from The Autograph Man by Zadie Smith:
Alex didn't have ten pounds so he handed over some plastic, which made the woman suck her teeth, lift her leg off The Last Day of Socrates and go hobbling to the back of her box to get the mechanical swiper thing. She swiped, she passed it through, he signed, he passed it through, she held it up next to his card, he smiled. She looked at him with suspicion.
"Is dis yours?"
"What? Is there something wrong with it?"
She looked at the card again, at the signature, at the card, and then passed it back to him.
"I don't know. Mebbe wid you. You look like you sick or someting. Like you goin' to fall over."
"Sorry, Gladys, are you a doctor? Or a prophet? I mean, as well? Or can I go now?"
She scowled. Called for the next person in line. Alex grabbed his flask from the counter. Stalked towards the exit.
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