MOST OF THE GROUP gets into two BMWs that are double-parked on Boylston Street, in front of the restaurant. Matthew watches, hanging back, tempted just to drift away, down the street, home, but Tracy’s beside him, and she’s a stronger temptation. He hopes she’ll stay where she is and not join the others. His hopes seem to be answered; she stands by his side, close enough to touch. She seems to want to stick with him. A cab turns the corner, and one of the boys flags it down. Six of the revelers, including Matthew and Tracy, pile into it, five in the back. Tracy’s elasticized bottom, nestled in Matthew’s lap, promises a taxi ride to heaven, but something’s wrong: the boy who has taken the front seat is rapping on the partition, and the driver’s calling out, “Hey. Four’s the limit. Four’s the limit.”
Matthew knows what to do now. He’s been in this situation before. He has his wallet out at once. For a moment he feels the familiar fear that he has no money, a fear that strikes whenever he has to pay for something in public, but he has money, of course he has money, he can relax, he got plenty of money from the machine this afternoon, it’s okay, it’s all okay — but where’s his American Express card? He’s left it inside.
Shit. I’d better get it.
Are you kidding? Leave now and you’ll never see her again.
But the card —
It’ll be there. It’ll be there in the morning.
“I’ll take care of this,” Matthew tells his new pals. He pushes a ten through the flap in the partition, slaps the flap closed, snaps his fingers.
That’s the way. What a sport. What savoir faire.
[to be continued]
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🎧 554: Most of the . . .