“You’re lucky, Melvin. Most men have never experienced the other side of the ‘Wham Bam, Thank You Mam.’”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

“The Bang Bump, Thank You Chump!”

“Well, I wish somebody would bump this chump off again cause I’d definitely say you’re welcome!”

“Oh, so you’re one of those men who don’t want to do it all by themselves.”

“While I was away, an old man once told me, if a woman likes you, she’ll let you. But if she loves you, she’ll help you.’”

“So?”

“I need help.”

“What time is it?” she asked.

“It’s almost four.”

“You want to come over my place?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you hear me the first time?”

“I heard you. It’s just that it surprised me. I didn’t think you wanted to be bothered.”

“I don’t mind being bothered. It’s getting involved that I worry about.”

“Are you afraid of getting involved with me?”

“Yes. Does that surprise you?”

“A little.”

“I don’t know about you, Melvin. Why can’t you accept the fact that I see something in you I like? I don’t know which is worse—a man who assumes I want him or someone like you who can’t believe I would be interested in him at all. What I’d like from you, Melvin, is a little less opposition. Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

“I bow to your superior knowledge,” I said.

“Why don’t we go back inside and tell Pauline and Otis we’re leaving.”

The congestion in the apartment was beginning to break up as people left. I didn’t have to go far to find Otis. He was pulling on me almost as soon as Alice and I were back inside.

“Where you been, man? I got to talk to you.”

“Alice and I are getting ready to split,” I said.

“It’ll only take a minute, Mouth!” He looked high but there was desperation in his voice.

“You go ahead,” Alice said. “I’ll go look for Pauline.” We went out into the hall and through the door leading to the staircase.

“What do you want to rap about, Otis?”

“It’s about those John Wayne flicks I was telling you about.”

“Hey, man, I told you I wasn’t getting into any of that.”

“Look, Mouth, I’m not gonna burn anything up. All I want to do is show you something. It’ll only take about an hour.”

“Can’t we do it some other time?”

“You don’t understand, Mouth. I need to do it now. Do you remember Audie Murphy? The cat that got all those medals in World War II? Well, after he got out of the service he slept with a German Luger under his pillow. I didn’t understand why until after I got back from the Nam. He was caught up cause he’d been to hell and back. And he found out that a hero ain’t nuthin but a sandwich. That’s why he started makin movies. That was probably the only thing he felt safe doin. Well, I been hellified, too. And when it really gets bad, like now, seeing those old John Wayne flicks is the only thing that gets me back together. But I don’t wanna go by myself tonight. Just come with me for about an hour. Don’t worry, you won’t blow the pussy.”