It’s never easy. Always a risk. At any moment, you could be caught. Maybe you want to be caught. Someone catch you in the act. No more worries, Paul said. It would be over. Done. And just like that, you could sleep at night.

Sleep? Bill asked. To do that, you need a clear mind.

Confess these sins, Bill. Both men laughed. Have communion and confess, he told him. They both downed a shot of whiskey. Ate shelled peanuts on the bar.

I have nothing to confess. Life has been rather dull, he said. I sleep, eat, and read.

Never stole?

No.

Have strange addictions?

Nope.

Raped? Pillaged? the two men laughed again. Bill shook his head.  Murder? Paul asked.

What?

Did you ever kill anybody?

I don’t recall.

Oh, you’d remember. You’d recall.

Might have blocked it out. 

No. That sort of thing sticks with you.

I suppose it would.

Where all have you been? Paul asked.

All over. 

I’ll bet.

Chicago, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal, Montpelier, Vermont, New York, lots of places.

Your back was never against the wall?

Keep to myself.

That’s hard to do, Paul said. He motioned for two more; Johnny Red.

Yeah.

I mean, everyone is in your business. There’s no privacy. You shower together, you shit together.  No time alone.

Right.

So. Did you ever kill anyone?

Some things are best left unsaid.