He was the star of his own western, filmed in the small towns of Kent Valley, beneath snow-capped Mount Rainier. We took him to McDonald's. I was almost two years into Benny's representation and tired of trying to change him with words. But Mary, new and fresh, sat across from Benny, smiling easily, trying to catch his hard eyes. Today is the day to go to the job corps office.
Today is the best day to do anything, anything important.
Benny sat silently. Lifted the burger to his lips with his bony hands. The right hand had a long, feminine pinky nail, the two gold rings glittering around his finger, promises of what his world could do for him if he shunned us. Can't go today, though. When we looked up from the car handles, me with the key still in my hand, he was gone.