Mr. Antolini

I got to Mr. Antolini's alright, it wasn't too far away. He and Mrs. Antolini had this very swanky apartment and you could tell that they'd been entertaining, the place was a mess and I could tell that Mr. Antolini had had one too many. And he was still drinking. We ha da very long talk about my life and where I wonna' end up. He told me that I was heading for a fall. A horrible one. he told me 'The man falling isn't permitted to feel or hear himself hit the bottom.' I sort of followed him. To tell you the truth, I wasn't really listening, I was so goddam tired, I felt dizzy and had a huge headache. I just wanted to sleep. He also told me 'The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.' I knew what he was saying. I thanked him and all. But all I really wanted to do was sleep. Mr. Antolini was still pretty drunk but he gave-in and helped me make up the sofa so I could go to bed.

I lay there and I thought about what Mr. Antolini had said for a while, then I fell asleep. Then something weird happened. I woke up and Mr. Antolini was sitting there, in the dark and all, he was still drinking. And he had his goddam hand on my head. I was up like a shot, I was shaking like a bastard! I made the excuse that I had to collect my bag from the station and all then I was out of there. I tell you one thing, I've never waited for a elevator so long in my goddam life. I can't stand it when something perverty like that happens.