“So you feel less guilty what you’re doing to us?” She slumped sullenly on the edge of her bed. He kept pestering her.

“What are we doing? Giving you a chance to get out of the hospital. Make a better life. End these episodes of destructive violence. That as a long‑term goal. As a short‑term goal, we’re going to move all our patients out of this state hospital into a ward in NYNPI–a nice research ward. You don’t know what it’s like to be in a well‑equipped mental hospital. No dormitories. You can room with your friend Sybil. Good food. Your family will visit you when you’re right in Manhattan.”

“And a chance to get my brains scrambled like Alice.”

“In two months Alice will be home, Connie. If you leave us, you think you’ll be home in two months?”

“Yeah, I wasn’t doing so bad.”

“You won’t go back to G‑2. If you transfer out of here, you’ll go back where we found you–on the violent ward, L‑6. With comments on your record about how uncooperative you proved to be.”

She turned to the wall and would not speak to him and after a few minutes he strolled off. He would be back.

That Sunday, finally Dolly came. Dolly pranced into the ward to embrace her, then held her at arm’s length. “You lost so much weight, Connie! How wonderful! It’s like one of those reducing farms rich bitches go to.”

“Not much like them.” Connie smiled. “Is Nita here?”

“They wouldn’t let us bring her in. She’s outside with Vic. Come on to the window and we can wave.”

Down below she saw a tall well‑built man in ice cream white holding Nita by the hand. They were watching a woman searching for something in the grass and Vic was laughing and nudging Nita. “Nita! Nita!” Connie hollered out the window, but Nita did not hear her. Instead the weekend attendant gave her a sign to shut up. Reluctantly she obeyed, craning down at Nita.

“Dolly, you look beautiful,” she said when she turned from the window. “You lost some weight too?”

Dolly had dyed her hair a fiery orange‑red. She was dressed in a sleek green and yellow pants suit without sleeves, and she had kept on her sunglasses. “Oh, carita, it pays more if you look Anglo, you know? And they like you better skinny, the ones with money. Geraldo, that prick, left me with debts and no money. I have to break my behind hustling till I get clear of my debts.”

“Dolly, take off the shades. I can’t see your expression. It’s like talking through a wall.”

Pouting, Dolly took off her glasses, wincing at the light. A little prickle ran up Connie’s neck. “Nevertheless, darling, everything is going fine for me and mine, let me tell you. I’ve done okay without that big honcho. I work hard but the marks come running and I make better money than ever before, much better than with Geraldo. Listen, Connie–last week I made four hundred! In one week! How’s that?” Dolly’s words spilled out.

“Dolly, did you maybe bring me a little something?”

“How could I forget? I mean forget to tell you. I didn’t forget to bring for you. Now listen–I gave the old bitch at the desk thirty dollars for you in your account. Now, if you hold out your hand casual like, I’m going to slip you another five for extras. This place don’t look like no luxury hotel, but you can buy yourself a little something to take the edge off.”

She held out her hand and Dolly slipped a bill in it, folded up. “And my clothes? Did you maybe bring me some clothes?”

“Daddy, he said you were in the hospital and didn’t need street clothes. So I brought you two nightgowns, an old one you had and one of my own special ones, with real handmade black lace so you won’t be ashamed in the hospital. I wore it when I was having my operation, and it brings me down to look at it!” Dolly chattered as if nothing would ever bring her down. “Also I decided to bring you some dresses anyhow. What do men know what women need? I see you got a dress on, if you can call it that. So I brought you the turquoise and your green print and the red. You could use some new dresses, Connie. You lost so much weight, I don’t know if these will fit.”

“The turquoise, it’s from a long time ago. When I was with … Claud. It’ll fit.”

“If you give me your new size, I can get you a nice dress, the length they’re wearing now … . Listen to me–I gave the old bitch at the desk thirty dollars for you, and if you hold out your hand, I’m going to slip you another five for extras.”

“Dolly, you did that!”

Dolly was folding the bill up. “Come on, don’t you get it? Stick out your hand natural like.”

Dizzy, she stuck out her hand, and Dolly again gave her a five. Oh, well, she could use it. She stared into Dolly’s intense eyes, the pupils too big, too shiny. “What are you on?”

“Me? Like always–a little of this, a little of that.”

“You’re on more than a little of something.”

“I got to stay skinny, carita. The money is with the Anglos and they like you skinny and American‑looking. It pays more if you look Anglo, you know. Sometimes I say I’m of Spanish mother and an Irish father, and that’s why I have the beautiful red hair. Even the hair on my thing, I dyed it red–Connie, you wouldn’t believe it.” She giggled.

“Is it speed?”

“A little, once in a while, to keep my weight down. Who can stand those assholes? They drive me crazy. They’re all pigs. But I’m much better off without that prick Geraldo, you know? This one, Vic, he was a real ballplayer–no joke.” She giggled again. “He played a season with die Cleveland Indians, except he was born in the Bronx like me. He’s okay, Connie, it’s purely business. He’s a good businessman. I’m not crazy about him, but so much the better, you know? I was crazy for Geraldo, and what did I get besides a lot of trouble?”

“Is it Vic’s idea you take that poison? It’ll burn you out.”

“Listen, Connie, I’m in terrific shape! Look at me. I weigh one hundred seventeen–you believe it? And last week, you know what I earned on my behind?”

“Four hundred dollars,” she said wryly.

“How did you guess? Not bad, hey? Nice clothes, pretty things for my baby. Mamб keeps Nita Tuesday through Saturday and then Sunday I get her and I have her till Tuesday morning.”

“Carmel’s got her all week?”

“What other mother do I have? Sure, Carmel’s got her. It works out better.”

“Dolly, this is not good. You don’t have your baby inside, your daughter you only see weekends like an aunt, and you’re taking poison that burns out your soul.”

“Don’t be silly, Tнa. You forget what the world’s like, shut up here. I’m on top now. I know what I’m doing. And last week I made four hundred dollars!”

“Dolly, please. Get me out of here! I beg you. Get me released. Talk to them!”

“Hermana, how can I do that? Luis signed the papers. I didn’t have a thing to do with it. You have to talk to Daddy about getting out.”

“Please, Dolly, do something. I beg you. Look around this ward. They’re operating on us. They’re sticking needles in our heads!”

“Yeah?” Dolly looked around vaguely. “Daddy says they’re famous doctors from a university. That they’re for real helping you so you won’t have to go in again. He says you’re going to be in a hospital in Washington Heights. I could get to see you all the time. It’s real hard to get up here, you know?”

“Dolly, you think I need an operation? Look at me.”

“Connie, am I a doctor? What do I know? At least it’s clean in here, not so depressing like last time.”

“I don’t want their help, Dolly. I want to go home! Listen–I’ll work. Tell Luis I’ll do anything! I’ll work in his sweatshop nursery. I can get temporary office jobs. Tell Luis that!”

“You shouldn’t go on feeling sorry for yourself, Connie–that’s your problem. We can rise above what we are if we have the will. Look at me! After Geraldo, that prick, left me flat, with no money and lots of debts, I didn’t cry long. I cried, sure, but then I went out and got myself a white pimp. I lost twenty‑two pounds, you know? I took myself in hand and I haven’t gained a pound in weeks! I dyed my hair on my head and”–lowering her voice coquettishly–“even the hair on my thing. I say I’m of a Spanish mother and an Irish father. Sometimes I say my mother was a contessa.”