[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
something, why didn t he just write it down and explain it? Or get in touch
with me and tell me? Why the code business? What s it all mean?
I m afraid Hanson s right, I said. This is starting to sound like Agatha
Christie shit, and I don t know from puzzles. They make my head hurt.
Reckon we need Miss Marple?
Could be she s coming over right now, I said.
The big black guy who d been watching strolled over to our table. Well, not
exactly strolled. He listed a little. He d had just the right amount of beer.
I sized him up, looking for striking zones just in case it wasn t his
intention to discuss politics or summer fashion.
He stopped at our table, said to Leonard, What the fuck you doin in here
with this honkie, brother? You trying to get a job promotion? This ain t no
honkie place.
Leonard leaned over the table, said, He s talking about you.
Page 84
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Yeah? I said.
Yeah, Leonard said. You see,honkie is a very derogatory black term for
whites, Leonard said to me. You see, stuff likepeckerwood, ofay, andhonkie,
it s very insulting. It s like whites calling usnigger orcoon orjungle bunny.
No shit? I said.
The big black guy glared at me, said, You ain t never heardhonkie before,
motherfucker?
He s sheltered, Leonard said. Then to me: Motherfucker,Hap, is a common
term meaning you fuck your mother. Even if you don t fuck your mother, folks
say it anyway if they re mad at you or want to make you mad. It s designed to
be derogatory.
I see, I said.
You cocksuckers best quit fuckin with me! the big black guy said.
Cocksucker, Leonard said to me, is a common term
Cut it out, you motherfuckers!
A lot of folks were looking at us now, wondering how much blood would be
involved. The jukebox wrapped up its tune and the air went silent with the
threat of murder.
The bartender said over the bar, softly, Clemmon, ease off, these fellas
just come in for a drink.
I ease off I want to ease off, said the big black guy.
I glanced out of the corner of my eye at the front door. About twenty steps.
Five, if you were leaping.
Hey, buddy, I said, showing more confidence than I felt, I m not bothering
you.
You come down here and slum with the niggers, is what bothers me, said the
big black man. You white pieces of shit always lookin down your noses at us.
Come in here, smart-mouth me. It s gonna get you hurt. I bet you think I m on
food stamps.
I hadn t thought about it, I said.
Well, I ain t. I own my own business.
Congratulations, I said, but I m warning you, go on about your business.
Cause you fuck with me, tomorrow your relatives will be splitting up your
belongings.
What s that mean? the big man said. What the fuck you talkin about?
He s threatening to kick your ass plumb to death, said someone at a nearby
table.
Appreciate that translation, I said.
Page 85
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
You re welcome, said the man at the table.
It finally registered with the big black guy that he was being insulted, and
the game was over. He reached for me.
I batted his hand to the inside with my palm and raised out of my seat and
hooked my other arm behind his head and dropped down quick with all my weight,
brought his head into the edge of the table, sharply. The bottles on the table
jumped and fell over. I slammed the guy behind the neck with my forearm and he
came down and met my knee and rolled over on the floor and made a sound like
he might get up, but didn t. He lay there in a ball and tried to look
comfortable. I was glad he was drunk.
Leonard stood up. A lot of folks were standing up. I heard the click of a
knife opening nearby. I picked a fallen bottle off the table and held it by
the neck. Some of its contents ran out and splashed on my shoe. I reached in
my pocket with my free hand and got some money and put it on the table. I
wished I was wearing a wide-brimmed black hat and a serape. A damp shirt and
pants would have to do, though.
The bartender said very softly, Go head on and leave, boys.
I turned and looked at him. He was a little jet-black man wearing a white
shirt with black bow tie. The neon throbbed colors on his shirt. He was
holding a sawed-off pump shotgun, gauge of twelve. He wasn t holding it
tensely, just showing it off. If he d thought it through, he d probably loaded
it with slugs. You let down on it, you cleaned out fewer innocent customers
that way.
We were just leaving, I said.
I thought you was, he said. Don t forget the tip.
22.
When we got back to Leonard s place, Florida s car was parked in the drive
and she was on the porch sitting in the glider. It was a bright-enough night I
could see she was wearing some kind of cartoon character T-shirt, blue jean
short-shorts and big wooden shoes that reminded me of miniature pontoons. She
looked cute as a new puppy.
Next door there was the usual activity of drug selling, and I could hear
Mohawk s, alias Strip s, alias Melton s, voice above everyone else s. When
Melton got excited, his vocal cords achieved a kind of shrill quality, like
something oily was trying to crawl up his ass and he was liking it.
Not a real good place for a lady to hang out this time of night, I said to
Florida.
They think I m inside, I bet.
The way the glider was positioned, the shadows, that was possible, but I
still didn t think it was a good idea. Guys like the ones next door knew we
were gone, saw her car over here, they might decide to investigate.
You ll promise me you won t do this again, though, won t you? I said.
I promise, she said.
Page 86
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Want to come in? Leonard asked her.
No, she said, I m going to steal Hap from you. I m taking him on a
picnic.
Picnic? I said. This time of night?
I been waiting since dark, she said. I m hungry. And I don t care if you
just ate dinner, we re picnicking, and you will eat. I made the stuff myself.
Yes ma am.
I don t mean to be rude, Florida said to Leonard, stealing Hap off and not
inviting you, but
That s all right, Leonard said, hanging his head and pretending to be sad.
I have a TV dinner, meatloaf, I think, and they re having aThree s Company
rerun marathon on channel nine. I wouldn t want to miss that. And right before
it, there s an hour ofThe Brady Bunch.
Florida giggled sweetly and Leonard raised his head and smiled.
I said to Leonard, We ll talk later.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]