Читать книгу Are We There Yet? - Дэвид Левитан, David Levithan, Рэйчел Кон - Страница 20

DANNY WAKES UP INTO THE STRANGE TIMELESS NIGHTTIME OF AIR travel. The window shades are drawn. The flight attendants float down the aisle like guardian angels. The guidebook has fallen at his feet. A woman is talking.

“… And then, it was the strangest thing, I walk into the room and there’s Courtney Love. Have I told you this? No? Good. So I can’t believe it. Now, this is after she was the lead singer of – what was it called? – Hole. Don’t think I’m that old. I’m not that old. So it’s after Hole, and I walk into the room, and there she is. I can’t believe it. So I walk over to her and offer her a joint. Real cool. I can tell that my boyfriend’s real impressed at how smooth I am. And she says yes. But neither of us has a match. I’m fumbling around, pulling the rolling papers and the dope out of my pockets, and I can’t find a light! So my boyfriend just leans over, Courtney looks up at him, and all smooth, he lights her up. I’m still there fumbling. She says thanks to him, offers him a puff, and when he’s done he doesn’t even offer it to me. Because now they’re talking and sharing and it’s like I’m not even there. I say his name, and he just gives me one of those side smiles. I can’t believe it. Some other guys join the conversation and I’m out of the circle. And I’m sure Courtney has seen me. But does she say anything? No. Not a word. My boyfriend’s treating her like the Pope and my head’s all screwed up, so I just say real loud, ‘Well, why don’t you just kiss her ring!’ Everyone stares at me. Like, it makes perfect sense to me, but I’m the only person in the room with the context. I have to get out of there. Right away. My boyfriend’s staring at me like I just called his mother a whore. And everyone else thinks I’m insulting Her Highness Courtney Love. So I run out of the room. But I’m not looking where I’m going – I crash into this guy in the doorway – and that’s how I met Billy Corgan.”

It’s the woman next to Elijah. Danny is paralysed by her talking.

“No way!” Elijah exhales in admiration.

“Uh-huh.”

Danny tries to fall back to sleep. He can’t believe they’re still awake.