“I know. But you learn so much, Papì.”

“Like what?”

“You see what’s important to people. What they steal. Who they rob. Who they kill. You see that they don’t value human life except when their own is on the line. Then it’s get out the violins, hey, Papì?”

“Everybody in jail ain’t necessarily a criminal.”

“You’re right. But when you do something wrong and you get caught, you should be punished. God is fair.”

“Yeah, well, that’s a matter of opinion.”

“You’re not saying nothing against God, are you, Lewis?”

“No—hell, no. I believe in God as much as you. All I’m saying is that it just makes you feel like a spectacle, or free entertainment, with strangers sitting in the courtroom learning stuff about you they don’t need to know. But, anyway, that’s not why I . . .”

“How long you in there for?”

“They only gave me ninety days, but I thought I might be in here for a year, so I got lucky. I gotta go to anger management once a week for three months, and AA once a week for six months. But with work-time/good-time, I could be out in a few weeks.”

“I know from work-time/good-time so much I’m sick of work-time/ good-time. So why you took so long to call me?”

“I haven’t exactly been in the mood for chitchatting, Luisa. I ain’t even talked to my sisters. Look, my time is almost up. Hold on a minute.”

I turn to the dude behind me and say, “One Top Ramen for five more minutes?”

He nods his head. “Shrimp, chicken, or beef?”

“What kind you like?”

“Shrimp,” he says.

“Then I’ve got shrimp.”

He goes over and sits down and starts watching TV.

“Luisa?”

“I’m still here.”

“Can you go over to my apartment and check on my car to make sure it’s all right?”

“ Sì. You mean, see if it’s still there?”

“Yeah. Do you remember meeting Woolery, the guy I work for sometime?”

“The one with that nose?”

“Yeah, him. You remember where the place was?”

“Sì.”

“Well, he owes me some money. And I need you to go get it and pay my rent so I don’t get evicted. Right outside my doorstep, on the left-hand side, is a piece of crumpled-up rawhide under a bush that looks like trash but my key is inside it. Use it, and check to see if everything in my apartment is okay. I’ve got some important documents in there I don’t want nobody to steal.”

“Like what, Papì?”

“Formulas and ideas.”

She starts laughing. “You’re not just a criminal but a scientist, too?”

“Fuck you, Luisa.”

“Can’t you take a joke, Lewis?”

“Yeah, but I ain’t in no joking mood. Anyway, can you do this for me or not, Luisa?”

“ Sì, Papì. But not today. Tomorrow. I gotta take my kids to the doctor today.”

“Thanks, okay? I mean it. And I’ll take care of you when I get out, don’t worry. I really appreciate this.”