itwastheweekafterthanksgivingwhenisawhimagain.thestoresalonghollywoodboulevardwerealreadybeginningtofillupwithoverpricedchristmasjunk,andthedailypaperswerebeginningtoscreamabouthowterribleitwouldbeifyoudidn’tgetyourchristmasshoppingdoneearly.itwouldbeterribleanyway;italwaysis.

itwasaboutthreeblocksfrommyofficebuildingthatisawacopcardouble-parkedandthetwobuttonsinitstaringatsomethingoverbyashopwindowonthesidewalk.thesomethingwasterrylennox—orwhatwasleftofhim—andthatlittlewasnottooattractive.

hewasleaningagainstastorefront.hehadtoleanagainstsomething.hisshirtwasdirtyandopenattheneckandpartlyoutsidehisjacketandpartlynot.hehadn’tshavedforfourorfivedays.hisnosewaspinched.hisskinwassopalethatthelongthinscarshardlyshowed.andhiseyeswerelikeholespokedinasnowbank.itwasprettyobviousthatthebuttonsintheprowlcarwereaboutreadytodropthehookonhim,soiwentovertherefastandtookholdofhisarm.

“straightenupandwalk,”isaid,puttingonthetough.iwinkedathimfromtheside.“canyoumakeit?areyoustinko?”

helookedmeovervaguelyandthensmiledhislittleone-sidedsmile.“ihavebeen,”hebreathed.“rightnowiguessi’mjustalittle—empty.”

“okay,butmakewiththefeet.you’rehalfwayintothedrunktankalready.”

hemadetheeffortandletmewalkhimthroughthesidewalkloaferstotheedgeofthecurb.therewasataxistandthereandiyankedopenthedoor.

“hegoesfirst,”thehackiesaid,jerkingathumbatthecabahead.heswunghisheadaroundandsawterry.“ifatall,”headded.

“thisisanemergency.myfriendissick.”

“yeah,”thehackiesaid.“hecouldgetsicksomewhereselse.”

“fivebucks,”isaid,“andlet’sseethatbeautifulsmile.”

“ohwell,”hesaid,andstuckamagazinewithamartianonthecoverbehindhismirror.ireachedinandgotthedooropen.igotterrylennoxinandtheshadowoftheprowlcarblockedthefarwindow.agray-hairedcopgotoutandcameover.iwentaroundthetaxiandmethim.

“justaminute,mac.whathavewegothere?isthegentlemaninthesoiledlaundryarealclosefriendofyours?”

“closeenoughformetoknowheneedsafriend,he’snotdrunk.”

“forfinancialreasons,nodoubt,”thecopsaid.heputhishandoutandiputmylicenseinit.helookedatitandhandeditback.“oh-oh,”hesaid.“apickingupaclient.”hisvoicechangedandgottough.“thattellsalittlesomethingaboutyou,mr.marlowe.whatabouthim?”

“hisname’sterrylennox.heworksinpictures.”

“that’snice.”heleanedintothetaxiandstaredatterrybackinthecorner.“i’dsayhedidn’tworktoolately.i’dsayhedidn’tsleepindoorstoolately.i’devensayhewasavagandsomaybeweoughttotakehimin.”

“yourarrestrecordcan’tbethatlow,”isaid.“notinhollywood.”

hewasstilllookinginatterry.“what’syourfriend’sname,buddy?”

“philipmarlowe,”terrysaidslowly.“helivesonyuccaavenue,laurelcanyon.”

thecoppulledhisheadoutofthewindowspace.heturned,andmadeagesturewithhishand.“youcouldofjusttoldhim.”

“icouldhave,butididn’t.”

hestaredatmeforasecondortwo.“i’llbuyitthistime,”hesaid.“butgethimoffthestreet.”hegotintothepolicecarandthepolicecarwentaway.

igotintothetaxiandwewentthethree-oddblockstomyparkinglotandshiftedtomycar.iheldoutthefive-spottothehackie.hegavemeastifflookandshookhishead.

“justwhat’sonthemeter,jack,oranevenbuckifyoufeellikeit.ibeendownandoutmyself.infrisco.nobodypickedmeupinnotaxieither.there’sonestony-heartedtown.”

“sanfrancisco,”isaidmechanically.

“icallitfrisco,”hesaid.“thehellwiththemminoritygroups.thanks.”hetookthedollarandwentaway.

wewenttoadrive-inwheretheymadehamburgersthatdidn’ttastelikesomethingthedogwouldn’teat.ifedterrylennoxacoupleandabottleofbeeranddrovehimhome.thestepswerestilltoughonhimbuthegrinnedandpantedandmadetheclimb.anhourlaterhewasshavedandbathedandhelookedhumanagain.wesatdownoveracoupleofverymilddrinks.

“luckyyourememberedmyname,”isaid.

“imadeapointofit,”hesaid.“ilookedyouuptoo.couldidoless?”

“sowhynotgivemearing?ilivehereallthetime.ihaveanofficeaswell.”

“whyshouldibotheryou?”

“lookslikeyouhadtobothersomebody.lookslikeyoudon’thavemanyfriends.”

“ohihavefriends,”hesaid,“ofasort.”heturnedhisglassonthetabletop.“askingforhelpdoesn’tcomeeasy—especiallywhenit’sallyourownfault.”helookedupwithatiredsmile.“maybeicanquitdrinkingoneofthesedays.theyallsaythat,don’tthey?”

“ittakesaboutthreeyears.”

“threeyears?”helookedshocked.

“usuallyitdoes.it’sadifferentworld.youhavetogetusedtoapalersetofcolors,aquieterlotofsounds.youhavetoallowforrelapses.allthepeopleyouusedtoknowwellwillgettobejustalittlestrange.youwon’tevenlikemostofthem,andtheywon’tlikeyoutoowell.”

“thatwouldn’tbemuchofachange,”hesaid.heturnedandlookedattheclock.“ihaveatwo-hundred-dollarsuitcasecheckedatthehollywoodbusstation.ificouldbailitouticouldbuyacheaponeandpawntheonethat’scheckedforenoughtogettovegasonthebus.icangetajobthere.”

ididn’tsayanything.ijustnoddedandsattherenursingmydrink.

“you’rethinkingthatideamighthavecometomealittlesooner,”hesaidquietly.

“i’mthinkingthere’ssomethingbehindallthisthat’snoneofmybusiness.isthejobforsureorjustahope?”

“it’sforsure.fellowiknewverywellinthearmyrunsabigclubthere,theterrapinclub.he’spartracketeer,ofcourse,theyallare—buttheotherpartisaniceguy.”

“icanmanagethebusfareandsomethingover.buti’djustassoonitboughtsomethingthatwouldstayboughtforawhile.bettertalktohimonthephone.”

“thankyou,butit’snotnecessary.randystarrwon’tletmedown,heneverhas.andthesuitcasewillpawnforfiftydollars.iknowfromexperience.”