Page 11 of True

"You're notcoasting, Alec. These things happen. It's life."

"I'm not just talking Mac, here. I'm talking career stagnation."

"Oh."

Again the comfort of a lull embraced them. They crossed the street and continued down the

neighborhood of brownstones housing different countries. Finally, Alec spoke again.

"Has it ever happened to you?"

"What, the cheating? You know my line of work isn't really conducive to a steady relationship."

"No… I'm talking about work. Don't you ever wonder what else there is? I mean, you can't be a government hooker forever."

Demarco smiled at the term. It was a Gaga song, but it fit perfectly as their catch-phrase for his profession.

"I try not to think about it," he said, and then added— "especially after a cancellation."

"Maybe it's just not a hot night in the bedrooms of the rich and famous."

"Girl, please. We've passed two in the last block." He pointed. "There's one leaving across the street, and there's one getting out of a car up ahead."

"So, you have some kind of radar… for picking up prostitutes-in-proximity?"

"Iknowthem. Like me, most work for Chandelier. I don't know that guy across the street, but that's Tiffany getting out of the car up there. She's got a kid. Second grade I think."

"Do you worry that there's an age-cap? Like sports?"

Demarco sighed. "It goes through my head at least once a day. But then I think about the fetishes, with age, size, weight,skin…" He stuck his hand out lavishly and stroked it with his other.

"Yeah, but don't people pay for…" Alec struggled for a word. "Virility?"

"You'd be surprised. There's a whole contingent out there specifically into…the geriatric."

"I can tell by the way you speak that it's not something you'd be content with."

"No… but Reed says there's room for me higher up when retirement age approaches."

"Do you believe him?"

"No."

"So, what're you going to do?"

"Hold up, hold up, hold up. I thought we were here foryou."

Alec relented. "Sorry. But I do worry about you."

"One crisis at a time. So… you're kicking him out?"

"I'll give him a day or two, but yeah. I want him gone."

"And then you're headed for the mountains of Busch."

"Now you're really showing your age."

"And you're going to come back with a big ole mountain man… one of those inbred types from