"I'm free?"
"Pending the prosecutor's decision on a new trial. They'll probably just let it drop. But you have to stay in New York City until they decide. You can travel if you tell the DA's office but you can't leave the state."
"My dear Lord," Boggs said. "I don't know what to say." He leaned forward and shyly kissed Rune's cheek. Then he stood up and walked to the window.
Megler said, "You've earned yourself the right to walk through the slime of New York just like anybody else… Now, you got any money?"
"They give me some when I came out. Not a lot."
Megler was opening up his wallet. A wad of twenties appeared. A couple hundred bucks' worth. He aimed it toward Boggs, who shook his head. "No, sir, thank you anyway."
"It's a loan is all it is. Come on. Pay me back when you can. Ha, you don't, I'll sue your butt."
Boggs was blushing as he took the money and he put it into his pocket as quickly as possible.
Megler was giving him advice about getting jobs, what sort of work to look for.
Boggs looked solemn for a moment. "Something I'd like to do. A friend of mine got himself killed in prison. I'd like to go see his family. Up in Harlem."
"You look like you're asking permission," Megler said. "You want to go, just go."
"Yeah, I could, I guess. Sure. I wasn't thinking."
Then Boggs was saying he had to look for a hotel room… No, first some food then a room. No, first he wanted to walk down… what was that street there? Boggs pointed out the window.
"Over there? Broadway," Megler answered.
"I want to walk down Broadway."
Rune corrected, "Actually, you'd probably be walkingup Broadway from here."
"Up Broadway, and I want to stop and go into some of those stores."
"Plenty to choose from," the lawyer offered. "Shitty merchandise, overpriced."
"Shitty," Courtney echoed.
"And check out some other streets too. And nobody's going to tell me not to."
"Not a soul in the world."
Boggs was grinning.
Rune said, "I've got some tapes left but I'll have to interview you again. I want to start as soon as possible."
Boggs laughed. "Well, you don't hardly have to even ask. There's only one thing I'd ask first."
"Sure."
"You think we might rustle up some beer? It's been a while, and I've really got me a taste."
24
The plastic bag rang like sleigh bells. It contained: a Heineken, a Moosehead, a Grolsch, two Budweisers ("Not the best by a long shot but it was my first – mind if I get a couple for, you know, sentimental reasons?"), a Tecate and a six-pack of Corona. Rune had also bought some Amstel but Randy Boggs had never drunk light beer in his life. "Don't believe I'd like to celebrate my freedom with something like that."
They turned onto Christopher Street and aimed themselves at the Hudson, waiting for the stoplight to change. When it did they crossed the wide West Side Highway, Courtney holding tight to Rune's hand and looking left and right the way she'd taught the little girl.
Boggs asked, "Uh, where'd we be going?" He looked uncertainly toward the deserted waterfront.
Rune felt Southern when she was with Boggs and she answered, "Yonder."
He looked at where she was nodding and laughed. "There?"
They walked up the yellow gangplank to the houseboat, Boggs grinning and looking around him. "You don't need me to say anything 'bout it, I suppose. You live on one of these, you musta heard all kindsa comments by now."
Inside, Boggs walked from room to room, shyly inspecting. He'd carefully touch the stuffed animals, the scraps of lace Rune draped over lamps, the rosy and blue magic crystals, her books. He'd laugh occasionally as he tried to figure out something -an eyelash curler or a broken antique apple parer that Rune bought because she thought it was a medieval weapon.
In the kitchen she put the beers away and fixed the food they'd bought – crispy-fried Chee-tos and cans of refried bean dip and little shrimp cocktails in jars with pry-off lids. "I love these things. And you can use the jars for juice glasses later."
"Juice," said Courtney. Rune poured Ocean Spray for the girl then filled a Winnie-the-Pooh dish with bean dip and handed her a spoon.
"This is ugly," the girl said, looking into it. "Yes, it is." But she took the utensil and began to pick up bits of dip and wad it onto the spoon.
"She's showing off for guests," Rune said to Boggs. "Court – you know how," she added sternly.
"Ugly food." She scrunched her nose up but began to eat properly.
"Napkin," Rune reminded her and Courtney picked a paper napkin out of a stack in the center of the table and placed it on her lap. She resumed eating.
Boggs watched them. "You're kinda young to be a mother. Who's the father?" He laughed. "Other than me, I mean."
"Long story." She then said, "What kind of beer you like to start with?"
"Believe I'll start with a Bud. 'Buy American.' When I went Inside, three years ago, that's what everybody was saying. 'Buy American.' But nobody makes beer like Mexicans. I'll save that Corona for dessert."
"Come on over here." Rune led him out to the deck, where they could have some privacy; but she could still watch Courtney.
"I didn't want to say anything in there. In front of her." She told him how Claire had abandoned the girl.
Boggs shook his head. "I don't think I ever met anybody who'd do something like that."
"Claire's totally immature."
"I never had me any kids." He grinned. "Not that I know of, anyway. Not so there was a paternity suit."
Rune said, "Me with a kid." She shook her head. "You don't know me that well but it's definitely role reversal."
"Looks to me like you two get along pretty good, though."
Rune's eyes were dancing. "Oh, she's the best. I always thought kids were, like, completely obnoxious. You know, they go through this phase where they can't talk – they have to screech. And they don't eat; they just barf. But what it is – I've figured this out – they're just like adults. Some days they're in good moods, some days they're in bitchy moods. And can we talk! We walk all over the place and I tell her things. She understands. Our minds kind of work alike." Rune glanced at Courtney. "She's going to be just like me when she grows up."
"I know naturalmothers who don't sound that happy with their kids."
Boggs was tasting the Bud like it was vintage wine. Rune offered him the bag of Chee-tos. He shook his head. He said, "Must be nice having someone to live with. I had me a couple girlfriends, various times, but I was never married. I don't know, it'd be pretty strange for me, I think. Living with somebody when you don't have to. Inside, you don't have any choice, of course."
"Inside?"
"In prison."
"Oh, sure… Well, I usually have roommates. They're sort of a necessary evil in New York, with what rents go for. But I've lived by myself a lot. I've gotten used to it. It's like a skill you work on."
"Don't get lonely, huh?"
"Sure. I remember some nights I'd be sitting there, watchingGilligan's Island reruns on this black-and-white TV – you know, the kind with a coat hanger for an antenna? And I'd be watching this show and I'd hear a piece of paper slide under the door. And I'd start to get up and see what it was but then I wouldn't. Because I knew it was only a menu from a Chinese restaurant a delivery guy was slipping under all the doors in the building. But if Ididn't go see then maybe it'd be a note from someone. Maybe it would say, There's a party, in three-G. Plenty of men. Come in costume.' Or maybe it would be mysterious. 'Meet me on the corner of Avenue A and Ninth Street at midnight on the night of the full moon.'"
Boggs was looking at her, trying to figure this all out.
"But, naw, it was always just a menu. And I'd go back to sitcoms and commercials. But ups and downs – that's what makes life what it is." She thumped her chest. "I'm from Ohio peasant stock."
Boggs said, "There's one thing I'd like to say…"