A Curable Romantic (95 page)

“Horrible,”
muttered under his breath. “Just …”

“Dr. Sammelsohn.”
kneeled near me. “You have to understand.”

“No, he doesn’t! This is none of his business!”

“Things are not as they should be, nor as they used to be.”

“Why don’t you just draw him a map?”
said. “Why don’t you just take him up into the Heavens and show him exactly what you mean!”

“And would that be so wrong?”
challenged him.

“Would that be wrong?”
laughed darkly. “Brother, think!”

“Why not?”

“Why not? Must I tell you why not? Because I won’t permit it, that’s why not?”

“Oh,
you
won’t permit it?”

“Yes,
I
won’t permit it!”

“And what if
I
started to say, but before he could finish his sentence,
had grabbed him by his tie, his shirt front, and the lapels of his coat. Pushing his fist into
chest, he knocked him against the trunk of a tree.
glasses flew from his forehead, his hat tumbled to the ground.
his chest heaving, raised his truncheon over him.

“Oh, don’t be so fucking tedious!”
said, forcing
hand from his lapels.

gave out a strangled cry. Wielding his truncheon, he repeatedly struck it against the iron railing of a park bench until it shattered and all he was holding was its nib. “You think I’m happy with the situation?” he roared. “I am not! I am not happy with the situation. But I do my best. I do what’s asked of me, which doesn’t mean I agree with every policy from on high. But still, what are our choices, brother?”