[y66]

Treason

by James Tate

The man that was following me looked like a government
agent, so I turned around and walked up to him and said, "Why
are you following me?" He said, "I'm not following you. I'm
an insurance agent walking to work." "Well, pardon me, my
mistake," I said. "Have you done something wrong, unpatriotic,
or are you just paranoid?" he said. "I've done nothing wrong,
certainly not unpatriotic, and I'm not paranoid," I said.
"Well, nobody's ever mistaken me for a government agent before,"
he said. "I'm sorry," I said. "You have something weighing
down on your conscience, don't you?" he said. "No, I don't.
I'm just vigilant," I said. "Like a good criminal," he said.
"Would you stop talking to me like that," I said. "I don't want
to have anything to do with you." "You've committed some kind of
treason and they're going to get you," he said. "You're out
of your mind," I said. "Benedict Arnold, that's who you are,"
he said. "I'm going to a peace rally if that's okay with you,"
I said. "Oh, a peacenik. That's the same as treason," he said.
"No, it isn't," I said. "Yes it is," he said. "No." "Yes."
"No." "Yes." We reached his office door. "I really hate to
say good-bye to you. Would you like to have lunch tomorrow?"
he said. "I'd be delighted," I said. "Good. Then Sadie's
Café at noon," he said. "Noon at Sadie's," I said.

"Treason" by James Tate from The Ghost Soldiers. © HarperCollins, 2008. Reprinted with permission at http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/