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Show in my father's house/ 346 I had grown out of the clothing that one of my father's rich patients had contributed during the summer, and there was no money to buy anymore. My father still insisted that Saul and Danny pay for our necessities, and my brothers maintained that they had nothing leftover from college expenses. And now it was Christmas and I had no money. In one pocket I stuffed a bottle of men's cologne. In the other I put a tie tack. I didn't think to look around, to see if I was being watched. I felt that the owners of the store had so much they could not possibly miss one thing here or there. After a few moments, Saul finished his purchases in the sporting goods department, and we left the store. But as we reached the door, two men in trench coats stopped us. The expression of disbelief on Saul's face cut through me like a knife. Blood boiled into my face. I thought I would burn up with shame. We stumbled to the back room where the men emptied my purse and pockets. I longed to die, to have my heart stop or my brain lose its light. I wanted the earth to quake and swallow me whole. I could not look at Saul. After a few agonizing moments, during which I imagized the many sweet ways of death, a female clerk came and watched me remove my clothes to be sure I hadn't put anything in my private places. "I told them I didn't have anything else. Just the things in my coat," I croaked. The clerk nodded dispassionately. "How'd you expect them to believe you?" She left the room and the heat slowly left my face. In the room next to me, I could hear the two policemen talking to Sm&r-T-hon -I- hoard him telephoning my mother- |