Bernie, never without his Yankees cap. Bernie, laughing like he'd never laugh again. He smells like cigarettes and pot and music. Bernie, opening me up to the world when I thought the doors where sealed forever. Bernie.
1988, Bronx New York
She's 1...
This is. It a bonus chapter! I'm just adding this on, because I think the story left a few loose ends. Here we go. 1. What is wrong with Kay? In the story, the protagonist, Kay, is labeled from the very beginning as "different." I've gotten a lot of questions from readers saying "how is she different?" The answer is, I don't know. I gave hints throughout the story on how her mind works differently, sort of like that of a person with autism or Aspergers. The point is that she and Bernie share this trait, this difference. It separates them from the rest of society. In Bernice's case, this "being different" was brought on by severe depression and hopelessness, aka the loss of his father and sister at such an early age. Being "different" is a condition were each person lives in their own separate worlds. However, in the story, "difference" is a metaphor. The most important part of the book is when Bernie says in chapter 8, "I knew, when I saw you, dat you was de same way. And in a way, that didn't make me so different no more." At the end of the story, Kay has realized that "being different" was just a state of mind she was in. She had grown up excepting that she was "different" so she had never considered that "being different" was just a mental condition. There was never anything wrong with her, she just thought there was. 2. How did the gun end up in the car? We learn that the gun used in the Smith street shooting was found in a blue 1985 Buick parked in front of the Branbury pub. The shots were not fired from this car. The shooter ran up the street, firing, and threw the pistol in the open window of the car, presumably after shooting the Pajer sisters. 3. Aren't there 6 rooms in Sam and Kay's houses? I counted the hallway as a room. 4. What's the song they are always singing? It's Don't Stop Believing, it's by Journey. It's the best song in the world. 5. What's in the box? If you'll remember, in "Do they know it's Christmastime?" an old lady at the homeless shelter gives a present to Kay. Now if you didn't fully understand this scene, you'll have to bear with me. This woman is the Pajer girl's aunt, the one they were living with. She is obviously deeply scared by their deaths, and it's driven her a bit mad. When she first sees Kay, she obviously sees some part of Josie in her, so she goes up to talk to her. By the end of the scene, the woman, who's gone crazy with grief, is convinced Kay is Josie. In a daze, she gives Kay the gift. Inside is Josie's would-be Christmas present.
Yea, that's about it. If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to answer them.
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Btw these are real flowers in my kitchen, I saw them and they are basically the mascot for this story, I might change the cover to them.
