new york, new york

chapter 44

-Some man called to you, Peter announced as I finally got back home after 3 more classes and 6 cups of coffee, with milk.
-Really? Who was it?
-He didn�t tell. Or he did. Something about sheriff. I hope you�re not in trouble?
-Kind of. But not because of that. I�m so tired! My feet are determined to kill me until the end of this week.
-You need some sleep.
-Gee, thanks. I have two hours before I have to head to the club. I have to eat, go to shower, obviously call to some freak, figure out what to wear... That�s pretty much it. So if you�ll excuse me I�m going to use the bedroom for tonight.

I went there and closed the door. Then I took the phone.
-Hey, you called.
-I did. I think we need to talk.
-What about?
I was so tired...
-About everything.
-OK. How�s next week?
-Anna! We�re leaving at the dawn.
-Tomorrow?
-Yes tomorrow morning.
-Oh. Well, that makes it harder...
-Are you saying that you don�t have a time for me?
-No AJ, that�s not what I�m saying. Couldn�t we just talk it over here and now?
-No. I want to see you. Could you come over later tonight?
-Well, it�s going to be really late. I�m going to this club... I have to stay there at least �til the midnight. But if it�s OK with you...?
-It is. You know the place, don�t you? Call me if you get lost. Just be here before 5 am. That�s when I have to leave.
-Sure. I�ll see you then.
-Before that!
-Yeah right, what ever.
I put the phone down and my head to the pillow. After two minutes I was asleep.

-There�s someone who wants to meet you, Avi said once I saw him at the club and dragged me to one lady.
-Anna, this is Jacob Olsson from the Times. Jacob, here she is, Anna Green.
We shook hands.
-So? I was standing there as Jacob took a long look at me. Avi had disappeared leaving me with this strange man.
-You�re not like I imagined.
-And what is that if I may ask?
-Something little more...
-Don�t start with me now.
I was wearing short black skirt, designed for dancing, a dark red tank top and my dancing shoes.
-It�s a dance club, isn�t it?
-Yes it is.
To my amazement Jacob laughed a low, friendly laugh.
-You can be nasty, I see. And you can tap. And write. Is there anything else you can do?
-It depends on what you want of me.
-I want to write about you.
-What? About me? To the Times? Why?
Jacob laughed again.
-Don�t panic. It would be just a short profile. I�m doing some of other people working with this festival. And after your speech last night I think readers would be interested in you. After all, you�re little over 20 years old woman from other side of the sea and you came here and won it all.
-No I didn�t.
-Well, at least a lot. So what do you say?
-OK. What do you want to know about me?
-Sit down first. Would you like to have something to drink?
-Coffee. Or is that too weird?
-Not at all.
Jacob ordered a coffee for me and beer for him.
-So you�re absolutist?
-No. Just that I�ve been busy lately and coffee keeps me awake.
-Aha. So you�ve been busy with this festival?
-Yes. It takes a lot of effort. I have to take classes and try to attend everywhere at the same time.
-Well, that can be hard. Tell me, what did you do before this? Avi told that you came to New York last year and then traveled around the country.
-I was with a small dance group. If I can ad, it�s Killing Feet and they�re still touring.
-But you left from there and went back to Finland, am I right?
-You are. I had to, because of my visa.
-Yes, that�s true. Were there any other reasons?
-No.
I looked at him.
-Why do you ask?
-I�m just trying to figure out who you are, Jacob said and wrote something down.
-Well, there was.
-What�s that?
-My parents. And friends.
-But they didn�t keep you there for that long?
-I was in Finland couple of months.
-After being in US for over six months?
-Yes.
-What do you think about our country?
-You don�t really want to know.
-I do. What about celebrities. Have you met any?
-Him.
I saw Gregory in one table.
-If that counts.
-OK. Not anyone else?
-I don�t honestly know. I don�t know half of your celebrities.
-We have a lot of those.
-You do. I�m sorry, can we continue this little later? I need to go to the ladies room.
-No problem. I�ll be here all night.
-Great.

How would you feel if hours earlier you had been on the phone with one of the most famous people in the world and then someone asks you questions like that? I didn�t feel comfortable at all.

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I'm way too curious. Tell me what you think.

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