married man."
She nodded. I was married. So what? It didn't mean anything to her. I guess it wouldn't mean anything, after what she'd been through.
"Yeah," I went on. "Been married for years. And this job I got, it keeps me humping to make a living."
That didn't register, either. All she knew was that I had a hell of a lot more than she had.
It made me a little sore, the way she was acting, but yet I kind of liked it. She was so damned trusting, so sure that I'd work things out no matter how tough they were. I hadn't had many people believe in me like that. Many? Hell, any.
She smiled at me, shyly, the first time she'd really smiled since I'd met her. She took my hand and moved it over her breast.
"Do you… want to, Dolly? I wouldn't mind with you."
"Maybe next time," I said. "Right now, I think I'd better be shoving off."
The smile faded. She started to ask me if I minded about the others. I said why would I mind for God's sake, and I gave her a kiss that made her gasp.
Because I did want her, and I wasn't coming back. And when a girl offers you that-all that she has to offer-you ought to be damned careful how you turn it down.
I took the silver chest out of my case, and put it on the dresser. I gave her another kiss, told her not to worry about a thing, and left.
The old hag, her aunt, was in the hallway, grinning and rubbing her hands together. I wanted to bat her in her goddamned rotten puss, but of course I didn't.
"You got something there, lady," I told her. "Take good care of it, because I'm going to be back for more."
She cackled and smirked. "Bring me a nice coat, huh, mister? You got some nice winter coats?"
"I got more coats than you can stack in a barn," I said. "Nothing second hand, get me, and I'm not trading for anything second-hand. I come by here and find someone else in the sack, it's no deal."
"You leave it to me, mister," she said eagerly. "When'll you be back?"
"Tomorrow," I said. "Or maybe the next day. I'm liable to drop by any old time, so don't try any doubling-up on me if you want that coat."
She promised she wouldn't.
I opened the door, and ran back down the walk to my car.
It was still pouring down rain. It looked like it was going to rain forever. And I owed the company another thirty-three dollars. Thirty-two ninty-five to be exact.
"You're doing swell, Dolly," I told myself. "Yes, sir, Dillon, you're doing all right…You think this Staples character is stupid? You think that's how he got the job of checking on characters like you? You think he ain't the meanest, toughest son-of-a-bitch in the PayE-Zee chain?"
Goddamn, I thought. Double goddamn and a carton of hells.
Then, I shoved my car into gear and got going. It was only four-thirty. I had plenty of time to get out to the greenhouse and see Pete Hendrickson before he knocked off for the day.
And if Pete wasn't a real good boy
Suddenly, I grinned to myself. Grinned and scowled at the same time.. He'd gotten to that poor damned girl, Mona; I'd have bet money on it. The old woman would have tried to pay him off that way, and Pete wouldn't have turned it down. He'd let his bills go to hell-let me chase all over town hunting for him-and do that to her. And even if he hadn't he was still no good –
And I needed every nickle of what he owed us.
I parked in front of the greenhouse, in front of the office, that is. I reached into the pocket of the car, took out a sheaf of papers and thumbed through them rapidly.
I found his sales contract-a contract that was also an assignment of wages. You had to look for it a little because of the fine print, but it was there all right. All legal and air-tight.
I took it into the office, and presented it to Pete's boss. He paid off like a slot machine. Thirty-eight bucks and not a word of argument. He counted it out to me, and then I recounted it, and while I was still standing there he told a clerk to go and get Pete.
I finished the count fast, and beat it.
Wage assignments and
She nodded. I was married. So what? It didn't mean anything to her. I guess it wouldn't mean anything, after what she'd been through.
"Yeah," I went on. "Been married for years. And this job I got, it keeps me humping to make a living."
That didn't register, either. All she knew was that I had a hell of a lot more than she had.
It made me a little sore, the way she was acting, but yet I kind of liked it. She was so damned trusting, so sure that I'd work things out no matter how tough they were. I hadn't had many people believe in me like that. Many? Hell, any.
She smiled at me, shyly, the first time she'd really smiled since I'd met her. She took my hand and moved it over her breast.
"Do you… want to, Dolly? I wouldn't mind with you."
"Maybe next time," I said. "Right now, I think I'd better be shoving off."
The smile faded. She started to ask me if I minded about the others. I said why would I mind for God's sake, and I gave her a kiss that made her gasp.
Because I did want her, and I wasn't coming back. And when a girl offers you that-all that she has to offer-you ought to be damned careful how you turn it down.
I took the silver chest out of my case, and put it on the dresser. I gave her another kiss, told her not to worry about a thing, and left.
The old hag, her aunt, was in the hallway, grinning and rubbing her hands together. I wanted to bat her in her goddamned rotten puss, but of course I didn't.
"You got something there, lady," I told her. "Take good care of it, because I'm going to be back for more."
She cackled and smirked. "Bring me a nice coat, huh, mister? You got some nice winter coats?"
"I got more coats than you can stack in a barn," I said. "Nothing second hand, get me, and I'm not trading for anything second-hand. I come by here and find someone else in the sack, it's no deal."
"You leave it to me, mister," she said eagerly. "When'll you be back?"
"Tomorrow," I said. "Or maybe the next day. I'm liable to drop by any old time, so don't try any doubling-up on me if you want that coat."
She promised she wouldn't.
I opened the door, and ran back down the walk to my car.
It was still pouring down rain. It looked like it was going to rain forever. And I owed the company another thirty-three dollars. Thirty-two ninty-five to be exact.
"You're doing swell, Dolly," I told myself. "Yes, sir, Dillon, you're doing all right…You think this Staples character is stupid? You think that's how he got the job of checking on characters like you? You think he ain't the meanest, toughest son-of-a-bitch in the PayE-Zee chain?"
Goddamn, I thought. Double goddamn and a carton of hells.
Then, I shoved my car into gear and got going. It was only four-thirty. I had plenty of time to get out to the greenhouse and see Pete Hendrickson before he knocked off for the day.
And if Pete wasn't a real good boy
Suddenly, I grinned to myself. Grinned and scowled at the same time.. He'd gotten to that poor damned girl, Mona; I'd have bet money on it. The old woman would have tried to pay him off that way, and Pete wouldn't have turned it down. He'd let his bills go to hell-let me chase all over town hunting for him-and do that to her. And even if he hadn't he was still no good –
And I needed every nickle of what he owed us.
I parked in front of the greenhouse, in front of the office, that is. I reached into the pocket of the car, took out a sheaf of papers and thumbed through them rapidly.
I found his sales contract-a contract that was also an assignment of wages. You had to look for it a little because of the fine print, but it was there all right. All legal and air-tight.
I took it into the office, and presented it to Pete's boss. He paid off like a slot machine. Thirty-eight bucks and not a word of argument. He counted it out to me, and then I recounted it, and while I was still standing there he told a clerk to go and get Pete.
I finished the count fast, and beat it.
Wage assignments and
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