CONCERTO FOR VIOLENCE AND ORCHESTRA
William Bankier
People will steal anything. The police could open their files and show you cases of a ship being stolen, or lead from a church roof, or a herd of cattle. Countries even try to steal other countries—we read about it in the papers every day. These thoughts cross my mind as I remember what happened between me and Carlotta Teddington and Leonard Zolf. Perhaps I should begin in the traditional way.
Once upon a time there was a man who tried to steal a dance band.
The band in question is The Bones Cornfield Quintet and I am the leader. The nickname suits me. I weigh 190 pounds but it is spread thin over a six-foot-four-inch frame. A sadistic guitar player once told me that when I am asleep it is easy to imagine what I will look like when I’ve been dead a few years.
. . .