idroveouttovictor’swiththeideaofdrinkingagimletandsittingarounduntiltheeveningeditionofthemorningpaperswasonthestreet.butthebarwascrowdedanditwasn’tanyfun.whenthebarkeepiknewgotaroundtomehecalledmebyname.

“youlikeadashofbittersinit,don’tyou?”

“notusually.justfortonighttwodashesofbitters.”

“ihaven’tseenyourfriendlately.theonewiththegreenice.”

“neitherhavei.”

hewentawayandcamebackwiththedrink.ipeckedatittomakeitlast,becauseididn’tfeellikegettingaglowon.eitheriwouldgetreallystifforstaysober.afterawhileihadanotherofthesame.itwasjustpastsixwhenthekidwiththepaperscameintothebar.oneofthebarkeepsyelledathimtobeatit,buthemanagedonequickroundofthecustomersbeforeawaitergotholdofhimandthrewhimout.iwasoneofthecustomers.iopenedupthejournalandglancedatpage1a.theyhadmadeit.itwasallthere.theyhadreversedthephotostatbymakingitblackonwhiteandbyreducingitinsizetheyhadfitteditintothetophalfofthepage.therewasashortbrusqueeditorialonanotherpage.therewasahalfcolumnbylonniemorganwithaby-line,onstillanotherpage.

ifinishedmydrinkandleftandwenttoanotherplacetoeatdinnerandthendrovehome.

lonniemorgan’spiecewasastraightforwardfactualrecapitulationofthefactsandhappeningsinvolvedinthelennoxcaseandthe“suicide”ofrogerwade—thefactsastheyhadbeenpublished.itaddednothing,deducednothing,imputednothing.itwasclearconcisebusinesslikereporting.theeditorialwassomethingelse.itaskedquestions—thekindanewspaperasksofpublicofficialswhentheyarecaughtwithjamontheirfaces.

aboutnine-thirtythetelephonerangandbernieohlssaidhewoulddropbyonhiswayhome.

“seenthejournal?”heaskedcoyly,andhungupwithoutwaitingforananswer.

whenhegottherehegruntedaboutthestepsandsaidhewoulddrinkacupofcoffeeifihadone.isaidiwouldmakesome.whileimadeithewanderedaroundthehouseandmadehimselfverymuchathome.

“youliveprettylonelyforaguythatcouldgethimselfdisliked,”hesaid.“what’soverthehillinback?”

“anotherstreet.why?”

“justasking.yourshrubberyneedspruning.”

icarriedsomecoffeeintothelivingroomandheparkedhimselfandsippedit.helitoneofmycigarettesandpuffedatitforaminuteortwo,thenputitout.“gettingsoidon’tcareforthestuff,”hesaid.“maybeit’sthetvcommercials.theymakeyouhateeverythingtheytrytosell.god,theymustthinkthepublicisahalfwit.everytimesomejerkinawhitecoatwithastethoscopehangingaroundhisneckholdsupsometoothpasteorapackofcigarettesorabottleofbeeroramouthwashorajarofshampoooralittleboxofsomethingthatmakesafatwrestlersmelllikemountainlilacialwaysmakeanotenevertobuyany.hell,iwouldn’tbuytheproductevenifilikedit.youreadthejournal,huh?”

“afriendofminetippedmeoff.areporter.”

“yougotfriends?”heaskedwonderingly.“didn’ttellyouhowtheygotholdofthematerial,didhe?”

“no.andinthisstatehedoesn’thavetotellyou.”