第4部分(第4/7 頁)

aves。？　He

closed　his　eyes。　？The　simple　things。　The　good　stuff。？　He　opened　his　eyes　and　raised　his　glass。　Nate

took　another　burning　gulp。

The　simple　things　sounded　good　to　Nate。　In　fact；　they　soundedright　。　He　was　so　tired　of

everything　being　so　。　。　。　challenging。Why　couldn？t　things　just　be　easy　for　a　change？

Being　the　prince　of　the　Upper　East　Side　isso　exhausting。　Chips　opened　the　large　white　menu　and

perused　it　thoughtfully；　humming　softly　to　himself。

Nate　looked　at　him　over　the　top　of　his　menu　and　suddenly　wished　there　were　a　menu　for　real

life？one　that　listed　all　of　his　options；　and　how　much　they　cost。　？I　don？t　know　what　I　want；？　he

admitted；　his　voice　echoing　in　the　cavernous　room。　The　minute　he　said　it　aloud；　he　knew　it　was

true。　He　looked　around　again　at　all　the　old　sailors；　each　and　every　one　a　man　who？d　chosen　a　path

in　life　and　stuck　with　it。　One　had　even　lost　an　eye　over　what　he？d　chosen。　Or　maybe　they　were　just

a　bunch　of　old　seaworthy　fuckups。

？I？ll　tell　you　one　thing。？　Chips　closed　his　menu　and　leaned　across　the　table。　？You？ve　got　to　think

with　your　balls；　not　your　dick。？　His　breath　smelled　like　applesauce　laced　with　grain

alcohol。　？Because　the　men　who　think　with　their　dicks　are　cowards；？　he　finished；　leaning　back　and

nodding　sagely。

Nate　felt　himself　nodding　back；　even　though　he　had　no　idea　what　Chips　was　talking　about。　Had

he　been　thinking　with　his　balls　or　his　dick？　Was　he　a　coward？　Itwas　kind　of　cowardly　not　to　have

told　Blair　that　he　hadn？t　really　graduated；　that　he　wasn？t　going　to　Yale　with　her。　。　。　。

Chips　summoned　the　waiter　again。　？Two　hard…boiled　eggs　and　a　shaker　of　salt；？　he

manded。　？For　both　of　us。？