The Cowards Read Free Page A

Bedbugs leave some people alone, but I was all chewed up by morning.’
    ‘Well, they had plenty to work on with you,’ said Lexa.
    Benno didn’t say anything.
    ‘You put on a little weight while you were away, Benny,’ said Haryk.
    ‘Maybe he had pull with the camp boss,’ said Lexa.
    ‘Yeah,’ said Benno. ‘I had to shine his boots every morning and pull ’em off for him every night.’
    ‘No kidding.’
    ‘Sure. Man, it was like something out of
Good Soldier Schweik
.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Well, I’d always stick out my ass …’
    ‘Benny!’ said Helena.
    ‘What’s wrong?’
    ‘You know I don’t like you to talk dirty.’
    ‘But, honey …’
    ‘No, I won’t stand for it. One more dirty word out of you and I’m going home.’
    ‘But ass isn’t such a dirty word.’
    ‘I’m going,’ said Helena, and got up. Benno jumped up and rushed after her. He waddled, he was so fat and lazy, and his white shirt stuck to his back.
    ‘But, baby,’ he said.
    ‘No, I told you not to use dirty words and you said it again.’
    ‘Aw, come on, baby!’
    ‘No. Good-bye.’
    We all watched the scene with interest and I stopped daydreaming. Benno was completely under Helena’s thumb. Henpecked. A classic example. I couldn’t understand it. She could make him do absolutely anything. He trotted behind her and the folds of his sticky shirt quivered.
    ‘Aw, baby!’ he implored in a frightened whine. He ran up and grabbed her hand.
    ‘Leave me alone,’ she said.
    ‘But, honey, where you going?’
    ‘Home.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘Because you said a dirty word.’
    ‘But I didn’t say anything!’
    ‘Yes, you did. Don’t deny it.’
    ‘But it wasn’t
that
bad.’
    ‘No. I said you weren’t supposed to use words like that. You know I don’t like it.’
    ‘Aw, come on, baby!’
    ‘Leave me alone! Let go of me!’
    ‘Don’t be mad at me.’
    ‘Let
go
!’
    ‘Helena, please, don’t be mad at me!’
    ‘I said let go of me!’
    ‘Come on, baby! Please! Stay here.’
    Helena stopped pulling away. You could see how she led him around by the nose. He had a soft heart, like they say all fat people have. I don’t know whether it’s true in all cases butBenno anyway sure had one helluva soft heart. Helena looked sulky.
    ‘Apologize!’ she said.
    ‘Helena, please excuse me,’ he muttered in a fast whisper. We were all listening, fascinated.
    ‘Promise you won’t ever say any more dirty words.’
    ‘I’ll never say any more dirty words again.’
    ‘Not one!’
    ‘Not one dirty word.’
    ‘No, the whole thing!’
    ‘Huh?’
    ‘Say the whole thing.’
    ‘Again?’
    ‘Uh huh.’
    ‘But, baby …’
    ‘Benny!’
    ‘But, baby …’
    ‘Well, are you going to say it or aren’t you?’
    ‘But, baby, I just said it!’
    ‘Are you going to say it or aren’t you?’
    I couldn’t understand how he could be so dumb. Not dumb in general, just dumb with her.
    ‘I’ll never say a single dirty word again.’
    ‘And apologize.’
    ‘Helena, please excuse me and I’ll never say a single dirty word again,’ he said quickly and softly to get it over with. He was annihilated.
    ‘All right, now go and play,’ said Helena and sat down. He turned and obediently trudged back to his place. We acted as though nothing had happened. I picked up my sax from the stand and slung the cord around my neck.
    ‘Let’s go. What’ll it be now?’ I said.
    ‘Wait a minute,’ said Fonda. ‘What’s the story about taking off those boots?’
    ‘Yeah. What happened, Benno?’ said Lexa.
    Benno picked up his trumpet. ‘Well, I always had to stick out my rear and grab his leg between my knees and he pushed against my rear with his other foot until I pulled off his boot.’
    ‘I see,’ said Lexa. ‘Yeah, I know what you mean.’
    ‘Let’s play, gang. Let’s get going,’ I said again.
    ‘Okay,’ said Fonda. ‘Get out the “Bob Cats”.’
    There was a shuffling of paper as the boys hunted for