xTooltipElement
    1. Obama's Enemies List
      Peter Wehner
    2. Islamist Extremism and the Murder of Daniel Pearl
      Joseph I. Lieberman
    3. Why Obama Is Wrong on Missile Defense
      Steven Price
    4. How Politics Destroyed a Great TV Show
      Jonah Goldberg
      October 2009
    5. Why Are Jews Liberals?—A Symposium
      David Wolpe, Jonathan D. Sarna, Michael Medved, William Kristol and Jeff Jacoby
      September 2009

Advertisement



April 2004

E-mail Article Reserve Article Download PDF Version
Yes, I would like to receive periodic updates and information via e-mail from Commentary.

Thank You

A link to

"The Company You Keep"

has been emailed to your friends.

Most E-mailed articles:

Abstract –

Liebowitz comes into my officeagain. He knocks, though why bother since he enters at the same exact instant, waves at me in disgust and sits his fat behind on the ribs of the old-fashioned radiator. It’s been painted and painted until it’s become a layered sculpture; the iron ribs must be uncomfortable as hell. “Myron, please sit like a regular person.” I get up and pull the chair from the side of my desk. Then I realize—his hips wouldn’t come close to fitting between the armrests. I feel bad I might have shamed him, but he hasn’t noticed.

“I thought you were coming to our morning minyan.” He raises ragged eyebrows.

“I got to bed late last night,” I say.


About the Author

John J. Clayton, the author of two novels and two collections of short stories, taught modern literature until recently at the University of Massachusetts. His previous stories in COMMENTARY are “The Contract” (February 2003), “Adult Fiction” (May 2003), and “Fables of the Erotic Other” (October 2003).