feet. “We made real progress.”
To Duran’s surprise, de Groot remained where he was, tapping his fingertips together, listening or thinking or both. Finally, he pushed himself to his feet, and smiled. “That’s funny,” he said. “I don’t feel any better.”
4
Nico lived in a two-bedroom apartment in The Watermill, a Georgetown condominium just below M Street, where the C&O Canal begins its journey out to the Maryland suburbs and beyond. The building was a modern and elegant one with decent security, a nice view of the Potomac, and capacious balconies brimming with plants.
That morning, she’d slept late, and by the time she’d climbed out of bed, Jack was practically crossing his legs. He reproached her with a series of stiff little barks as she quickly dressed, then ran a brush through her hair, using a scrunchie to corral it in an untidy ponytail. Finally, she grabbed a plastic grocery bag, stuffed it into her pocket and headed toward the elevator with Jack lurching ahead on his leash, scrabbling along the carpeted hallway.
“Mawnin’ Miz Sullivan.”
The doorman, Ramon, was an aspiring actor who tried out a different accent each week. His latest affectation was to mimic the speech and mannerisms of a southern butler, a not entirely successful undertaking that suggested an unlikely hybrid of Vivian Leigh and Antonio Banderas.
“Hey, Ramon!”
“And to you, too, Master Kerouac.” The doorman leaned down to pet the dog, a Jack Russell terrier who rewarded Ramon’s attention by launching himself in a series of impressive vertical leaps.
“Whoa,” Nico said. “Take it easy, Jacko.”
“Vigorous animal,” Ramon remarked, still in his plantation accent.
Nico smiled. “He is, indeed. What’s up?”
Ramon segued into himself. “Did I
tell
you, I got a part in the Scorsese movie, the one they’re shooting in the District!”
“That’s terrific. Congratulations!”
“Well, it’s not
so
terrific. I mean, it’s just a walk-on. But guess what the part is—I’m a
doorman
.”
Nico wasn’t sure what to say, so she said, “Heyyy!” Jack was straining at the leash, pulling her toward the door. “Congratulations are definitely in order.”
“The thing is, I don’t know whether to
take
it. I’m gonna miss three, maybe four days work. Probably, I get fired. So whatta you think, Neek? Should I do it?” He gave her a beseeching look.
“Jack!” she said. “Do you mind?” In point of fact, Jack had already settled down, sitting quietly between them. She wasn’t sure what to say, and used the dog as a distraction to avoid the doorman’s eyes. Should he risk his job for a bit part that might not even make the final cut? Ramon took his career as an actor very seriously, but the truth was, he didn’t seem to be very good at it. So playing a doorman might not be a bad idea. Then again, was it worth giving up his real job so he could
pretend
to do the same thing on camera? Finally, she said: “Go for it.”
“Really?”
“Definitely. I saw this whole thing on TV once, and this guy is saying, you know, you can’t go wrong if you follow your bliss.”
“My bliss? You mean, like, what makes me happy? Like acting?”
“Exactly.”
Ramon winced. “I don’t know. I like my job, too. The tips aren’t bad, you know? And Christmas is coming—not too long now. Coupla months.”
Nico shrugged. “Maybe you can get somebody to fill in—make it worth their while. And, anyway, where are they going to find someone as reliable as you? What I think? You get someone to cover—they won’t touch you.”
“You think?”
“Yeah.”
“Okayyy! So that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna follow my bliss.”
“Now you’ve got it!”
He held the door open for them. “You think—I ask Victor, you think he’ll cover for me?”
“Sure. He’s a friend of yours, right?”
“Yeah, I guess …”
“Well, there you go …”
Once outside, Nico and Jack mounted the steps to the
To Duran’s surprise, de Groot remained where he was, tapping his fingertips together, listening or thinking or both. Finally, he pushed himself to his feet, and smiled. “That’s funny,” he said. “I don’t feel any better.”
4
Nico lived in a two-bedroom apartment in The Watermill, a Georgetown condominium just below M Street, where the C&O Canal begins its journey out to the Maryland suburbs and beyond. The building was a modern and elegant one with decent security, a nice view of the Potomac, and capacious balconies brimming with plants.
That morning, she’d slept late, and by the time she’d climbed out of bed, Jack was practically crossing his legs. He reproached her with a series of stiff little barks as she quickly dressed, then ran a brush through her hair, using a scrunchie to corral it in an untidy ponytail. Finally, she grabbed a plastic grocery bag, stuffed it into her pocket and headed toward the elevator with Jack lurching ahead on his leash, scrabbling along the carpeted hallway.
“Mawnin’ Miz Sullivan.”
The doorman, Ramon, was an aspiring actor who tried out a different accent each week. His latest affectation was to mimic the speech and mannerisms of a southern butler, a not entirely successful undertaking that suggested an unlikely hybrid of Vivian Leigh and Antonio Banderas.
“Hey, Ramon!”
“And to you, too, Master Kerouac.” The doorman leaned down to pet the dog, a Jack Russell terrier who rewarded Ramon’s attention by launching himself in a series of impressive vertical leaps.
“Whoa,” Nico said. “Take it easy, Jacko.”
“Vigorous animal,” Ramon remarked, still in his plantation accent.
Nico smiled. “He is, indeed. What’s up?”
Ramon segued into himself. “Did I
tell
you, I got a part in the Scorsese movie, the one they’re shooting in the District!”
“That’s terrific. Congratulations!”
“Well, it’s not
so
terrific. I mean, it’s just a walk-on. But guess what the part is—I’m a
doorman
.”
Nico wasn’t sure what to say, so she said, “Heyyy!” Jack was straining at the leash, pulling her toward the door. “Congratulations are definitely in order.”
“The thing is, I don’t know whether to
take
it. I’m gonna miss three, maybe four days work. Probably, I get fired. So whatta you think, Neek? Should I do it?” He gave her a beseeching look.
“Jack!” she said. “Do you mind?” In point of fact, Jack had already settled down, sitting quietly between them. She wasn’t sure what to say, and used the dog as a distraction to avoid the doorman’s eyes. Should he risk his job for a bit part that might not even make the final cut? Ramon took his career as an actor very seriously, but the truth was, he didn’t seem to be very good at it. So playing a doorman might not be a bad idea. Then again, was it worth giving up his real job so he could
pretend
to do the same thing on camera? Finally, she said: “Go for it.”
“Really?”
“Definitely. I saw this whole thing on TV once, and this guy is saying, you know, you can’t go wrong if you follow your bliss.”
“My bliss? You mean, like, what makes me happy? Like acting?”
“Exactly.”
Ramon winced. “I don’t know. I like my job, too. The tips aren’t bad, you know? And Christmas is coming—not too long now. Coupla months.”
Nico shrugged. “Maybe you can get somebody to fill in—make it worth their while. And, anyway, where are they going to find someone as reliable as you? What I think? You get someone to cover—they won’t touch you.”
“You think?”
“Yeah.”
“Okayyy! So that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna follow my bliss.”
“Now you’ve got it!”
He held the door open for them. “You think—I ask Victor, you think he’ll cover for me?”
“Sure. He’s a friend of yours, right?”
“Yeah, I guess …”
“Well, there you go …”
Once outside, Nico and Jack mounted the steps to the
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