Flying to America by Donald Barthelme Read Free Book Online Page A

“No,” Edward said. “I did not.” Edward went back to Frederiksberg Allé. Pia was sleeping. She was naked. Edward lifted the blankets and looked at Pia sleeping. Pia moved in the bed and grabbed at the blankets. Edward went into the other room and tried to find something to read. Edward had peculiar-looking hair. Parts of it were too short and parts of it were too long. Edward and Pia telephoned friends in another city. “Come stay with us,” Edward and Pia said. “Please!”
    Edward regarded Pia. Pia felt sick: “Why doesn’t he leave me alone sometimes?” Edward told Pia about Harry. Once he had gotten Harry out of jail. “Harry was drunk. A cop told him to sit down. Harry stood up. Blam! Five stitches.” “What are stitches?” Edward looked it up in the Dansk-Engelsk Ordbog. Edward had several manuscripts that were designed to have an effect on Pia. One of them was washing the dishes. At other times he was sour for severalhours. In Leningrad they visited Pia’s former lover, Paul. The streets in Leningrad are extremely wide. Paul called his friend Igor, who played the guitar. Paul called Igor on the telephone. Pia and Paul were happy to see each other again. Paul talked to Edward about South Vietnam. There was tea. Edward thought that he, Edward, was probably being foolish. But how could he tell? Edward wanted more dishes. Igor’s fingers moved quickly among the frets. Edward had drunk too much tea. Edward had drunk too much brandy. Edward was in bed with Pia. “You look beautiful,” Edward said to Pia. Pia thought: I feel sick.
    In Copenhagen Edward bought The Penguin English Dictionary. Sixteen crowns. Pia told a story about one of the princesses. “She is an archeologist, you know? Her picture comes in the newspaper standing over a great hole with her end sticking up in the air.” Pia’s little brother wore a black turtleneck sweater and sang “We Shall Overcome.” He played the guitar. Kurt played the guitar. Kirsten played the guitar. Anita and Ole played the guitar. Deborah played the flute. Edward read Time and Newsweek. On Tuesday Edward read Newsweek, and on Wednesday, Time. Pia bought a book about babies. Then she painted her nails silver. Pia’s nails were very long. Organ music played by Finn Viderø was heard on the radio. Edward suggested that Pia go back to the university. He suggested that Pia study French, Russian, English, guitar, flute, and cooking. Pia’s cooking was rotten. Suddenly she wished she was with some other man and not with Edward. Edward was listening to the peculiar noise inside his chest. Pia looked at Edward. She looked at his red beard, his immense spectacles. I don’t like him, she thought. That red beard, those immense spectacles. Saab jets roared overhead. Edward turned off the radio.
    Pia turned on the radio. Edward made himself a dry vermouth on the rocks with two onions. It was a way of not drinking. Edward felt sick. He had been reading Time and Newsweek. It was Thursday. Pia said to Edward that he was the only person she had ever loved for this long. “How long is it?” Edward asked. It was seven months. Edward cashed a check at American Express. The girl gave him green-and-blue Scandinavian money. Edward was pleased. Littlemoans of pleasure. He cashed another check at Cook’s. More money. Edward sold Pia’s farm for eighteen thousand crowns. Much more money. Pia was pleased. Edward sold Pia’s piano for three thousand crowns. General rejoicing. Klaus opened the door. Edward showed him the money. Pia made a chocolate cake with little red-and-white flags on the top. Pia lay in bed. She felt sick. They plugged in an electric heater. The lights went out. Herr Kepper knocked on the door. “Is here an electric heater?” Edward showed him the money. Pia hid the electric heater.
    Edward watched the brass slot on the door. Pia read to Edward from the newspaper. She read a story about four Swedes sent to prison for rapture. Edward asked Pia if she wanted