thefirsttimeilaideyesonterrylennoxhewasdrunkinarolls-roycesilverwraithoutsidetheterraceofthedancers.theparkinglotattendanthadbroughtthecaroutandhewasstillholdingthedooropenbecauseterrylennox’sleftfootwasstilldanglingoutside,asifhehadforgottenhehadone.hehadayoung-lookingfacebuthishairwasbonewhite.youcouldtellbyhiseyesthathewasplasteredtothehairline,butotherwisehelookedlikeanyotherniceyoungguyinadinnerjacketwhohadbeenspendingtoomuchmoneyinajointthatexistsforthatpurposeandfornoother.

therewasagirlbesidehim.herhairwasalovelyshadeofdarkredandshehadadistantsmileonherlipsandoverhershouldersshehadablueminkthatalmostmadetherolls-roycelooklikejustanotherautomobile.itdidn’tquite.nothingcan.

theattendantwastheusualhalf-toughcharacterinawhitecoatwiththenameoftherestaurantstitchedacrossthefrontofitinred.hewasgettingfedup.

“look,mister,”hesaidwithanedgetohisvoice,“wouldyoumindawholelotpullingyourlegintothecarsoicankindofshutthedoor?orshouldiopenitallthewaysoyoucanfallout?”

thegirlgavehimalookwhichoughttohavestuckatleastfourinchesoutofhisback.itdidn’tbotherhimenoughtogivehimtheshakes.atthedancerstheygetthesortofpeoplethatdisillusionyouaboutwhatalotofgolfingmoneycandoforthepersonality.

alow-swungforeignspeedsterwithnotopdriftedintotheparkinglotandamangotoutofitandusedthedashlighteronalongcigarette.hewaswearingapullovercheckshirt,yellowslacks,andridingboots.hestrolledofftrailingcloudsofincense,notevenbotheringtolooktowardstherolls-royce.heprobablythoughtitwascorny.atthefootofthestepsuptotheterracehepausedtostickamonocleinhiseye.

thegirlsaidwithaniceburstofcharm:“ihaveawonderfulidea,darling.whydon’twejusttakeacabtoyourplaceandgetyourconvertibleout?it’ssuchawonderfulnightforarunupthecoasttomontecito.iknowsomepeopletherewhoarethrowingadancearoundthepool.”

thewhite-hairedladsaidpolitely:“awfullysorry,butidon’thaveitanymore.iwascompelledtosellit.”fromhisvoiceandarticulationyouwouldn’thaveknownhehadhadanythingstrongerthanorangejuicetodrink.

“soldit,darling?howdoyoumean?”sheslidawayfromhimalongtheseatbuthervoiceslidawayalotfartherthanthat.

“imeanihadto,”hesaid.“foreatingmoney.”

“oh,isee.”asliceofspumoniwouldn’thavemeltedonhernow.

theattendanthadthewhite-hairedboyrightwherehecouldreachhim—inalow-incomebracket.“look,buster,”hesaid,“i’vegottoputacaraway.seeyousomemoresomeothertime—maybe.”

heletthedoorswingopen.thedrunkpromptlyslidofftheseatandlandedontheblacktopontheseatofhispants.soiwentoveranddroppedmynickel.iguessit’salwaysamistaketointerferewithadrunk.evenifheknowsandlikesyouheisalwaysliabletohauloffandpokeyouintheteeth.igothimunderthearmsandgothimuponhisfeet.

“thankyousoverymuch,”hesaidpolitely.

thegirlslidunderthewheel.“hegetssogoddamenglishwhenhe’sloaded,”shesaidinastainless-steelvoice.“thanksforcatchinghim.”

“i’llgethiminthebackofthecar,”isaid.

“i’mterriblysorry.i’mlateforanengagement.”shelettheclutchinandtherollsstartedtoglide.“he’sjustalostdog,”sheaddedwithacoolsmile.“perhapsyoucanfindahomeforhim.he’shousebroken—moreorless.”

andtherollstickeddowntheentrancedrivewayontosunsetboulevard,madearightturn,andwasgone.iwaslookingafterherwhentheattendantcameback.andiwasstillholdingthemanupandhewasnowsoundasleep.

“well,that’sonewayofdoingit,”itoldthewhitecoat.

“sure,”hesaidcynically.“whywasteitonalush?themcurvesandall.”

“youknowhim?”

“iheardthedamecallhimterry.otherwiseidon’tknowhimfromacow’scaboose.butionlybeenheretwoweeks.”

“getmycar,willyou?”igavehimtheticket.

bythetimehebroughtmyoldsoverifeltasifiwasholdingupasackoflead.thewhitecoathelpedmegethimintothefrontseat.thecustomeropenedaneyeandthankedusandwenttosleepagain.