Read Online Heading South by Dany Laferrière - Free Book Online Page A

supposed to play every Saturday night, but he only shows up when he feels like it. Once he came on a Monday . . . You’ve brought me a drink. Thanks, Charlie.”
    â€œNo problem . . . I didn’t pay for it. The barman wouldn’t take my money.”
    Hansy looks at him strangely.
    â€œYou always tell the truth, don’t you? Around here everybody pretends . . . They even pretend to be rich, when in fact most of them are on the verge of bankruptcy . . . Don’t you worry about old Samson, he’ll top the bottle up with water. He thinks no one knows about it, but in fact everyone’s figured out his little game. No one but ninnies buy drinks here after two AM . . . You see how they’re looking at us? It’s because they’ve heard about our little scene.”
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œWell, you just shut Missie’s mouth for her. It appears she has locked herself in the john. I also told them about June. You know who June is, don’t you? She’s the daughter of the American consul. Not bad for a guy who isn’t even a member of the Circle. As far as I’m concerned, you are a prince among men. Even Muscle is impressed, and no one impresses Muscle. He came up to me a while ago and asked me if it was true that you’re a German tennis champion. Don’t you realize what a stir you’re creating? In one day you’ve made the inaccessible June lose her head and sent the acid-tongued Missie packing.
    TEN MINUTES LATER.
    â€œMissie is outside, Charlie. She wants to talk to you.”
    â€œNo problem.”
    They go out.
    â€œIt’s all your fault, Hansy,” Missie says, just short of tears.
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œEveryone is saying I’m fighting with June over this . . . imbecile. You have a wicked, wicked tongue.”
    â€œWould you be good enough to tell me why you called me out here?” Charlie asks politely.
    Missie turns on him.
    â€œI want you to go back in there,” she says breathlessly, “and tell everyone that I have absolutely no interest in you whatsoever, and that I do not intend to fight over you with June.”
    â€œYou’ll have to run all that by me again, because I didn’t understand any of it. And you talk too fast,” Charlie adds with a half-smile.
    She glares at him angrily.
    â€œI could never feel anything for a person like you.”
    â€œWhat do you mean by that?” Hansy asks.
    Charlie signals to him to stay out of it.
    â€œBut Hansy, I don’t even know him. He isn’t a member . . .”
    â€œNo, I am not a member of your charmed Circle. I know that. My mother is a governess and my father is a gardener . . . In other words, they’re servants . . . They work not far from here . . .”
    â€œAnd you dare to come in here?”
    â€œMissie!” cries Hansy. “Don’t you see how exceptional this fellow is? You’re right, he’s not at all like us. He has no desire to hide his origins, or his identity . . . There’s not a single member of the Circle who hasn’t been vague about his life from time to time. We’re always lying about something, hiding our suffering, our desires, our fears . . . A man who can proclaim his agony like this fellow does is a prince, I tell you, a prince.”
    â€œWill you please leave us alone, Hansy?” Missie says.
    Charlie and Missie watch Hansy move off towards the brightly lit building.
    â€œDo you know why I’m here?”
    â€œNo, but I have a feeling you’re going to tell me,” Missie says, resuming her customary ironic tone (“acid-tongued Mis-sie,” as she is known).
    â€œI happened to be in the area, and I saw you crossing the street, on your way to play tennis. And I said to myself, ‘That’s her. I want her. She’s the one!’ That’s the only reason I came here tonight.”
    Missie looks at him, nearly choking.
    â€œMe!