Part 13 (2/2)
I shrugged and i to paperback books to solve my problems, to a woman who had endured as much as Ella
”Do you read much?” I asked
”The Bible,” she said ”And I looks at the paper”
Ella was certainly wise And I valued her advice, but I suspected she ht be illiterate The leprosy patient library ell stocked and larger than the inmate library I had passed it many times and had ado to the library?” I asked
”Nope”
”Are there are any books you want to read?” I asked Like most journalists, I assue ”You could bring the, and I could read out loud”
”Ain't no need,” she said ”I already knows more than I understands”
I wasn't sure what Ella meant by that Could be brilliant Or not Sometimes, her words seemed out of context like they flew in from another conversation Other tiured it wouldn't hurt to give her a shot at e?” I asked Ella
”Hard to do,” she said ”Hard to do”
”Any ideas?”
Ella hesitated She generally blurted out whatever popped into herto prod her
”Keep meddlin'”
”I don't want to interview anyone else,” I said
”Maybe,” she said, ”you been askin' the wrong folks”
I had talked to Father Reynolds, Reverend Ray, Sister Margie, every interesting inmate, and dozens of leprosy patients I already had volumes of notes, but if there were a counselor or a nun or a psychologist who knew soe, I suppose I needed to ask for help And Ella obviously thought soht
”Who?” I asked
Ella leaned forward and in a soft voice said, ”Your own self”
I walked the track tossing Ella's words around in my head: What people thinks about you ain't none of your business What people thinks about you ain't none of your business I already knows more than I understands I already knows more than I understands Interview your own self Interview your own self As I moved in circles around the inmate courtyard, I decided to take Ella's latest advice I would treat myself like any other interview subject Ask hard questions Be suspicious of motives Look for cracks in my own story Treat myself like a man who had every chance and ended up in prison for bank fraud
”Hey, Clark Kent!” Link yelled ”You borin' motherfucker!” Link joined me onto figure out soure out why you so white?”
I didn't answer I stopped to ain
”You know all that shi+t I told you before?” Link said
”What?”
”You know,” Link said, ”'bout Popeyes and takin' them cars”
”Yeah I remember”
”You can't write about that shi+tunless you give me some money”
”You need money?” I asked
”If you put
I tried to explain the premise that if information is related directly to the journalist, without the caveat of being ”off the record,” the writer has every legal right to use the material
”That some bullshi+t!” Link yelled ”You can write shi+t 'boutme a Goddamn cent?!”
”Yes,” I said ”But, if the inforation is a remedy”
”What the fuck?”
”If a reporter writes so about you that is inaccurate, or reports the story in a ive me some fuckin' money or I'll sue your ass”
”The stories you told me,” I asked, ”are they true?”
”fuck, yeah!”
”Look, Link, I don't know if I'll ever write anything about this place” I told hi much like a journalist I couldn't very rite someone else's story when I wasn't sure of azine,” Link said
The prison library had recently received back issues of Louisiana Life Louisiana Life I was listed as ”Publisher” at the top of the ot to give azines anymore” I wanted to tell Link that the socialites and ladies who read Louisiana Life Louisiana Life had no interest in reading about his escapades Not to mention that the neners would never consider publishi+ng anything I wrote ”In fact,” I said, ”I'azines” I told Link how raphy in the South, spectacular photography, shi+ny UV coatings for the azine's cover, and the finest i about his escapades Not to mention that the neners would never consider publishi+ng anything I wrote ”In fact,” I said, ”I'azines” I told Link how raphy in the South, spectacular photography, shi+ny UV coatings for the azine's cover, and the finest imported paper
”Goddalossy paper!”
He had a point, but Link needn't worry aboutabout him anytime soon The story-or expose-I had envisioned when I arrived at the colony didn't exist anys I had uncovered nothing sensational, except, perhaps, that living with the victi for me