my books are derived from city images and the city of my dreams or nightmares is Mexico City. The Art of Fiction No. 68. The Paris Review No. 82 Winter 1981.

when were done Ill be where the night never stopscradling a bruise thats shaped like youwondering why sleep never came to mewondering how I still dreamed

Really nobody was there I asked.Well nobody important he said putting his glasses back on and blinking.

I remember when I was twenty-five he said. No client comes to you when youre twenty-five. Its like when you are looking for a doctor. You dont want the new one that just graduated. You dont want the very old one the one shaking the one twenty years past his prime. You want the seasoned one who has done it so many times he can do it in his sleep though. Same thing with attorneys.

One of the professors told me last week that he feels bad teaching with the way the economy is now. Whats the point he said. Kids arent getting jobs. You never hear faculty talk that way. He did.

I dont think Ive ever referred to any girl I dated as my girlfriend. I think that would freak me out. Even the girl that I dated for two years in college I dont think I ever referred to her as my girlfriend.How would you introduce her I asked.Im just going to say her name he said.

There have been times I have thought some dreams should never be dreamt but I would hate a world where that was true.

Look girls know when theyre cute he said. You dont have to tell them. All they need to do is look in the mirror. I have one friend out in New York an attorney. She moved out there after the school year to take the bar. She doesnt have a job. I was like How are you going to get a job there in this market And shes like Ill wink and Ill smile. Shes a pretty girl. Whether that works despite her poor grades is yet to be seen.