Dead Billy Page #2

between the mostly

male existentialist...

- I'm sorry but

this is bullshit.

- Cali.

- Not your thesis,

sorry, it sounds very,

you know, interesting,

or whatever, I gotta go.

- Cali, I'm afraid

you're being a child.

- Don't feel bad, I

know he's very charming.

- You buy it, or you

stop playing with it.

- You wouldn't like it, it's

all full of words and stuff.

- Made of Athens

air we part, give,

oh, give me back my heart.

It's Byron.

- Good for you,

you're a smart one.

This lad was known as

Nicholas the Galant,

making love in secret

was his talent.

That's Trosser.

So how does a useless

truant like you quote Byron,

what's your deal?

- Like you said,

I'm a smart one.

- Yeah, I can tell.

You know, I ain't your daddy,

but aren't you supposed

to be in school?

- I'll go when they

can teach me something

they haven't learned

in their ignominious

little community

college educations.

- Jesus Christ, how old are you?

- 18.

- Uh huh, what's your name?

- What do you care?

- What's your name?

- Cali, Calliope really, but

only my dad calls me that.

- It's kind of a faggy

name, is your daddy a fag.

- Hardly.

- Calliope, the muse.

- Yeah, he's the only one

who calls me that too.

- Ah, I get it, issues.

Here.

Take it, it will

make daddy happy.

- I don't have issues.

- We all have issues, sweetie.

- So what are yours?

- What do you think?

- You're like a vet, right?

So you've probably

killed people.

- That's none of your business.

- I'm sorry, I thought we

were talking about issues.

- You don't back off, do you?

- Nope.

- I'm Billy, yeah,

I killed people.

- How many?

- I like you Cali.

- I don't believe you, I don't

think you killed anybody.

- Stop by the next time you

want to escape the ignominy.

See ya.

So what you doing here, Cali?

- Was that you playing,

when I walked up?

- You ain't 18, ain't

no f***ing way you're 18.

Hey Billy, ain't no

f***ing way she 18.

- Mind your business.

Anyway, ever tell you

guys the story about

how I got the name Dead Billy?

- Only everyday Bill, it's

different every God damn time.

- Ah, I'm not very

good, but I like the...

- Need any help girl,

just call, let me know.

- I think maybe, this

isn't a great idea.

I'm old enough to

be your father.

- But you're not...

My father.

- Hey, look at me.

You're sure?

- Yeah.

But I better go.

- So, I told them that the play

was about a rabid populous.

And they looked at me with

these longing, willful,

naive stares that only a

college freshman could have,

hoping that I was not

writing another tirade

about an impotent generation.

And of course I told them I was.

Their heads dropped,

it was cute, in a way.

Your shirt's inside out, yup.

- Where were you?

You are not going to

drink out of that carton.

Still haven't

answered my question.

- I was at dads.

- Uh huh, and how was dad?

- What is that, what the f***.

Holy sh*t, uh Jesus

Christ, come in.

Sh*t, sorry, sit.

Jesus, how are you Cali?

- I'm good.

- Oh, congratulations,

who's the guy.

- His name is Roy.

- Good name, a grown up name,

if you know what I mean.

What does he do, where did you

meet him, tell me everything?

- Okay, let's see,

he's a post grad,

at the University,

comparative lit.

- Sounds fancy.

- Well, we met at a

lecture, he was...

Geez, this sounds

horrible, but he was my TA.

- So you're still

going to school?

- Got my bachelors last fall,

and I just started

the masters program.

- Comparatives, what's it...

- English education.

- That's great,

really, that's great.

I knew as you soon

as you got your GED,

everything would fall

in place for you.

Seriously, the best congrats.

- Thanks.

- So, what brings you by?

- I was, you're

going to hate this.

- F***.

- Selena...

- No Cali.

Calliope, look at me.

This isn't some bullshit

about closure, is it?

- I've been having

seizures again.

- Oh, geez, okay Calliope,

you don't need to be talking

to me, you need to...

- No, I've all ready

been to a doctor,

that's not why I'm here.

Okay, um.

You see it, right?

- Of course I do, what...

- You see that, right?

- Yeah, but...

- What do you see?

Please, Selena, I'm

just trying to explain.

- I see, well, a little

statue of, I don't know,

is it Athena, or something?

- Calliope, the muse.

- Okay, Calliope, and a glass.

- What color is the glass?

- This is...

- Please.

- It's amber, okay,

now you have to

tell me what this is all about.

- Billy gave me that statue,

and that glass is

from his house.

When you got me out of there,

I didn't take anything

with me, did I?

- No, of course not.

- I just found this at my house.

And that, is that a seizure.

I was hoping, I thought maybe

you could tell me where he is.

- Absolutely not.

No way in hell,

Jesus Christ Cali,

you were like my

one success story.

Do you remember what you were

like when you got out of there?

I do, 80 pounds, at most,

somebody would slam a door,

you'd nearly jump

out of your skin.

You remember that, do you?

Look at me.

Calliope, stop!

Why?

- I don't want to talk to

him Selena, or see him.

I just need to know where he is.

- I don't believe you.

I've seen this way too

many times before, no.

I'm sorry, but no.

Cali, wait.

- I wanna show you something.

- Okay, what?

- You feeling it?

40 seconds, maybe less,

that's all you got baby.

You right with God

and everything, hmm?

You're seeing spots, hmm?

Tiny little explosions

like firecrackers,

way in the back of your corneas,

visions narrowing down,

tiny little pinprick.

Want me to countdown for you?

30, 29, 28, 27, 26, enough?

That's what it's like to die.

That guy, Starkey's friend,

that dude you were talking to

at the VFW, what was his name?

His name Calliope, what was it?

- I don't, I don't know.

- I think he liked you.

You can go out with

him, if you want to.

I mean, if you really want to.

- Hello.

- Hey, I was

thinking about stopping by

that new vegan Thai place on

my way home, you want anything?

- Yeah, pad Thai.

- Tofu, egg noodles, right?

- Yeah.

- And a ton of

hot stuff, I got it.

You want a Thai iced tea?

Hey, you okay?

- Um, no, just banged my

elbow on the gear shift.

No iced tea, thanks though.

- Okay, you home?

- I'll be home in

a few, I'm just out

running a couple errands.

- You doing okay?

- Yeah, yeah, just...

Um, sh*t.

- You okay?

- No, the batteries crapping

out, I'll see you in a bit.

- Mmm, okay.

- There's nothing I can

say to stop you, is there?

And you know that this

is really stupid, right?

I don't know where

he is, after...

You know, he just sort

of dropped off our radar.

You'll have to trust me on that.

- Okay.

- You need to know that

this could get me fired.

Alissa Kononen, she's a stand

up comic out of Brooklyn.

After you left, I

did a quick search.

She's on the road right

now, she's doing clubs

all across the country.

I don't have her number, but

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