Forum / "You're Breaking My Heart," A Recently Discovered Story By Ermo Natali, Originally Published In The Evergreen Review, May 1970

• 
  Chris Okum

  Sep 09, 05:11am

  A real treat for those of you who are fans. Here's an excerpt, and a link to the song Natali said he was listening to as he wrote the story (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGqEFQ5xmjU):

  It was the first of the month and he was flush. The check arrived in the mail, early this time. Saved him the effort of having to call his mother and make threats. He took out some cash and bought himself a buckskin jacket. With fringe. Took out a little more cash and made reservations at an Italian joint on Columbus. Made it for two. Now all he needed was a second. They weren't hard to find. He had a little black book. Didn't they all. Made a call to a WASP chick he had met while trolling the Palace of Fine Arts. Went by the name Windy. Didn't they all. She met him in front of City Lights. She wore go-go boots. On the way to the restaurant she told him about her recent trip to Vegas. Said she was there to meet Vic Damone. Said she heard that Vic liked WASPs. Turns out he did. She told him she was going to go back as soon as possible. Said there was a small chance Vic was going to make her legit. She would be spending her days at Caesar's by the pool and nights at the Tropicana spending Vic's dough. He felt a hot twinge in his stomach. Told himself not to act jealous. Told himself he barely knew the girl, there was no need to get all hot and bothered. Told himself to be cool and see where the night went. They crossed the street. He held her hand and she didn't let go. It was sign. Maybe tonight he would get lucky. The last time he got lucky was the last time he was flush, exactly a month ago. A little less than. Ma was late with the check and he had to sweat out the first week. Had he bothered to make the connection that his mother was directly responsible for him getting laid he would've been disgusted with himself, but he wasn't going to bother making the connection, because making the connection would have seriously hindered him getting laid, and getting laid was more important to him than making that kind of connection. They were almost to the restaurant when the catcalls began. A group of young Italian men were whistling at Windy as she approached. One of them stuck out his tongue and flicked it in Windy's direction. Another one stuck the side of his hand in his mouth and bit down, the universal sign for this chick is driving me crazy and I don't know if I can control myself. The smallest one grabbed his crotch and jangled it, really jostled the jewels, wanted Windy to really get it, you see, hey, big things come in small packages. The biggest one took a last puff of his cigarette, threw it to the ground, rubbed it out with the heel of his Cuban boots and said, Hey, ditch the faggot and let me show you what a real man is all about. He turned to say something to the big one, but before he could open his mouth it was lights out. He came to what he thought was a second or maybe two seconds later, but it had been over a half hour. He was on the floor of a tiny apartment overlooking Coit Tower. The four Italians were putting on their clothes, buckling their pants, and trading verbal jabs about what had just gone down. And what had just gone down. He sat up, rubbed the back of his head and saw Windy, sitting on a bed with red satin sheets. She was naked except for he go-go boots. She was smoking a cigarette and laughing at the Italians. She finally looked down at him and shrugged her shoulders. She said, What do you want from me? She said, I barely even know you. She said, I can't help it. She said, I just love Italian men. He stood up. The Italians finished putting themselves together. They slicked their hair and tucked in their shirts. They told him not to move. They told him the night had only just begun.

• 
  David Ackley

  Sep 09, 03:47pm

  Impressive work from a writer new to me. I'll look for more. Thanks, Chris.

• 
  David Ackley

  Sep 09, 03:51pm

  Did I just get had(again)?

• 
  David Ackley

  Sep 09, 03:53pm

  Anyway, a good piece, whoever(tf) by.

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