Glass (Crank 2)

Longer pause. Uh, you

know, she was moving

out of the dorm, into

an apartment. I’m not sure…

Things are growing clearer.

“Is there a problem, Mrs.

Rosselli? I just want to

catch up with old friends.”

The longest pause of all.

You’re not their friend,

Kristina. You’re nothing

but trouble they don’t need.

Stung

But not really smarting,

I could tell her that

both of her children

need all the friends

the ycan get—trouble

or not. One is eighteen

and gay, in a city where

homosexuality is almost

as dirty a word as “Democrat.”

The other will be lucky

to finish her freshman year

in college—too much time

buying affection with an

omnipresent speed stash.

But saying that won’t suit

either of us at the moment.

“I’m not sure what you mean,