David
smiles.
Where
should I start, he says.
I
say, the beginning’s always good.
Funny, he says. A comedian.
A
week ago, David was sentenced to 48 years in prison. He is 33 years old. David
is in jail, awaiting transfer.
David
isn’t afraid, or even nervous. David doesn’t feel a lot of things. But he
thinks he does.
Yeah,
he says, it was good, it was good in
the beginning. Like something out of a story. I loved that girl, ya know…deep,
and we was together, all the time, 24/7. Then outta nowhere she’s like, I’m
gonna go do this, I’m gonna go do that, and I’m like, yeah, who you gonna do it
with.
What
did she say?
What’s
she gonna say, I’m banging Eddie and Carlos and who knows who the hell else.
She goes, Oh David, honey, me and Clarissa, we’re going shopping. Shoppin’ my ass. She was shoppin’ alright.
David
smiles. He has a nice smile. David knows that.
I
was crazy about that girl and then for her to do me that way. No ma’am. So I
said, C’mon, let’s go for a ride, and we drive way, way past town.
Two minutes.
The guard in the room is keeping track of the time.
And
we’re cussin’ and fightin’, she don’t know it but I’m arguing with her just to
get good and worked up. ‘Cuz I know what I’m gonna do.
David
winks, he laughs and shake his head.
On
the news, he says, they tried to make me into some kind of monster.
He
tries a monster imitation, but he needs both hands and one is cuffed to the table.
But
I’m just like anybody, ya know?
One minute.
How’s
your appetite, David? Do you sleep all right?
David
smiles, a toothy, engaging smile. He puts the back of his free hand against his ear.
Sleep
like a baby, he says. Eat like a pig, food’s not bad here, for jail food. Now
before I done it? Oh I was a mess, ‘cuz I’m worryin’ all the time about what
she’s doing.
And
afterwards?
Afterwards,
no problem. I eat good. I sleep good. I sleep fine since I cut off that bitch’s
head.
A
buzzer sounds.
The
guard says Time.
David
smiles.