AFTER THE READING, I stood Matthew and Effie to a round of drinks. (To be completely honest about it, I ordered drinks from Lou with the expectation that I would never have to pay for them.) After we toasted each other and old times and clinked our glasses, Matthew said, “It is really remarkable that you should have read that particular story, with the electric eye — ”
“Well, it’s one of my themes,” I said modestly.
“Mine, too,” he said. He put his arm around Effie’s shoulders and hugged her to him. “Lately anyway, ever since — well — ” He paused for effect and waited until he was quite sure that everyone in my audience was listening to him, and then he said, giving Effie another squeeze as he did it, “ever since I began telling people the story of my death.”
It was a hell of an opening. Who wouldn’t want to hear the story that it promised? The inmates began gathering around us, and I asked Matthew to tell us the story. “It must be an extraordinary tale,” I said generously.
“And one well worth hearing,” guessed Albertine.
“I’d be glad to tell it to you,” said Matthew. “I’m afraid that my story won’t be as polished or artful as yours, but if you want to hear it I’d like to tell it to you anyway.”
Lou and the others responded with a chorus of curiosity. “Okay,” he said, setting his drink on the bar. “I promise you that what I’m going to tell you is true. You’re not going to believe it. I know that. Not even Effie believes it, although for my sake she tries to take an attitude of suspended disbelief. Nobody believes it but me.”
As he said this, we all settled ourselves in our places and a deep silence fell. Matthew began speaking in a calm voice — no, a controlled voice.
[to be continued]
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