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THEpoetgiveshimapictureofherselfposednakedasaMajaonacouch.ThePolaroidisill-lit,badlycomposed,unflatteringtoherstomach,andsheisshinyofnose.Furthermore,thecouchisugly,doneininch-squareblack-and-whitehounds-toothcheck."Whotookthepicture?"Simonasks."Someone,"shesays,andsnatchesitawayfromhim.
Heisalayman,notafigureinherworld."Yourenotapoet,yourearealperson,"shesays."Ofcoursepoetsarefunnierthanrealpeople."Shenamesforhisenter?tainmentthesecond,third,fourth,andfifthmostbeautifulmalepoetsinthecountry."Butwhosthefirst?"thelaymanasks."Wekeepthepositionopensothattheguyswillhavesomethingtoaspireto,"shesays.Doessheknowallofthesebeautifulpoets?Aretheyallpresentorformerlovers?Simonhasnoideahowpoetsbehave.Outrageouslywouldbehisbestguess,butwhatdoesthatmeaninpractice?Thepoetslongredhairstraysoutoverthepale-bluepillowcase;herrightfoottapstimetoaPointerSistersrecord."Thedustinyourpoems,"Simonasks,"isitalwaysthesamedust?Doesitalwaysmeanthesamething?Ordoesitmeanhinginonepoemandanotherthinginanotherpoem?"Thepoetplacesahandunderabarebreast,asiftoweighit."Mydust,"shesays,"myex?cellentdust.Yourealayman,Simon,shutupaboutmydust."
ShewasraisedinKansas,whereherfatherisawhole?salegrocer."Hegavemethis,"shesays.Sheopensabookandremovesatwenty-thousand-dollarbond."Itwassupposedtoputmethroughmedicalschool.Ididntwanttogotomedicalschool."Thebondisprettyandbluewithsomekindofnoblestatuaryonit."Shouldntthisbeinamoney-marketfundorsome?thing?"asksthelayman."Iguessso,"shesays."IfyourenotfromKansas,peopleinKansasaskyou:WhatdoyouthinkaboutKansas?Whatdoyouthinkaboutoursky?WhatdoyouthinkaboutpeopleinKansas?Arewedumb?"Shereplacesthebondinthebook."YoufindahighdegreeofsadnessinKansas."
"WELLitsjustwhatIthoughtwouldhappenwhatIthoughtwouldhappenandithap?pened."
"Hesafreehumanindividualnotboundtous."
"Maybeweretoomuchforhimmaybeheneedsmoreofaone-on-hingseewhatImsaying?"
"ItmaybejustatemporaryaberrationthatwontlastverylonglikewhensuddenlyyouseesomebodyinacrowdedPizzaHutorsomethingandyouthink,Icouldabidethat."
"Butifshesapoetthenshewontkeephimpoetsburntheircandlesdowntonubs.Andthenfindnewcandles.Thatswhattheydo."
"IdontknowIstillfeelthreatenedImeanImasgenerousasthenextmanbutIstillfeelemphaticallythatourpositionherehasradicallyalteredfortheworse.Somehow."
"Poetseatupallofexperienceandthenmakepoemsofitissheanygood?"
"Hethinksso."
"Whatdoesheknowhesanarchitect."
"HewasdoingCompLitbeforehegotkickedoutofUSC."
"Whatdhegetkickedoutfor?"
"Sluggedadeaninariot,itwasaFirstAmendmentthinghesays."
Timcomesinwearingadark-blueflannelsuitwithafaintpinstripe.Heleaksprosperity.
"Tim!"Veronicasays."Whatshappenedtoyou?"
"ThisisfromPaulStuart,"Timsays."Sevenhun?dredbucks.Doyoulikeit?"
"Youlooklikeanewman.Anewandbetterman."
"Igotsomethinggoing,"Timsays."Impresidentofthisnewoutfitwereputtingtogether.Medlapse.Itsalawfirm."
"Butyourenotalawyer,"Doresays."Areyou?"
"Theconceptwasmine,"hesays,"lawyersyoucanXeroxonanystreetcorner.Werespecializinginmal?practice,itseverywhere.Iestimatethatforty-sevenpercentofallpatient-physicianencountershaveele?mentsthatwouldtendtosupportasuccessfulaction.Weprojectany-eightpercentrateofrecoveryovertwoyears."
"VeronicasbeengoingtothisguyoveronHudsonStreet,"Annesays,"heskindofpeculiar."
"YouthinkhespeculiarIdontthinkhespeculiar,"saysVeronica.
"Whats"Timreachingintohisjacketforanotebook.
"Heinsistsonbeingpaidincashonly."
"Diddlinghistaxes."
"Hedoesnthaveanurse."
"ViolationofAMAguidelinesonsexualoversight,hesOB-GYN?"
"HisnameisLinhpronouncedLinghesVietnam?esehewasageneralinVietnam."
"TheywereallgeneralsinVietnam,"Timsays,
"Whatreyouseeinghimforifyoudontmindmyasking?"
"Justvariousthingshescheap,twentydollarsforanofficevisit."
"Whenyoureready,Medlapseisready,canItakeyouladiesouttolunch,ripupachop?"
"Wheredidyouhaveinmind?"
"Blimpies?"
"YourenotgoingtoBlimpiesinthatsuit?"
"Ourcashflowisnotonlineasyet."
HESchoppinggarlic.Sixbigclovesofgar?lic.Hemincesthegarlicandsautésitinoliveoil.Meanwhilehescookingapackageoffrozenbroccoliinahalf-cupofsaltedwater.Hedrainsthebroccoliandplacesitinthesautépanfortwoorthreeminutes,atthesametimeheatingacanofchickenbrothandhalfacanofwater.Headdschoppedparsleytothepan,letsitcookforabit,thenscoopsthecontentsofthesautépanintothechickenbrothandaddsanumberofslicesofhotcookedItaliansausage.Hecooksthisforatimeandthenpoursitintobowlsandaddsgenerouspor?tionsofgratedparmesan.
Asimplesoup.Annesaysshelikesit."ThebestsoupIvehadindecades.IthoughtIhatedbroccolibutitjustkindoffallsapartinthissoupandbecomesvaguegreenstuff,very
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