this is a very out-dated post, and sometimes i don't believe that i can hear things and the next moment i read smth similar.
He tried to make small talk. He succeeded. It couldn't possibly have been any smaller. 'You know, Philadelphia was once the capital of the United States.'
She knew this. Every school kid in America knew this. 'I didn't know that.'
'Do you know who discovered the place?'
Gee, she thought. Penn and Teller?
'William Penn, of course.' He pointed down Market Street, toward City Hall. The statue of William Penn glowed in the dusk.
'Wow.'
She felt his hand reach out, try to hold hers. Gross. She reached around to her backpack, covering. She unzipped it, pulled out some gum. She didn't offer him any. He didn't notice. Every time she caught him looking at her he was staring at her chest.
'There's something down here I think you should see,' he said. 'There's history everywhere.'
They walked down the alley, around a corner. They stopped. There was nothing to see.
'You know what?' he asked.
'What?'
'You're very beautiful.'
And there it was. On top of it, she knew it was a lie. She looked like crap. She probably smelled, too. She was a runaway. Runaways were skanks. 'Thank you,' she said.
'Can I ask you a question?'
Lilly almost laughed. 'Sure.'
'Do you like me? Even, you know, a little bit?'
Oh, about as much as a blister or a cold sore, Lilly thought. 'Of course,' she said. 'I'm here, aren't I? Why would you ask me that?'
'Because boys are insecure,' he said with a gnarled smile.
Boys. She was just about ready to puke. Time to get this party started. 'You know, you don't strike me as all that insecure.'
'I don't?'
'Absolutely not. You strike me as the Matt Damon type. Older - like my father's age - but still pretty cool.'
He smiled again. It was the last thing she wanted.
'You know, I was thinking,' he said. 'If you're a little short of cash, I could help you out. You being from out of town and all. I did the Jack Kerouac thing myself when I was a little younger. I know how it can be.'
'Well, I've never been to Philadelphia before,' she said. 'I have no idea how much things cost.'
'It can be expensive. Not quite like New York, but pricier than, say Baltimore.'
Lilly smiled, winked. 'How much do you have, big spender?'
I decided that I wouldn't add the next part since it's quite long, it's quite aggressive and arms are aching and can't really type. So, this is Play Dead by Richard Montanari and I love Graciella's character.
And today's quote - Nobody who is truly happy is an alcoholic or drug addict. These things are mutually exclusive. Drugs are what you do instead of loving someone.