John Edgar Wideman. Hiding Place Once upon a time. Once upon a time, he thought, if them stories I been hearing all my life are true, once upon a time they said God's green earth was peaceful and quiet. Seems like people bigger then. They had time to listen, time to talk and room to move round in. Aunt Aida talking bout people like they giants. That world was bigger, slower and he'd get jumpy, get lost in it. Like now in this stillness and quiet each sound seems too loud, seems strange because the roar of the city isn't here to drown the noises of his body, the noises of insects and trees and somebody else's breathing. But once upon a time him and Sarah alone in the middle of the night. Just the two of them and the world sleeping and you get mixed up. Can't tell whose stomach growls, who moans, whose warm juice running down your thigh. Because it's late and the city's asleep outside the window, outside the walls. You're in a story. There's room en