it was billy’s birthday. jesse offered to take him to lunch, and billy accepted his offer.
well, how does it feel to be x years old? jesse asked after belle, the waitress, had taken their orders.
oh, not much different from being x minus one years old, billy replied.
tell me, what do you think of this modern world, which we have both been so fortunate enough to live to see?
i rather like it.
really? many others are not so sanguine. what do you like about it?
oh, it just seems more tolerant. quite a bit more tolerant as a matter of fact.
really? about anything in particular?
atlanta, for one thing.
atlanta, of course. but what about birningham?
birmingham! i would not know anything about birningham.
jesse started to make a reply, but at that moment belle arrived with their orders - fried oysters for billy and a cheeseburger with mushrooms for jesse.
so, jesse resumed the conversation when belle had left them, you do not know anything about birmingham?
no, i do not know what gave you that idea. i mean, really.
well, i will not press the issue. jesse leaned forward. but what about - chattanooga? he asked softly.
billy turned pale.
go ahead and eat your oysters before they get cold, jesse advised him.
even- even if it were true - billy finally managed to say, how would you possibly know -
how would i know? how would i know about chattanooga? you might as well ask, how would i know about dallas?
billy dropped his fork, with a fried oyster on it, on to his lap. you seem to know everything, he blurted out.
of course i know everything, billy. i even know about - jesse leaned forward and whispered in billy’s ear - i know about evansville indiana!
billy collapsed across the table, sobbing uncontrollably.
jesse got up. he took his wallet out and put more than enough money on the table to pay the bill and leave a good tip for belle, and left the restaurant.
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