threedaysbeforechristmasigotacashier’scheckonalasvegasbankfor$100.anotewrittenonhotelpapercamewithit.hethankedme,wishedmeamerrychristmasandallkindsofluckandsaidhehopedtoseemeagainsoon.thekickwasinapostscript.“sylviaandiarestartingasecondhoneymoon.shesayspleasedon’tbesoreatherforwantingtotryagain.”

icaughttherestofitinoneofthosesnobcolumnsinthesocietysectionofthepaper.idon’treadthemoften,onlywhenirunoutofthingstodislike.

“yourcorrespondentisallflutteryatthenewsthatterryandsylvialennoxhaverehitchedatlasvegas,thedears.she’stheyoungerdaughterofmultimillionaireharlanpotterofsanfranciscoandpebblebeach,ofcourse.sylviaishavingmarcelandjeanneduhauxredecoratetheentiremansioninencinofrombasementtoroofinthemostdevastatinglyderniercri.curtwesterheym,sylvia’slastbutone,mydears,gaveherthelittleeighteen-roomshackforaweddingpresent,youmayremember.andwhateverhappenedtocurt,youask?ordoyou?st.tropezhastheanswer,andpermanentlyihear.alsoacertainvery,veryblue-bloodedfrenchduchesswithtwoperfectlyadorablechildren.andwhatdoesharlanpotterthinkoftheremarriage,youmayalsoask?onecanonlyguess.mr.potterisonepersonwhobutnevergivesaninterview.howexclusivecanyougetdarlings?”

ithrewthepaperintothecornerandturnedonthetvset.afterthesocietypagedogvomiteventhewrestlerslookedgood.butthefactswereprobablyright.onthesocietypagetheybetterbe.

ihadamentalpictureofthekindofeighteen-roomshackthatwouldgowithafewofthepottermillions,nottomentiondecorationsbyduhauxinthelastsubphallicsymbolism.butihadnomentalpictureatallofterrylennoxloafingaroundoneoftheswimmingpoolsinbermudashortsandphoningthebutlerbyr/ttoicethechampagneandgetthegrousetoasting.therewasnoreasonwhyishouldhave.iftheguywantedtobesomebody’swoollybear,itwasnoskinoffmyteeth.ijustdidn’twanttoseehimagain.butiknewiwould—ifonlyonaccountofhisgoddamngold-platedpigskinsuitcase.

itwasfiveo’clockofawetmarcheveningwhenhewalkedintomydown-at-heelsbrainemporium.helookedchanged.older,verysoberandsevereandbeautifullycalm.helookedlikeaguywhohadlearnedtorollwithapunch.heworeanoyster-whiteraincoatandglovesandnohatandhiswhitehairwasassmoothasabird’sbreast.

“let’sgotosomequietbarandhaveadrink,”hesaid,asifhehadbeenintenminutesbefore.“ifyouhavethetime,thatis.”

wedidn’tshakehands.weneverdid.englishmendon’tshakehandsallthetimelikeamericansandalthoughhewasn’tenglishhehadsomeofthemannerisms.

isaid:“let’sgobymyplaceandpickupyourfancysuitcase.itkindofworriesme.”

heshookhishead.“itwouldbekindofyoutokeepitforme.”

“why?”

“ijustfeelthatway.doyoumind?it’sasortoflinkwithatimewheniwasn’tano-goodwaster.”

“nutstothat,”isaid.“butit’syourbusiness.”

“ifitbothersyoubecauseyouthinkitmightbestolen—”

“that’syourbusinesstoo.let’sgogetthatdrink.”

wewenttovictor’s.hedrovemeinarust-coloredjupiter-jowettwithaflimsycanvasraintopunderwhichtherewasonlyjustroomforthetwoofus.ithadpaleleatherupholsteryandwhatlookedlikesilverfittings.i’mnottoofussyaboutcars,butthedamnthingdidmakemymouthwateralittle.hesaiditwoulddosixty-fiveinsecond.ithadasquattylittlegearshiftthatbarelycameuptohisknee.

“fourspeeds,”hesaid.“theyhaven’tinventedanautomaticshiftthatwillworkforoneofthesejobsyet.youdon’treallyneedone.youcanstartitinthirdevenuphillandthat’sashighasyoucanshiftintrafficanyway.”

“weddingpresent?”

“justacasual‘ihappenedtoseethisgadgetinawindow’sortofpresent.i’maverypamperedguy.”

“nice,”isaid.“ifthere’snopricetag.”

heglancedatmequicklyandthenputhiseyesbackonthewetpavement.doublewipersswishedgentlyoverthelittlewindscreen.“pricetag?there’salwaysapricetag,chum.youthinki’mnothappymaybe?”

“sorry,iwasoutofline.”

“i’mrich.whothehellwantstobehappy?”therewasabitternessinhisvoicethatwasnewtome.

“how’syourdrinking?”

“perfectlyelegant,oldtop.forsomestrangereasoniseemtobeabletohandlethestuff.butyouneverknow,doyou?”

“perhapsyouwereneverreallyadrunk.”

wesatinacornerofthebaratvictor’sanddrankgimlets.“theydon’tknowhowtomakethemhere,”hesaid.“whattheycallagimletisjustsomelimeorlemonjuiceandginwithadashofsugarandbitters.arealgimletishalfginandhalfrose’slimejuiceandnothingelse.itbeatsmartinishollow.”

“iwasneverfussyaboutdrinks.howdidyougetonwithrandystarr?downmystreethe’scalledatoughnumber.”

heleanedbackandlookedthoughtful.“iguessheis.iguesstheyallare.butitdoesn’tshowonhim.icouldnameyouacoupleofladsinthesameracketinhollywoodthatactthepart.randydoesn’tbother.inlasvegashe’salegitimatebusinessman.youlookhimupnexttimeyou’rethere.he’llbeyourpal.”

“nottoolikely.idon’tlikehoodlums.”

“that’sjustaword,marlowe.wehavethatkindofworld.twowarsgaveittousandwearegoingtokeepit.randyandiandanotherfellowwereinajamonce.itmadeasortofbondbetweenus.”

“thenwhydidn’tyouaskhimforhelpwhenyouneededit?”