The Book of Sarah

There are others. We do not come from the same line, mortal or immortal, but we share the city and so make common cause. My oldest companion in this place is The Transvestite. She is not really a transvestite, but a tall, statuesque black woman who burlesques such an individual to fool the populace. It is all a question of misdirection, an old magicians'  trick. They see her surface incongruity and fail to recognize her  own true, special self.  She goes by the name of Bylah and if my recollections are correct, she has been 'working the night shift' as they say for about twohundred and fifty years. At first she used to haunt the inns and taverns. Now she picks up a meal or two in the clubs and bars. She was traveling with some French-West Indian voodoo woman, who turned out to be more than just a follower of the old gods. That's how she caught the midnight fever,but she's a good soul and like me, takes only those deserving of death .Then there is Bob. He appears to have about fortytwo mortal years and we can't remember when we first encountered him. I think he just combusted on the street one night, like that old time Philadelphia preacher, Father Divine. Even Bob can't remember his real name or how long he has been called to this mode of existance But he is a 'nice guy' and his name appears on various mailing lists for Atlantic City casinos (yes, we go down to the seashore from time to time), so we get tickets to all the shows. I liked Charo the best. I presume it was because of all the Spanish music. You can keep all the illusionists though. When one can work a bit of true magic, one loses patience for the ersatz sort. But there is something about the little mute one from Penn and Teller. His soul is deep. He knows things. I believe he would make a very good vampire. If he suddenly disappears from the act, or developes an aversion to daylight, don't say I did not warn you. For now, I have been working my 'wilkravitz' familiar person very hard. I feel guilty, so let me permit him to stop this typing. I think I will go to The Footlocker and purchase him a new pair of sneakers. Who knows, perhaps I will purchase a pair or two for myself as well?