storyteller
We meet him at the corner. He sees us looking at the house and says, "You want to buy that house? Let me tell you about that house." He says, "I used to live in that house". The girls up the street call out and he waves back.
He says, "I teach kung fu, and I've never been defeated in a match. That's over 300 matches in the United States. But I've been disqualified 157 times due to broken bones." Later on he forgets, and it's karate instead. He says, "My cousin died in that house."
He says, "You know why that house is empty? There was a fire. That house burned. A girl burned that house trying to kill me. She was on drugs."
He says, "That house, it's like, what, that Adams Family house? It's bigger on the inside. Looks small from out here, but inside it's very roomy. It's very nice. All these houses, they were build in the 1800's. Solid houses."
He says, "I work at the Cancer Center. I live in Edison now, but I come back here during the day to visit my family, my friends. I grew up just down the block. See that row of houses? Count 10 windows in. That's where I grew up." He says, "they call me Kung Fu Al."
He tells us, "If you do buy that house and you move up here, just do me a favor. Don't go down that way." He points. He walks us to the corner. "This is good, people seeing me with you. They'll leave you alone while I'm here. But whatever you do, please, don't go down to Monticello." We agree.
He says, "I used to love that house. Let me tell you about the basement. Down there, it's very big. And the floors - they're marble. I'm not talking marble tiles. I'm talking slabs. Big slabs, like this size. There's a jacuzzi tub in the back corner. That used to be my thing. I'd just leave the lights off, if you know what I mean. Yeah, you know what I mean."
The realtor pulls up. We have to go. We thank him. And he says, "Good luck, guys. One thing, you know, I hate to ask you. My truck's around the corner, but I need about $6 to get myself going. If you don't have six, anything would be great." We say sorry, we don't have any cash. He leaves, waving, saying, "Nice meeting you guys. And remember, whatever you do, don't go down that way."
He says, "I teach kung fu, and I've never been defeated in a match. That's over 300 matches in the United States. But I've been disqualified 157 times due to broken bones." Later on he forgets, and it's karate instead. He says, "My cousin died in that house."
He says, "You know why that house is empty? There was a fire. That house burned. A girl burned that house trying to kill me. She was on drugs."
He says, "That house, it's like, what, that Adams Family house? It's bigger on the inside. Looks small from out here, but inside it's very roomy. It's very nice. All these houses, they were build in the 1800's. Solid houses."
He says, "I work at the Cancer Center. I live in Edison now, but I come back here during the day to visit my family, my friends. I grew up just down the block. See that row of houses? Count 10 windows in. That's where I grew up." He says, "they call me Kung Fu Al."
He tells us, "If you do buy that house and you move up here, just do me a favor. Don't go down that way." He points. He walks us to the corner. "This is good, people seeing me with you. They'll leave you alone while I'm here. But whatever you do, please, don't go down to Monticello." We agree.
He says, "I used to love that house. Let me tell you about the basement. Down there, it's very big. And the floors - they're marble. I'm not talking marble tiles. I'm talking slabs. Big slabs, like this size. There's a jacuzzi tub in the back corner. That used to be my thing. I'd just leave the lights off, if you know what I mean. Yeah, you know what I mean."
The realtor pulls up. We have to go. We thank him. And he says, "Good luck, guys. One thing, you know, I hate to ask you. My truck's around the corner, but I need about $6 to get myself going. If you don't have six, anything would be great." We say sorry, we don't have any cash. He leaves, waving, saying, "Nice meeting you guys. And remember, whatever you do, don't go down that way."
posted by Dara at 9:41 AM
1 Comments:
I just wanted to say "Thanks".
Most of the blogs I read (including my own) apparently feel the need to be overly intellectually stimulating and full of hubris, often becoming banal rants.
Your blog, on the other hand, is straight-forward, comforting and entertaining at the same time...a little like reading James Joyce.
My few readers deserve a break such as your blog offers...hope you don't mind, but I'm linking to it.
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