ashaftofsunlighttickledoneofmyankles.iopenedmyeyesandsawthecrownofatreemovinggentlyagainstahazedbluesky.irolledoverandleathertouchedmycheek.anaxesplitmyhead.isatup.therewasarugoverme.ithrewthatoffandgotmyfeetonthefloor.iscowledataclock.theclocksaidaminuteshortofsix-thirty.

igotuponmyfeetandittookcharacter.ittookwillpower.ittookalotoutofme,andtherewasn’tasmuchtospareasthereoncehadbeen.thehardheavyyearshadworkedmeover.

iplowedacrosstothehalfbathandstrippedoffmytieandshirtandsloshedcoldwateronmyfacewithbothhandsandslosheditonmyhead.wheniwasdrippingwetitoweledmyselfoffsavagely.iputmyshirtandtiebackonandreachedformyjacketandtheguninthepocketbangedagainstthewall.itookitoutandswungthecylinderawayfromtheframeandtippedthecartridgesintomyhand,fivefull,onejustablackenedshell.thenithought,what’stheuse,therearealwaysmoreofthem.soiputthembackwheretheyhadbeenbeforeandcarriedthegunintothestudyandputitawayinoneofthedrawersofthedesk.

whenilookedupcandywasstandinginthedoorway,spickandspaninhiswhitecoat,hishairbrushedbackandshiningblack,hiseyesbitter.

“youwantsomecoffee?”

“thanks.”

“iputthelampsout.thebossisokay.asleep.ishuthisdoor.whyyougetdrunk?”

“ihadto.”

hesneeredatme.“didn’tmakeher,huh?gottossedoutonyourcan,shamus.”

“haveityourownway.”

“youain’ttoughthismorning,shamus.youain’ttoughatall.”

“getthegoddamcoffee,”iyelledathim.

“hijodeputa!”

inonejumpihadhimbythearm.hedidn’tmove.hejustlookedatmecontemptuously.ilaughedandletgoofhisarm.

“you’reright,candy.i’mnottoughatall.”

heturnedandwentout.innotimeatallhewasbackwithasilvertrayandasmallsilverpotofcoffeeonitandsugarandcreamandaneattriangularnapkin.hesetitdownonthecocktailtableandremovedtheemptybottleandtherestofthedrinkingmaterials.hepickedanotherbottleoffthefloor.

“fresh.justmade,”hesaid,andwentout.

idranktwocupsblack.thenitriedacigarette.itwasallright.istillbelongedtothehumanrace.thencandywasbackintheroomagain.

“youwantbreakfast?”heaskedmorosely.

“no,thanks.”

“okay,scramoutofhere.wedon’twantyouaround.”

“who’swe?”

heliftedthelidofaboxandhelpedhimselftoacigarette.helititandblewsmokeatmeinsolently.

“itakecareoftheboss,”hesaid.

“youmakingitpay?”

hefrowned,thennodded.“ohyes.goodmoney.”

“howmuchontheside—fornotspillingwhatyouknow?”

hewentbacktospanish.“noentendido.”

“youunderstandallright.howmuchyoushakehimfor?ibetit’snotmorethanacoupleofyards.”

“what’sthat?coupleofyards.”

“twohundredbucks.”

hegrinned.“yougivemecoupleofyards,shamus.soidon’ttellthebossyoucomeoutofherroomlastnight.”

“thatwouldbuyawholebusloadofwetbackslikeyou.”

heshruggedthatoff.“thebossgetsprettyroughwhenheblowshistop.betterpayup,shamus.”

“pachucostuff,”isaidcontemptuously.“allyou’retouchingisthesmallmoney.lotsofmenplayaroundwhenthey’relit.anyhowsheknowsallaboutit.youdon’thaveanythingtosell.”

therewasagleaminhiseye.“justdon’tcomeroundanymore,toughboy.”

“i’mleaving.”

istoodupandwalkedaroundthetable.hemovedenoughtokeepfacingtowardsme.iwatchedhishandbutheevidentlywasn’twearingaknifethismorning.wheniwascloseenoughislappedahandacrosshisface.

“idon’tgetcalledasonofawhorebythehelp,greaseball.i’vegotbusinesshereandicomearoundwheneverifeellikeit.watchyourlipfromnowon.youmightgetpistol-whipped.thatprettyfaceofyourswouldneverlookthesameagain.”

hedidn’treactatall,noteventotheslap.thatandbeingcalledagreaseballmusthavebeendeadlyinsultstohim.butthistimehejuststoodtherewooden-faced,motionless.thenwithoutawordhepickedupthecoffeetrayandcarrieditout.

“thanksforthecoffee,”isaidtohisback.

hekeptgoing.whenhewasgoneifeltthebristlesonmychin,shookmyself,anddecidedtobeonmyway.ihadhadaskinfulofthewadefamily.