The others waited. It was a bad idea to interrupt Billy’s stories, because it only made them longer and because he was so good at doing it himself.

“Or was it Tuesday?” said Billy.

“Jesus, Billy,” muttered Mike. “What are they putting in cat food these days?”

“Anyway,” said Billy, “I was in the store when this woman comes in. About thirty, thirty-five, kind of attractive though, blonde hair, and she says to Jimmy, he owns the store, nice man, sometimes lets me use the bathroom…”

“Billy,” said Joe, a warning note in his voice as Todd returned, his pants spotted with piss.

“Okay,” Billy said. “She says to Jimmy, I’d like to buy a hacksaw. How big, says Jimmy, and the woman says, I don’t know, just big enough to get this off. And she holds up her finger. Third finger, left hand, the wedding ring finger.”

“What?” said Joe. “She wanted to cut off her wedding ring?”

Todd came back in and sat down with a thud.

“No,” said Billy. “That’s what Jimmy said. But there’s no ring there. She says, I want to cut off the finger. In case I’m ever stupid enough to get married again. No ring finger, she says, no ring. No ring, no wedding.”

“I don’t believe it,” said Mike.

“I was there,” said Billy. “Jimmy told her he couldn’t be of assistance, but it happened. I was there.”

“Billy,” Todd suddenly said. “Billy, tell the truth.”

“I was there,” Billy protested. He cast an involuntary glance at his whiskey. “I was there,” he repeated.

Joe and Mike looked uncomfortable. It wasn’t nice to be baited, but baiting Billy… there were unspoken rules about that. Nothing personal was one rule. And it looked like Todd was about to break it.

“’Fess up now, Billy,” said Todd. He said it gently and that was worse.

“I was there,” Billy repeated. “Jimmy was behind the counter and the woman came in and I was at the counter too and it happened.” He was close to tears now. “You can ask Jimmy if you like.”

He stopped. For a moment, there was doubt on his face, the look of a man who fears that nothing he says can be corroborated.

“I don’t need to ask Jimmy,” said Todd. “I just need to open a book.”

He sat back and looked at Joe and Mike. They didn’t respond.

“Oh, come on!” he said. “The woman who goes into a store and asks for a hacksaw to cut off her ring finger?”

“That’s what Billy said,” Joe said cautiously.

“She wants to cut off her ring finger to make sure she won’t get married again?” said Todd. “None of that sounds familiar to you?”

“No,” said Mike.

“Nor me,” Joe said. Billy said nothing. He was biting his lip.

“It’s fucking famous!” shouted Todd. “It’s the opening scene! The first paragraph!”