Read Online Last Night at the Blue Angel by Rebecca Rotert - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rebecca Rotert
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floor next to the couch.
Weâre discussing Naomiâs love life , says Rita, giving her cigarette holder a twist.
So itâs a sleepover, then? he says. Rita laughs and gives him a little push.
Please letâs not in front of the child , says Sister.
Kitten knows everything. Donât you , darling? Mother says.
I nod. I have a notebook .
Everyone laughs. I laugh, too, though Iâm not sure why.
IS there anything you donât know , asks Sister, looking tired.
Is there anything we donât HAVE to know? says Jim.
Sister raises her glass. Another toast . To music. And to motherhood. Which both demand your FULL attention. Salut?
Mother blinks, already thinking about something else, and takes a tiny sip.
Jim stands up and walks over to the window. He turns around and looks over the room of women.
Sophia , you want to go shooting with me? he asks.
Whoâs getting the ax now? Rita asks.
A little old church on Belden. A beauty. They hired me to photograph it so they can raise money to have it rebuilt someday. Can you imagine? These people break my heart .
Rita shakes her head. I ask Mother if I can go and she waves at me.
Go change , says Jim. Dress warm .
I carry Jimâs tripod down the street like Iâm carrying a rifle. Sometimes I secretly aim it at someone and say kapow . We walk at a pretty good clip. I think I should settle on an enemy. All men in hats. Kapow. Kapow. Kapow . Ladies in any kind of furâstole, hat, muff, coat. Kapow. Kapow . A woman notices me shooting her and scowls. Jim catches this.
What are you doing? he asks.
What? Iâm just trying to keep up .
Itâs getting hard to shoot people because heâs walking so fast.
Why the big hurry? I ask.
Weâre losing light .
I roll my eyes. We are always fighting the light.
When did you start rolling your eyes? he asks. I donât like it .
Why donât you just take pictures in the middle of the day? Then you could have all the time you like .
The light is flat then . Iâm sure heâs had to tell me this before.
Two men in hats walking with two ladies in fur. Kapow-kapow-kapow-kapow . I startle them. They actually stop walking and look at me, and then at Jim.
Sophia! says Jim.
Sorry .
I took her to see Cat Ballou last week , Jim tells the couples. Guess it rubbed off on her .
The couples smile and move along. I overhear one of the women say something like, A little young for Cat Ballou ?
Where are we going? I ask.
Church of the Covenant . Theyâre going to tear it down .
For progress?
He looks down at me and nods. Howâd you know?
You told me already , I say.
The two things that upset Jim the most are progress and Mother.
Whoâs this David guy? I ask.
Jim takes out his pack and lights a cigarette.
I say, Do you know you always light a cigarette when I ask you questions about Mother?
No , I donât .
Yes , you do. Itâs okay if you donât know the answer .
Is that right? he says, stopping.
I stop, too, and look up at him.
Everything seems to be happening too fast these days , he says.
Yup , I say. So do you know who David is?
You met him. At the club .
Why are they having a meeting about him?
We turn onto Halsted and walk toward Belden.
Whatâs a divorce? I ask.
Itâs when people who are married get unmarried .
We stop in front of the church.
I like this one , I decide, telling Jim.
Me , too .
Jim tries the door. We walk around to the side and find a smaller door that opens. He gives me the be quiet look as we step inside. An old man kneels in front of rows of small, red burning candles. Itâs only a little less cold inside the church. We put our gear down quietly, get on our knees, and bow our heads. Jim keeps an eye on the old man. I follow the planks of light coming in from the windows and landing on the pews or the floor, spotlights on empty spots where somebody stood once or prayed or knelt.
Once the man is gone we get to
Weâre discussing Naomiâs love life , says Rita, giving her cigarette holder a twist.
So itâs a sleepover, then? he says. Rita laughs and gives him a little push.
Please letâs not in front of the child , says Sister.
Kitten knows everything. Donât you , darling? Mother says.
I nod. I have a notebook .
Everyone laughs. I laugh, too, though Iâm not sure why.
IS there anything you donât know , asks Sister, looking tired.
Is there anything we donât HAVE to know? says Jim.
Sister raises her glass. Another toast . To music. And to motherhood. Which both demand your FULL attention. Salut?
Mother blinks, already thinking about something else, and takes a tiny sip.
Jim stands up and walks over to the window. He turns around and looks over the room of women.
Sophia , you want to go shooting with me? he asks.
Whoâs getting the ax now? Rita asks.
A little old church on Belden. A beauty. They hired me to photograph it so they can raise money to have it rebuilt someday. Can you imagine? These people break my heart .
Rita shakes her head. I ask Mother if I can go and she waves at me.
Go change , says Jim. Dress warm .
I carry Jimâs tripod down the street like Iâm carrying a rifle. Sometimes I secretly aim it at someone and say kapow . We walk at a pretty good clip. I think I should settle on an enemy. All men in hats. Kapow. Kapow. Kapow . Ladies in any kind of furâstole, hat, muff, coat. Kapow. Kapow . A woman notices me shooting her and scowls. Jim catches this.
What are you doing? he asks.
What? Iâm just trying to keep up .
Itâs getting hard to shoot people because heâs walking so fast.
Why the big hurry? I ask.
Weâre losing light .
I roll my eyes. We are always fighting the light.
When did you start rolling your eyes? he asks. I donât like it .
Why donât you just take pictures in the middle of the day? Then you could have all the time you like .
The light is flat then . Iâm sure heâs had to tell me this before.
Two men in hats walking with two ladies in fur. Kapow-kapow-kapow-kapow . I startle them. They actually stop walking and look at me, and then at Jim.
Sophia! says Jim.
Sorry .
I took her to see Cat Ballou last week , Jim tells the couples. Guess it rubbed off on her .
The couples smile and move along. I overhear one of the women say something like, A little young for Cat Ballou ?
Where are we going? I ask.
Church of the Covenant . Theyâre going to tear it down .
For progress?
He looks down at me and nods. Howâd you know?
You told me already , I say.
The two things that upset Jim the most are progress and Mother.
Whoâs this David guy? I ask.
Jim takes out his pack and lights a cigarette.
I say, Do you know you always light a cigarette when I ask you questions about Mother?
No , I donât .
Yes , you do. Itâs okay if you donât know the answer .
Is that right? he says, stopping.
I stop, too, and look up at him.
Everything seems to be happening too fast these days , he says.
Yup , I say. So do you know who David is?
You met him. At the club .
Why are they having a meeting about him?
We turn onto Halsted and walk toward Belden.
Whatâs a divorce? I ask.
Itâs when people who are married get unmarried .
We stop in front of the church.
I like this one , I decide, telling Jim.
Me , too .
Jim tries the door. We walk around to the side and find a smaller door that opens. He gives me the be quiet look as we step inside. An old man kneels in front of rows of small, red burning candles. Itâs only a little less cold inside the church. We put our gear down quietly, get on our knees, and bow our heads. Jim keeps an eye on the old man. I follow the planks of light coming in from the windows and landing on the pews or the floor, spotlights on empty spots where somebody stood once or prayed or knelt.
Once the man is gone we get to
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