AMPERSAND

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT 
FROM MY UPCOMING NOVEL: THE SOUTH END.


“Have you ever lied down in the grass on an indian summer’s day, stared up at the trees without leaves, and thought that the branches were scratching at the sky?”


“No.”

“Have you ever been on a transit at sunset, looking out the window at a lagoon and seen the golden reflection of the sky in the water?”

“No.”

“Have you ever sat in the passenger seat of a vehicle traveling eighty miles an hour on the freeway with your jaw agape at the marvels of modern human engineering?”

“No.”

“Have you ever stood on the end of a pier on a bright sunny day with a slight breeze, held out your arms and pretended that you were flying above the water?”

“No.”

“Then what do you do for fun?”

“I play Call of Duty on the weekends.”

“Weekdays?”

“I work a lot.”

“No. When you’re not working.”

“I polish my weapons.”

“You’re hopeless.”

The Mossad officer looked down at the child. She was staring up at him with a stern curiosity, as if she should be reprimanding him, and yet entirely curious as to how anyone could live a life as utterly devoid of fun as his was.


“Where are your parents?”


Follow
Share/Bookmark