You’re a linguist, the black goateed papa of this family of musicians asked me. They are renting the room next door and are perpetually partying on the patio.
Why do you say that, I ask, thinking about my Gemininess.
He takes his time before he speaks. Because most people with ambition are multilingual. So what languages do you speak?
I look him in the eye. The language of the soul, I said.
He sits back. That’s a good one, he said. That’s a useful one.