EVENING'S

DISCOURSE

by Barrett Shannon Cooper

“Oh man . . . man . . . this is good stuff, but it burns. "Take it slow."

"Um..

•

geez..."

Um . . . um. No. Nayo. Nay hosie. I wanta get high tonight." "Say whydoncher get a job or something . must be hell, seventeen an' still takin' an allowance from your old man

"I don't want no job man. Why should I work? I mean . . . what's the point? Gimme that bottle. Ah . . . um... argh... crazy! Whew-w-w! Am I gon' fly tonight! Man, I swear. I'm gonna rip it up! WOW!"

"Sh-h! Don't talk so loud."

"Aw don't be a square. Relax, stag. Say ... you know . . . you know why I don't wanta work you know why?

"Oh man..

"You know why?"

"You're drooling man."

"Say . . . no, listen. Really. The reason I don't wanta work is because I don't LIKE work. Izzat good reason? I mean . . . there's really no other reason. I don't even like school work. Who wants THAT, huh? You like it? I don't... I think it's crud, man... specially that crummy sociology. Ay-y,

isn't that a bitch man?"

"Yeah... I don't like it either."

Why? Here . . . have a drink. Go on . . . we inna alley . . . nobody watch, nobody hear. Ah-h, atsa boy. Now . . . come on. Tell. Tell me why you don't like it."

"Ah-h."

"Don't shrug me off. Come on, Izzit the teacher? Hah? Izzit the teach-

er?"

"Well...

"Sure . . . sure itsa teacher. Sure it is. Know why? Know why? Huh? I know. But do you?"

"Yeah... yeah."

"Look at me man.

"Aw-w-w."

whatsa matter? You ashamed or sumthin' ?"

"LOOK at me man. . . stop starin' at that goddamn garbage can...

"Shut up, will ya!"

"Aw-w... you stinkin' square . . . gimme that bottle . . . gimme it! Yeah,