Book3:WereMyDreamIs(4/112)
“Ifyouoffermeacigarette,Iwilltellyousomegoodnews.”
“Whatgoodnews?”Takingoutacigarette,Dimitrigenerouslytossedittohisfriendandlighteditforhim.Themanpuffedgreedilyathiscigaretteandthensighedinsatisfa.
“It’sbeenalongtimesinceI’vehadarealcigarette.”
“Whatgoodnewsdoyouhave?Goontell,soIshareinit.”
“Areyouhungry?”askedthemanabruptly.
“No,Ijustateandamquitefull.”
“Furtherondowreet,someacademyisholdingagathering,somekindofoutdoorparty.Thereisalotoffoodthere.Yougoasome.It’sfree.Youmaybefullnow,butyousayyouwon’tbehungryteron?Ourstomachsarebothersomethingsaobefedeveryfewhours.Whydon’tyougogetsomeofthefoodaforwhenyou?”
“That’sagreatidea,butI’tgobecauseIamtakingcareofadogforafriend.I’tleave.”
“Oh,that’sMaureen”saidthemanlookingatthecutelittledogrunningaroundonthegrass.“Itsowhattallbeautifuldy,right?”
“Yes,that’sshe.”saidDimitrinodding.
“Iwouldlovetodosomethingforher,too”saidtheman“evenifIdiedoingitbuteoplefromtwoentirelydifferentworldsthat’tevendreamofintermingling.”
“Whyarewepeoplefromtwodifferentworlds?Weliveonthesameearth.It’sonlythattheylikethesedentarylifeofbeiledinonepcewhilewepreferanomadone,roamingalroundthepce.That’stheonlydifference.”
“What’sthematterwithyoureyes?”askedtheman,wavingahandinfrontofDimitri’seyeswhilepuffinggreedilyathiscigarette.
“Blind”repliedDimitrishortly.
“Areyoureallyblindoronlypretendingtobe?”
“OfcourseI’mreallyblind.WhyshouldIpretend?”
“Ithoughtitwasyourchoiceofoccupation,youknow,pretendingtobeblindtogetthesympathyofpeoplepassingby.Youcouldjustsitatastreeterandaskformohat’sacushywayoflife,man.”
“PerhapsonedaywhenI’mreallydownandout,Iwouldbeforcedtodoso”sighedDimitri.“Thatisoomakealiving.Inthisworldifitweren’tforthefactthattherewasnowayout,whowouldbewillingtolosetheirself-respedbeeabeggar?”
Themanstoodup,tossedawayhiscigarettebuttandthenlookingslylyatDimitri,said,“Hey,olddog.Ifyouarewillingtogivemeae,Iwilltellyouaboutaerestingpieepehisneighborhood.”
“Goon,takeanotherone”saidDimitritakingouthiscigarettepadgivingthemananotherowasgiventomebysomeoneelseanyway,sowhynotshareitwithfriends?”
“Retlyaverystupidthiefbeganappearinginthisneighborhood”themanbegaakingafewpuffsathiscigarette.“He’snotonlyathief;heisalsoasexualpredator.Hemadeuseofthefactthatinthisrethotweathersomepeopledon’tclosetheirwindowstightlyatnightsohegotintopeople’shousesthroughopenwindowsandtriedtomolestthemistressofthehouseoryounggirls.Theywokeupandscreamedandshoutedandsomeevenmaocall911.Uptonowhehasneversucceededinhisendeavors,buthesomehowalwaysmaoescapeeverysiime.Imyselfsawhimproponehandonthewalndjumpeasilyintotheyard.Thensomehowhevaultedtothetopofthehouse,jumpingfromrooftoroofagilelyandeasily.Thepoliceshotathimbuthim.HemustbeanaplishedgymnastandaofeseKunFutobeableteupsuchheightsandmakehiswaythereasifitwereftground.”Dimitrisankihought.HeintuitivelyfeltthatthepersonwhoinquiredafterCharina’saddressawhileagowassomehowlihissexualpredator.“Hey,olddog.Doyoustillremembermyname?”askedtheman.“I’mDavid,remember.”
“Whatgoodnews?”Takingoutacigarette,Dimitrigenerouslytossedittohisfriendandlighteditforhim.Themanpuffedgreedilyathiscigaretteandthensighedinsatisfa.
“It’sbeenalongtimesinceI’vehadarealcigarette.”
“Whatgoodnewsdoyouhave?Goontell,soIshareinit.”
“Areyouhungry?”askedthemanabruptly.
“No,Ijustateandamquitefull.”
“Furtherondowreet,someacademyisholdingagathering,somekindofoutdoorparty.Thereisalotoffoodthere.Yougoasome.It’sfree.Youmaybefullnow,butyousayyouwon’tbehungryteron?Ourstomachsarebothersomethingsaobefedeveryfewhours.Whydon’tyougogetsomeofthefoodaforwhenyou?”
“That’sagreatidea,butI’tgobecauseIamtakingcareofadogforafriend.I’tleave.”
“Oh,that’sMaureen”saidthemanlookingatthecutelittledogrunningaroundonthegrass.“Itsowhattallbeautifuldy,right?”
“Yes,that’sshe.”saidDimitrinodding.
“Iwouldlovetodosomethingforher,too”saidtheman“evenifIdiedoingitbuteoplefromtwoentirelydifferentworldsthat’tevendreamofintermingling.”
“Whyarewepeoplefromtwodifferentworlds?Weliveonthesameearth.It’sonlythattheylikethesedentarylifeofbeiledinonepcewhilewepreferanomadone,roamingalroundthepce.That’stheonlydifference.”
“What’sthematterwithyoureyes?”askedtheman,wavingahandinfrontofDimitri’seyeswhilepuffinggreedilyathiscigarette.
“Blind”repliedDimitrishortly.
“Areyoureallyblindoronlypretendingtobe?”
“OfcourseI’mreallyblind.WhyshouldIpretend?”
“Ithoughtitwasyourchoiceofoccupation,youknow,pretendingtobeblindtogetthesympathyofpeoplepassingby.Youcouldjustsitatastreeterandaskformohat’sacushywayoflife,man.”
“PerhapsonedaywhenI’mreallydownandout,Iwouldbeforcedtodoso”sighedDimitri.“Thatisoomakealiving.Inthisworldifitweren’tforthefactthattherewasnowayout,whowouldbewillingtolosetheirself-respedbeeabeggar?”
Themanstoodup,tossedawayhiscigarettebuttandthenlookingslylyatDimitri,said,“Hey,olddog.Ifyouarewillingtogivemeae,Iwilltellyouaboutaerestingpieepehisneighborhood.”
“Goon,takeanotherone”saidDimitritakingouthiscigarettepadgivingthemananotherowasgiventomebysomeoneelseanyway,sowhynotshareitwithfriends?”
“Retlyaverystupidthiefbeganappearinginthisneighborhood”themanbegaakingafewpuffsathiscigarette.“He’snotonlyathief;heisalsoasexualpredator.Hemadeuseofthefactthatinthisrethotweathersomepeopledon’tclosetheirwindowstightlyatnightsohegotintopeople’shousesthroughopenwindowsandtriedtomolestthemistressofthehouseoryounggirls.Theywokeupandscreamedandshoutedandsomeevenmaocall911.Uptonowhehasneversucceededinhisendeavors,buthesomehowalwaysmaoescapeeverysiime.Imyselfsawhimproponehandonthewalndjumpeasilyintotheyard.Thensomehowhevaultedtothetopofthehouse,jumpingfromrooftoroofagilelyandeasily.Thepoliceshotathimbuthim.HemustbeanaplishedgymnastandaofeseKunFutobeableteupsuchheightsandmakehiswaythereasifitwereftground.”Dimitrisankihought.HeintuitivelyfeltthatthepersonwhoinquiredafterCharina’saddressawhileagowassomehowlihissexualpredator.“Hey,olddog.Doyoustillremembermyname?”askedtheman.“I’mDavid,remember.”