“

My blood is spraying everywhere…and I’m still high on acid.

“

I passed some intimidating hoody-looking kids. But after listening to their conversation, I suddenly realized that all of these guys hanging out on my own neighborhood corner, smoking cigarettes in their sleeveless undershirts, were gay. It was weird.

“

It was 6 AM when Libby’s flight from San Francisco arrived. Our eyes met and she came towards me, wearing an Indian dress with earth colors and little mirrors, carrying Mark Twain’s Letters from the Earth.

“

When I go out in the streets of my neighborhood, it appears that among guys my age, there’s always a Sylvester Stallone lookalike contest in progress. Farrah Fawcett-Majors and the Fonz stare out at me from their posters in store windows.

“

I’m not toying with her; she’s serious about me, and vice versa. But as Caaron said, we’ve put each other in a “certain special – undangerous – place.”

“

She was upset and gave me a message to give to my brother: a sarcastic “Thank you for calling” and “If he doesn’t call me this week, tell him, ‘Fongool!’ I’ve had it with him.”

“

The bright TV lights came on as I stood near the door. Mrs. Carter – Rosalynn – came in first. Then Jimmy came in, and the crowd was electrified. I was just a couple of feet away from him, and Secret Service agents would hardly let you get closer.

“

President Kneller conferred our degrees upon us. I was one of only three people among several thousand who stood when he asked candidates for the degree of Master of Fine Arts to rise.

“

Back in my room, we made love for hours. It was incredible: like they used to say in the Peter Paul Mounds Bar commercials, “indescribably delicious.”

“

I waited outside for Shelli, thinking this was like a fantasy: the girl who jilted you coming back after so many years – on your 25th birthday, yet – to tell you she was leaving her husband, the man she left you for.