"Will you meet Chloe at Flowers—sorry,Metro CC?" Beau yells down. "Because I'm not gonna lieanymore."

"Oh, you'll lie," I scream up."That's all you ever do." Then, after glancing casually atthe Details girl: "Ask Chloe if she's bringing Beatriceand Julie."

Silence from upstairs makes me cringe, thenBeau asks, thoroughly annoyed, "Do you mean Beatrice Arthurand Julie Hagerty?"

"No," I shout, gritting my teeth."Julie Delpy and Beatrice Dalle. Spare me. Just doit, Beau."

"Beatrice Dalle's shooting that RidleyScott—"

"The speck thing has really gotten to me.You know why?" I ask the Details girl.

"Because there were ... a lot?"

"Nope. Because I'm a perfectionist, baby.And you can write that down. In fact I'll wait a minute while you doso." Suddenly I rush back to the panel beneath the bar, everyonerushing back with me up the stairs, and I'm wailing, "Specks!Holy Christ! Help me, somebody, please? I mean everyone'sacting like there's a question as to whether these specks are anillusion or a reality. I think they're pretty goddamn real."

"Reality is an illusion, baby,"JD says soothingly. "Reality is an illusion, Victor."

No one says anything until I'm handed an ashtray, in which I stub outthe cigarette I just lit.

"That's, uh, pretty heavy," I say, looking at the girlreporter. "That's pretty heavy, huh?"

She shrugs, rotates her shoulders, doodles again.

"My reaction exactly," I mutter.

"Oh, before I forget," JD says. "JannWenner can't make it, but he wants to send a"—JD glancesat his notepad—"check anyway."

"A check? A check for what?"

"Just a"—JD glances at his padagain—"a, um, check?"

"Oh god. Beau! Beau!" I callup.

"I think people are wondering why we don'thave a whatchamacallit,"

Peyton says. Then, after much fingersnapping, "Oh yeah, a cause!"