Well, I only deal with professionals, she said.
And by professionals, she meant of course, those who had become part of the game. She meant those with whom a great deal of time, attention, and money had been spent on furthering their education. She only dealt with those few.
I held my hat in my hand, and I nodded.
Then I turned to the door, and I walked away.
here’s what I think about you,
she began
whenever it begins like that,
i know i’m in for a long ride
when it was done,
then she began telling me
about herself.
but by that time
i already knew a lot about her
from what she had already told me about myself
i never played the game
the way the other kids played it
there were always so many of them
and only just the one of me
they knew how to laugh
and while they were getting along with one another,
i was busy doing things by myself
it’s that way still
the game hasn’t changed much
i still enjoy being by myself
and the others are laughing
and getting along with one another
there are so many of them
and just one of me
