The Gentlemen's Hour

111

“What’s up?” Boone asks.

“I heard.”

From the steely look on Dave’s face, Boone knows what he’s talking about. “You have a problem with it?”

“You don’t?”

“Of course I do,” Boone says. He hesitates, then adds, “Look, weird as this sounds, I think it’s what Kelly would have wanted.”

“What are you

smoking

?”

“Anyway, I’m not convinced that Corey did it.”

“Johnny’s pretty convinced,” Dave says. “He took the confession. You’re going to jam him up, B?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Then don’t.” Because you don’t fuck a friend. They both know this. You just don’t do it. “How many times has JB stood up for you?”

“A lot.”

“So? That doesn’t mean anything?”

“He’s wrong on this one,” Boone says.

“And you’re right,” Dave says.

“I think I am.”

Dave shakes his head. “Dude, I don’t even know if I know you anymore. Maybe you should just climb into a suit and tie and become one of them.”

“One of them?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do,” Boone says, starting to get mad. “And yeah, maybe I should. Maybe I don’t want to be a surf bum all my life.”

Dave nods. Looks way out toward the water and then back again at Boone. “You go ahead, bro. Us bums will try to get by without you.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“Sure you did,” Dave says. “At least stand by your words, leave me with some respect for you. It’s been a ride, B. Late.”

He walks away.

Late, Boone thinks.