uththeothersandingupnooo,takingoutfolderafterfolder,spreadingtheprintsandthenegatives,socarefullyarranged,onthefloor
”hey,”dukesaid,tuingtoshoaglossy8by10”thisyou,paul”
paulsatverystill,hisarfoldedaroundhisknees,hisbreathaove,heuldntdukeletthephotosliptothefloorandjoinedtheothers,tleteringphotosandnegativesallovertheshinypaintedfloors
hesatvery,verystillforalongtiheovebutthenhehadved,he,hunchedinaer,againstthefilingcabihisfatherkeptlocked,listeningtoan,youinhere,youokayandanshereionoutsideandthentheyleft,clatteringdohestairspaulstoodslohroughthedarkness,steppingintothegalleryspacefilledhpilesofruinedphotoshestoodinthechingdukeastsilentlydohedrivelegshebarbeforehedisappearedintothestreet
paul:photoseverytheersfroheuntersandthelightsabottlehadbeenbrokengreenglassessheright
heliftedhishand,lookedatthephotobeneathit,thenpia,stoodnexttoher,holdingahattohisilesontheirfahadjustdeajokeandinanotherinstanttheyothershandrestedonagirlsblondhead,andbethisoeratheigelookedstrangelyfaliarhethepot,neartearshexhaustion
hethecenterofthelight
”paul,”hesaid”thehell”
paulsatup,strugglingtorealizesersbrokenglasslitteredtheroondhadleftdeepsoinglighthhishand
”goodgod,paul”hisfatherovedoutofthelightatlast,heilyfroheontthenhesatbackagainstthe
”orequietly
”sofriendscaoveriguessthingsgotkindofoutofntrol”
”iguess,”hisfathersaidhepressedonehandtohisforehead”wasdukehere”
paulhesitated,thennoddedheehelookedattheruinedpaperssothingtightenedlikeafistinhischest
”didyoudothis,paul”hisfatherasked,hisvoiceoddlygentle
paulshookhishead”nobutididntstopthe”
hisfatheodded
”iterenstructthefilesiteyoullhavetogiveuprehearsals”
paulnodded,butthetightnessinhischestgreakestopplaying”
”thatsnottruedait,paul,youknohatsnottrue”
hisfathershookhisheadandpaulilystandinginfrontoftheloallhouse
”doyouknohisis”heasked
”no,”paulsaid,butevenashespokeherealizedthathedid”oh,”hesaid,pointingtotheboyonthesteps”ohthatsyou”
”yesiyfatherrightbehindandbesideissisterihadasister,didyouknoeusiother,losingher”
paulotherlivedinanupstairsroonddeapplepiesandaninthepictureanhehadneverknoother
”didshedie”heasked
”theryesyearslateryourgrandfathertootheyparentshadhardlives,paultheydidnthaveneyidontanthattheyeanthatsotistheydidntknoyfather,ananditpainedther,beyselfiogooutandfixthereallydothatbuthereyofeverythingoeatyoullgotoanyllegeyouandallyoucanthinktodoisgetdruggeduphyourfriendsandthroallaway”
thetightnessinhisstoenthisfathersittingnexttohindtellinghialystoriestoneverendheuchlightfloodingontothepaperruinedthepictureoncethathappenedyouuldnevergoback
”iorry,”hesaid
hisfatheodded,lookingdownbriefly,
