sey1205

@@@@@Look what you did, you asshole, I thought - and for one terrible moment I was afraid 584 I'd said it aloud for the mike to pick up and broadcast all over the roomI was aware of how bright the spotlight was as Dario left me there on my lonely perchI was aware of the microphone on its flexible chrome rod, and thinking it looked like a cobra rising out of a snake-charmer's basketI was aware of bright points of light shining on that chrome, and on the rim of the water glass, and on the neck of the Evian bottle next to the water glassI was aware that the applause was starting to taper off; some of the people were resuming their seatsSoon an expectant silence would replace the applauseThey would wait for me to beginOnly I had nothing to sayEven my opening line had left my headThey would wait and the silence would stretch out There would be a few nervous coughs, and then the murmuring would startBecause they were assholes Just a bunch of lookie-loo assholes with rubber necksAnd if I managed anything, it would be an angry torrent of words that would sound like the outburst of a man suffering from Tourette's I'd just call for the first slideMaybe I could do that much and the pictures would carry meI'd 585 have to hope they wouldOnly when I looked at my page of notes, I saw that not only was it torn straight down the middle, my sweat had blurred the jottings so badly I could no longer make them out Either that or stress had created a short circuit between my eyes and my brainAnd what was the first slide, anyway? A mailbox painting? Sunset with Sophora? I was almost positive neither of those was right Now everyone was sittingThe applause was finishedIt was time for the American Primitive to open his mouth and ululateThree rows back, sitting on the aisle, was that nozzy birch Mary Ire, with what looked like a porthand shad open on her lapHe'd gotten me into this, but I bore him no