Merrick Read Online Free Page B

said
    ‘Practice.’
    He was fascinated by the shape of the ball, I said
    ‘It’s a sliothar.’
    There is no real translation for that , save a baseball that has lost the run of it’s self.
    Galway won by two points but it was close, so tight that Merrick was up and screaming
    ‘Pass the fucking ball Cunningham.’
    I think he got the gist of the game.
    After, we headed for Frankie and Johnny’s, the steak place by Penn Station. Yeah, the
    one used in the movie. Merrick was aflame, said
    ‘Jesus buddy, I loved that, got me an appetite too and hey, this is on me, capiche?’
    Sure.
    We ordered some Philly steak sandwiches, like I knew what the fook they were, and got
    the brews while we waited for the grub.
    Merrick had pushed the shades atop of his bald dome, sighed, said
    ‘Some shit came down the pike buddy.’
    Told me.
    I let it sink in, then said
    ‘Son of Sam.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘This lunatic is playing with serial killer references, Son Of Sam, he said his dog told him
    to kill people.’
    Merrick thought about it, said
    ‘Fuck, you might be right, how’d you know about Son Of Sam?’
    ‘Movies, most all I know is from them, Summer of Sam, Spike lee?’
    Our food arrived and Merrick asked
    ‘You’re all lit up buddy, gotta be more than the game?’
    I paused then figured, why not, told him of Shona.
    He put down his fork, raised his bottle touched mine said
    ‘
    L’chaim.’
    After the meal, we sat back , sipping on expresso with a hint of cognac in there.
    Merrick said
    ‘I have two leads.’
    I said
    ‘Ok.’
    He reached in his chino’s, took out a slim notebook, flicked through it, then
    ‘The first, James P. Mallin, an accountant, single, aged forty, no priors, lives in Queen’s.
    Moe had put a star beside his name, meaning he was due to interview the guy. Second up, is
    Bob Temar, a dentist, again, single and no priors, aged forty five, lives in Tribeca,
    business must be good I’m guessing.’
    I said
    ‘Marathon Man’
    I’d lost him , he said
    ‘You’ve lost me.’
    ’William Goldman, made into a movie with Hoffman, Laurence Oliver.’
    He was surprised, said
    ‘I thought you didn’t read.’
    I don’t, my ex was a huge fan of mystery, I suppose no bigger mystery to her than why
    she married me.’
    I let the bitterness leak all over my tone.
    Merrick ambushed me, asked
    ‘What was her name?’
    ‘
    Why?’
    “Because it’s important to you.’
    Fook.
    I said
    ‘Roisin.’
    ‘And your daughter?
    I needed a smoke, said
    ‘Got to make a piss.’
    Got outside, fumbled for my cigs, my Zippo, my throat choked. Jesus, I had as they say,
    compartmentalized
    My feelings, especially about Siobhan, that’s Joan in English and in the heart, all the woe
    I know. She was six now, six years without her Dad. My last call to Roisin, to see if they
    needed any money, she’d told me Sioban called the new husband……….Dad.
    I bit down and swallowed hard.
    Crushed the cig under my converse sneaker, turned to see Merrick, he touched my
    shoulder, said
    ‘The tab is paid, wanna grab a night cap.’
    I did.
    He took me to The Mansefield Hotel, up on 54 th , across the road from The Algonquin.
    Even I’d heard of Dorothy Parker. The bar there was lined with books and we ordered
    some Sam Adams, I said
    ‘Flash place.’
    He smiled, said
    ‘You believe it, an Irish guy introduced this place to me.’
    So you have to ask
    ‘A friend?’
    He shook his head, said
    ‘The guy was a writer, they don’t really do friends I hear.’
    Thought about it, said
    ‘Writers are no mystery if you know you are just part of the plot.’
    Too deep for me. I raised the beer, asked
    ‘This is good, right?’
    He nodded, said
    ‘They might have cursed us with The Red Sox but they make decent beer.’

‘IF NIETZSCHE IS CORRCT THAT TO SHAME A MAN IS TO KILL HIM.
    -CAMUS.

Merrick And I decided to walk to the subway, then he’d catch the train to Long
    Island. We were back to talking about Gacy or who-the