The Work Is Innocent Read Free Page A

quarrel, were tired and not talkative. John was cheerful. He handled the four-wheel-drive truck easily, Richard fascinated by his competence. The sight was familiar: John’s ski boot pumping the brakes, his hand appearing at the end of his overlarge white knit sweater, reaching into his shirt pocket for a pack of cigarettes, emerging and tipping the pack so that he could catch one with his lips. There was never any desperation or awkwardness in the movement; sharp curves never disturbed it.
    Richard openly admired John’s physical confidence. He had studied him carefully and guessed that they were learned, not intuitive, gestures. Richard had told him his suspicion and John had laughed, delighted. He admitted that as an adolescent he had worked on such things and it had become habitual. “But now you pay no attention to it?” Richard had asked.
    But John wasn’t sure. “Well, I don’t have to work at the movements, like when I was a teen-ager. But I’m always aware of what I’m doing.”
    “Everybody is aware of their movements, right?”
    “I don’t think so. Lots of people don’t go through that stuff. They just breeze through life. They do their number and there’s no problem with it.”
    It sounded so pleasant just to breeze through life. It was a squalling storm for Richard, every gesture a mortal decision. “You know, John, I don’t think that’s true. I think it’s like everything else. Everybody thinks they’re the only person who masturbates or talks to themselves, et cetera. Right?”
    “I don’t think so,” he insisted. “It’s special.”
    John’s physical grace was certainly rare, and Richard appreciated its refinements as if it were a grand ballet. So he was well entertained during the drive.
    John and Naomi were staying at the house his parents had bought and planned to move into. During the winter John was supposed to make a bedroom out of the unfinished attic, and their only conversation was caused by Richard’s question about it. “Should I tell Mom and Dad what you’ve done so far, or would you rather it be a surprise?”
    “Either way.”
    “Richard,” Naomi said with alarming seriousness, “what are you going to do if they make you go to school?”
    “I’m going to run away.”
    John said mildly, “You will do that, huh?”
    “Yep.”
    Naomi looked incredulously at them. “What’s going on? How come this is so casual? ‘I’m going to run away. Oh, really?’ ” Her imitation was good humored.
    “We’ve talked about it,” John said.
    “And you weren’t going to mention it to me?” Naomi asked Richard.
    “I was afraid you were going to tell me to get a job.”
    They laughed. Naomi said, “You can’t run away to us, you know.”
    Richard was hurt. “Don’t say that.”
    “I’m sorry,” Naomi said quickly. She patted him on the shoulder. “I mean I’d be happy to have you stay with us. I just mean we can’t because of Aaron and Betty.”
    “Don’t you think I’d realize that? What kind of fool do you think I am?”
    “Okay, listen. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.” She began to cry, and Richard was suddenly full of feeling for her. “Let’s make up,” she said. He mumbled, sure, and kissed her on a red cheek.
    “Your nose is so cold,” he said, and they laughed to be rid of their embarrassment.
    “Really a sick relationship,” John said.
    “You just don’t understand,” Naomi said.
    “I’m kidding.”
    “So, Richard,” Naomi asked tentatively, “where would you go?”
    “Well, remember when Mac called me? He’s at college in Boston and he invited me to stay with him.”
    “For free?”
    “No,” Richard said, his tone sarcastic. “I have to get a job.”
    “Oh boy,” John said, laughing.
    “Okay.” Naomi was still afraid of the conversation. “I don’t mean about getting a job or anything. I just mean about breaking with Mom and Dad. Are you really able to do that?”
    He wished she hadn’t forced him to think about