Chapters (26)
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Praise
- The Remedy Man
- Coalinga 1⁄2 Way
- Berlin Wall Piece
- Blinking Eye
- Betty’s Cats
- The Door to Women
- Foreigners
- Living the Sign
- The Company’s Interest
- ConcepciÓn
- It Wasn’t Proust
- Convulsion
- An Unfair Question
- A Frightening Seizure
- Tinnitus
- The Stout of Heart
- Great Dream of Heaven
- All the Trees are Naked
- About the Author
- Also by Sam Shepard
- Copyright
- What’s next onyour reading list?
That’s not my main problem. I’ll tell you what my main problem is.
What’s your problem, Betty?
The Health Department. That’s my problem.
They’re just doing their job. They get complaints because of the smell. They have to come over there.
They don’t have to come over.
It’s part of their job. They have to respond to complaints like that. I mean, I was over there the other day with Lois and as soon as she stepped out of the car she said, “What’s that smell?” and I said, “That’s Betty’s cats.”
Lois?
That’s what she said. The minute she stepped out of the car.
Lois was over there?
She came with me.
Lois hates those cats.
That’s not true, Betty.
She hates my cats.
That’s not true. She could smell it, that’s all.
Could you smell it?
Anybody can smell it.
That’s the cats.
I know that’s the cats. That’s what I’m saying. Now what are we going to do about it?
Well, I’m not getting rid of them.
Then we have to clean it up. That’s all there is to it. Now, I’m willing to come over there and help you, Betty, but you’ve got to go along with it. I mean last time I was over there cleaning up, that gray cat kept following me around doing his business right behind me. Now, that’s not right, Betty.
Cricket?
That gray one. I don’t know his name. He’s got no hair.
That’s Cricket.
What happened to his hair?
He was born like that.
Is there something wrong with him?
There’s nothing wrong with Cricket.
Well, if he’s not right you should get rid of him.
There’s nothing wrong with him.
Well, I’ve never seen a hairless cat before.
That’s the way he was born.
All right, but we have to address this, Betty.
I am addressing it.
No you’re not, Betty. They keep giving you warnings and notices and nothing gets done.
I’ve got other problems.
What other problems?
The trailer’s not level. I need six piers.
Piers?
Those metal piers to jack the trailer up; get it level. I need six of them.
I don’t know anything about motor homes. I’ve never had one.
Well, that’s what I need. Someone’s gotta climb underneath there and set those piers. I can’t do it by myself.
Well, maybe we can find someone over at the trailer court.
I can’t do it. It needs two.
I’m sure we can find someone to help you with that but that’s not really the issue.
That is the issue.
No it’s not, Betty.
What’s the issue then?
The cats, Betty!
I can’t live in an unlevel trailer. It throws everything off.