My Friend Leonard by James Frey Page B

becomes a museum. Objects aren’t banks, law firms, hospitals, courthouses, shopping centers, apartment buildings, they are huge sprawling sculptures of marble limestone iron steel and glass, without purpose or use, just huge beautiful objects.
    When I start to see other people, as the eyes of the city start to open, I leave, walk out to the lake, start heading north. It is always colder by the lake. The wind is always stronger. The cold shakes me and the wind stings my face. I walk until I find a bench and I sit the bench is always cold. I stare across the frozen expanse of ice and encased debris, sticks, logs, cans, there is a football opposite a beach, a lifejacket opposite a marina. I watch as thin girders of blue light start glowing, as the light turns yellow, pink, orange, as it spreads across the horizon. The sun appears, slowly rising, an edge, quarter, half circle. It becomes full and red, envelopes the sky, dominates it. It makes the monuments of this city, of any city every city, seem small and insignificant. It makes me feel small and insignificant. Makes me forget the past, dismiss the future. Makes my problems disappear, feel like nothing nothing nothing.
    When I hear cars on the highway behind me I stand walk home. As the normal day begins, my day ends.
    I lie down in my apartment.
    Sometimes I sleep.
    Sometimes not.
    I lie there.
    Alone.

 
    I t is eight A . M . As I walk toward my building, I see a white Mercedes sitting at the curb. I enter the building, the door to my apartment is open. I step inside, see Leonard and Snapper standing in front of my refrigerator. The refrigerator door is open and there are brown paper bags on the floor.
    Leonard.
    They turn around.
    My son, my son.
    Leonard steps toward me.
    How are you?
    He hugs me.
    I’m okay. What are you doing here?
    Filling your fridge.
    You came here to fill my fridge?
    No, but when we arrived, we saw it was empty.
    You gotta stop breaking in, Leonard.
    Get a better lock and we’ll stop breaking in. The lock you got is a fucking joke.
    Snapper speaks.
    I’m the one who actually does it, Kid, and it’s real easy. You’re lucky you ain’t been robbed.
    Leonard laughs.
    Look at this place. Who would rob him? He’s got nothing to steal.
    I step toward the refrigerator.
    What are you putting in there?
    Snapper speaks.
    We got shit from all five food groups.
    Leonard speaks.
    Fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains and dairys.
    Snapper speaks.
    We got them all.
    I laugh.
    It’s dairy, not dairys.
    I know, but it’s funnier saying dairys. Say it.
    Dairys.
    I laugh.
    Told ya. Dairys is funnier.
    I laugh again.
    Thank you. For all five food groups.
    And that’s not all.
    Leonard opens the cabinets. They’re filled with cans of soup, boxes of rice and boxes of pasta, jars of tomato sauce.
    Snapper speaks.
    I got something special for you in there.
    He steps over, pulls down a box.
    Rice-A-Roni. The motherfucking San Francisco treat.
    I laugh.
    Thanks.
    Leonard speaks.
    You’re still too skinny, my son. If you’re gonna be a doorman at a bar you’re gonna need to gain some weight. We drove by last night and saw you standing out there and you do not look particularly menacing.
    You drove by to see me?
    We did.
    Why?
    That’s why we’re here.
    To talk to me about my job?
    Yup.
    What about my job?
    Let’s go down to the hotel, get some breakfast. We’ll talk down there.
    I need some sleep.
    Then get some sleep, come down for lunch.
    What time?
    One?
    Okay.
    Leonard turns to Snapper.
    You finished?
    Yeah. Let’s go. He needs some sleep.
    Okay.
    Leonard turns to me.
    See you at one.
    Snapper speaks.
    See ya, Kid.
    I speak.
    Thanks for the food.
    Leonard speaks.
    Eat some of it. Right now. Get fat.
    Snapper speaks.
    Yeah, get fat.
    I laugh. Bye.
    They walk out. I lie down, sleep, wake-up, take a shower. I am confident now I take the El train downtown, walk to the hotel from the train. I ride