Salvare

“How drunk do you need to be right now?”
“What do you mean?”
“It means whatever you want it to mean, Mikey.” Nunzio dropped onto the couch, extending his legs in front of him and folding his arms behind his head. “How drunk do you need to be for your best friend to rail you?” ~ Nunzio

Excerpt From: Hassell, Santino. “Sutphin Boulevard”
― Santino Hassell, Sutphin Boulevard

“Wow, son. You’re mad retarded.”
David whipped his head around and pinned my brother with a lethal glare. “Don’t say that word.”
“Sorry.” Raymond kept staring at me. “You’re mad special ed.”
David scoffed, and I burst out laughing.”
― Santino Hassell, Sutphin Boulevard

“I can’t watch you do this to yourself, Michael. I can’t watch you do it to Ray.” I shrugged, my movements wooden. “So don’t.” Nunzio drew back as though I had hit him, and I realized the implication of my words. I opened my mouth to reword the statement, to fix things, but I was struck silent by the flush that stole over his face, and the sudden dampness of his eyes. “I wish I didn’t love your stupid ass so much.”
― Santino Hassell, Sutphin Boulevard

“I tried to make rice the other day, and it was a disaster.” David tilted his head. “Just follow the directions on the box.” The look of disgust that Raymond aimed at David dragged an unexpected laugh out of me. David looked between us in confusion, and Raymond shook his head. “White people.”
― Santino Hassell, Sutphin Boulevard