saw it in the window, it sang to him like a siren." "He's in debt." "He gambles." "I think he's in trouble but he won't tell me." "And I keep saying that we should just leave." "That he should come with me to San Francisco, or we should go to Chicago or New York or any place that isn't here." "That isn't Pittsburgh." "He can be so wonderful, Art." "He loves you." "He loves you too." "It's different." "I don't think so." "Not for him." "So how long have you two been dating?" "We're not dating, Dad." "I told you that." "You did?" "Yes." "Jane is my friend." " Your friend?" " Yes." "Well, you're a very beautiful friend, Jane." "Thank you, Mr. Bechstein." "Do you have a boyfriend, Jane?" " Dad." " It's okay." "I don't, no." "Not anymore." "We broke up." "What a shame." "For him, I mean." "To lose someone like you." "Thank you." "Would you gentlemen excuse me" " for a moment, please?" " Of course." "I can't believe you." "What was I supposed to think?" "You were supposed to think what I told you to think." "That we're not dating." "I thought you were being ironic." "I wasn't being iron..." "That's not even irony." "You're the college graduate." "Jane is just my friend." "It's her birthday tonight and I didn't want her to be alone." " Okay?" "That's all." " I see." "My mistake." "I apologize." "You don't need to apologize." " Just don't do it again." " Fine." "Fine." "Can I ask you something?" "Since when have you had to ask my permission to ask me something?" "Do you know any of Uncle Lenny's guys?" "Know them?" "I went to half of their weddings." " Danced with their wives." " No, I know." "I know." "I mean some of the guys in the lower echelons." "Where are you hanging around that you're meeting that kind of element?" "Dad, it's not like that." "It's just..." "It's just what?" "Jane's ex-boyfriend, Cleveland, he might be working for Uncle Lenny and she hasn't heard from him in a couple of weeks." "She's worried about him." "I'm worried about him too, I guess." "So that's what you've decided to do with your summer." "Hanging around thugs and thieves, greedy little morons who take money from other greedy little morons." " Dad..." " Art, we've talked about this." "We agreed about this." "What's the matter with you?" "What's going through that head of yours?" "Look." "I'm sorry I brought it up, okay?" "I just wanted to know if you knew some of the guys." "All right?" "That's it." " Oh, shit." " What is it?" "Nothing, Dad, it's nothing." "It's just..." "Oh, balls." "Hello, Arthur." "Hello, Phlox." "This is my father, Joe Bechstein." "How do you do?" "It's a pleasure to meet you." " Is it?" " Phlox is my supervisor" " at the Book Barn." " Oh." "How lovely." " I'm not just his supervisor." "No." " You're not?" " Phlox." " We used to fuck." " I'm sorry?" " Okay." "That' s enough." "Your son and I used to fuck each other a lot." " All over the store." " I see." "He wouldn't introduce me to you because he thinks I'm a whore." "But I'm not a whore, Mr. Bechstein." "No." "Of course you're not." "Phlox, you need to leave." "I'm not done talking to your father." "Yes, you are." "Hello." "I loved your son and he broke my heart." "What's going on?" "That was Art's supervisor from work." " Really?" " He works in a bookstore." " Dad." " He works for minimum wage." " She knows." " Well, I don't." "I don't know what to think of it anymore." " Dad, please." " Working in that ridiculous bookstore, and hanging out with thugs." " Dad..." " Look at yourself." "What are you doing this summer?" "You wouldn't want to know." "You'd probably hate everything" "I've been doing this summer." "Yes, I probably would." "And so would your mother." "It's okay." "Art?" "Art, stop." "I don't know why that happens." "It always happens." "It's okay." "It's not." "It's not okay." "It was supposed to be him, but they made a mistake." "What are you talking about?" "She was coming to pick me up at school." "I was weak and scared, and I wanted to be at home, so I'd pretend to be sick." "She took my father's car because she was in a rush to get me." "And they had it wired." "My father isn't who you think he is." "I'm not a fool, Art." "I know what your father does." "Look, you don't have to talk about it." "That's just it." "I don't talk about it." "We never talk about it." "My father told me she died in a car accident and I knew he was lying to me." "And he's been lying to me ever since." "He blames me for it." "He hates me for it." " He doesn't hate you." " He does." "I know he does." "He doesn't hate you, Art." "He loves you." "I love you." "Do you love me?" "Yes." "Say it." "Say you love me." "I love you." "Can I help you?" "You're fired." " What?" " You're fired." "I'm here to tell you that." "Phlox doesn't want to see your little fucking weasel face anymore around the bookstore." "You're the boyfriend?" "Yeah." " Yeah, okay." "I understand." " You understand?" "What the fuck do you understand?" "I'll make you understand, you fucking faggot!" "Leave." "Now." "Jesus, Bechstein." "You're not bleeding too bad." "You're gonna have a beauty of a scar, though." "Where have you been?" "Sabbatical." "Here." "Who's the frat boy?" "Let me get in there." "Phlox's new boyfriend." " Charming." " Yeah." "Well, you sure know how to pick 'em, Bechstein." "I mean, hell." "Jane was worried about you." "Yeah." "I was worried about you." "I know." "Jane." "Shit!" "Bechstein, just let her go." "Fuck you." "Jane!" "Jane!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "What?" "What are you going to say, Art?" "What?" "You're sorry?" " I don't..." " What?" "What?" "You what?" "What are you doing?" "What is all this?" " I don't know." " Do you love me?" " Yes, of course." " Do you love him?" "Yes." "You can't fix him, Art." "He won't change." "He can't." "I know." "You'll never be me, Art." "Jane." "No." "That's completely impossible." "What are you talking about?" "I doubt that." "Yeah." "Yeah." "I fucking doubt that." "I understand that, right?" "Listen to me." "I mean, listen to me." "I understand that, right?" "Okay." "And I've paid attention the entire time, and I've tried to behave in a way that was respectable." "Why don't you just let me talk to him for one second?" "You won't get him on the phone for me for one fucking second?" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Fuck me!" "What's wrong?" "Are you okay?" "No, I'm in trouble." "I'm in big fucking trouble." "Your uncle cut me loose." "I don't know." "I guess I became a nuisance to him, and he cut me loose." "Fuck!" "And I'm fair game now." "I don't understand." "What's going on?" "Punicki, he collects on the card game, you know, right?" "And as long as I worked for your uncle, he couldn't touch me, no matter how much I was down." "I mean, he could twist my arm, but he couldn't break it." "Where are my fucking keys?" "If you need money, Cleveland, I can help." "No, it's not about money." "I tried that." "It's not about money to them anymore." " Well, what's it about, then?" " I don' t know." "It's gangland." "It's about principle." "I'm just..." "I 'mstuck." "I'm fucking stuck, and I can't fix it." "And I can't get out!" "You need absolution." "You know any priests?" "I know my father." "Is this going to damage things with your old man?" "I don't know." "Maybe." "Things were damaged already." "Hey!" "How do you like that?" "Joe Bechstein's boy." "Jimmy." "Jimmy Breezy." "Last time I saw you, you were a kid." "Send him in." "Hello, Dad." "I'm sorry to bother you." "Art, what happened to you?" "Nothing." "I'm fine, Dad." "Don't tell me nothing." "I'm not stupid." "I'm fine, Dad, really." "Look, this is my friend, Cleveland." "Joe, I know this kid." "Now, Mr. Bechstein, I'm the reason we're here." "It is my fault we're interrupting you this way, but I wanted to meet you." "Glad to meet you." "This guy doesn't belong in here." "He's a squeeze." "Dad, Cleveland has a problem." "This is very foolish, boys." "Dad, please." "Give me the room." "Now, what is it?" "I need your help, Mr. Bechstein." "Do you deserve my help?" "No." "No." "But I'm asking for it anyway." "As a friend." "Friend?" "I mean, as Art's friend." "Art's friend?" "Art, leave the room." " What?" " Leave the room." "I want to talk to your friend alone." "So, what happened?" "What did he say?" "Somebody fell out of a job that they were supposed to do." "It's the last-minute thing." "And he said if I do the job, then everything's square." " What kind of job?" " It's nothing." "It's small time." "B and E. Jewelry." " When?" " Tonight." "What else?" "I am to remove myself from your acquaintance." " What?" " Yeah, your father feels that I pollute your waters." "Did you agree to it?" "Did you?" "It's better this way, Bechstein." "Trust me." "It's better?" "For who?" "For you?" "No, for you." "I'm going with you." " Forget it, Bechstein." " You don't have a choice." "Yeah, I do." "Go home." "Either you take me, or I call the police and I tell them someone stole my motorcycle." "Your father is not gonna like this." "Is there an alarm?" "No, it's been taken care of." " I'm going in with you." " No, no, no, no, no." " You just stay here, okay?" " What?" " Be my lucky rabbit's foot." " What am I supposed to do if something happens?" "Whistle and wave my hands?" "Yeah." "Well, that sounds good." " Go ahead." " It's happening." "Yeah." "Okay." "Cleveland." "Shit." "Come on." "Come on." "Shit." "Run." "Run!" " What happened?" " I don't know!" "Well, did they hear you?" "Did you wake them up?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "I don't know what the hell happened." "My father." "What?" "My father, he called the cops." "He wants to teach me a lesson." "Some kind of fucking lesson, Bechstein." "Come on." "Get on." "Get on." "Oh, fuck." "Get off!" "Get off!" "Get off the bike!" " What?" " Get off the fucking bike!" "You don't have to do this." "You have a choice." "Be advised." "Suspect is armed and dangerous." " Armed and dangerous." " You two." "That side, now!" "There!" "There!" "Back there!" "Get him!" "Cleveland, stop!" "They're everywhere!" "Hey, you!" "Hold it right there!" "Okay." "Okay." "Hands where we can see them." "Get down!" "You're under arrest." "Come on." "Stay where you are!" "You, don't move!" "There, he's on the gate!" "Go, get him!" "Give up!" "Give up!" "Give up!" "Go down!" "Shut up!" "He can't hear you." "Cleveland!" "Bechstein." "You're free to go." "Open up number five!" "Come on." "Let's go." "Get in the car." "Get in the car, Art." "Did you call them?" "I'm not gonna discuss it." "Answer me." "Did you call them?" "He was no good, Art." "He was no good for you." " He was my friend." " It wasn't supposed to happen the way it happened!" "It was an accident." " Like Mom?" " Art, get in the car." "Tell me the truth." "You have to start telling the truth now." "It was her instead of you, wasn't it?" "Don't you say another word." "Not one more goddamn word." "Get in the car." "Goodbye, Dad." "You're gonna walk away from me, Art?" "Son, listen, I'm sorry." "Hey, Art, come back." "I'm your father." "After that day," "I never saw my father again." ""But who am I , and what is my people," ""that we should be able to offer so willingly" "" after this sort?" ""For all things come of Thee," ""and of Thine own have we given Thee." ""For we are strangers before Thee," ""and sojourners, as were all our fathers." ""Our days on the Earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding."" "When the dream of that summer ended, I awoke." "I remember the roar of Cleveland's motorcycle, the scuff of his boots on the stone walk, and the way his eyes looked just before he told a joke." "I remember Jane's smile, her quiet strength, and the way my heart leapt at her touch." "I remember my friends and love them to this day." "So I pressed the button, stepped on to the elevator, and waited for the doors to close." "As I walked away from Pittsburgh," "I knew, finally, that my life would be my own." "I packed only what I could carry, bought a one-way ticket, and waited for the train to come."