“you’reapoorman.”

“howwouldyouknow?”

hepickedthebillupandstretcheditbetweenhisthinfingersandslippeditcasuallyintoaninsidepocket.hebithislipwiththeverywhiteteethyoucanhavewhenyouhaveabrownskin.

“icouldn’ttellyouanymorethanididthatmorningyoudrovemetotijuana.igaveyouachancetocallthepoliceandturnmein.”

“i’mnotsoreatyou.you’rejustthatkindofguy.foralongtimeicouldn’tfigureyouatall.youhadnicewaysandnicequalities,buttherewassomethingwrong.youhadstandardsandyouliveduptothem,buttheywerepersonal.theyhadnorelationtoanykindofethicsorscruples.youwereaniceguybecauseyouhadanicenature.butyouwerejustashappywithmugsorhoodlumsaswithhonestmen.providedthehoodlumsspokefairlygoodenglishandhadfairlyacceptabletablemanners.you’reamoraldefeatist.ithinkmaybethewardiditandagainithinkmaybe-youwerebornthatway.”

“idon’tgetit,”hesaid.“ireallydon’t.i’mtryingtopayyoubackandyouwon’tletme.icouldn’thavetoldyouanymorethanidid.youwouldn’thavestoodforit.”

“that’sasniceathingaswaseversaidtome.”

“i’mgladyoulikesomethingaboutme.igotinabadjam.ihappenedtoknowthesortofpeoplewhoknowhowtodealwithbadjams.theyowedmeforanincidentthathappenedlongagointhewar.probablytheonlytimeinmylifeieverdidtherightthingquicklikeamouse.andwhenineededthem,theydelivered.andforfree.you’renottheonlyguyintheworldthathasnopricetag,marlowe.”

heleanedacrossthedeskandsnappedatoneofmycigarettes.therewasanunevenflushonhisfaceunderthedeeptan.thescarsshowedupagainstit.iwatchedhimspringafancygascartridgelighterloosefromapocketandlightthecigarette.igotawhiffofperfumefromhim.

“youboughtalotofme,terry.forasmileandanodandawaveofthehandandafewquietdrinksinaquietbarhereandthere.itwasnicewhileitlasted.solong,amigo.iwon’tsaygoodbye.isaidittoyouwhenitmeantsomething.isaiditwhenitwassadandlonelyandfinal.”

“icamebacktoolate,”hesaid.“theseplasticjobstaketime.”

“youwouldn’thavecomeatallifihadn’tsmokedyouout.”

therewassuddenlyaglintoftearsinhiseyes.heputhisdarkglassesbackonquickly.

“iwasn’tsureaboutit,”hesaid.“ihadn’tmadeupmymind.theydidn’twantmetotellyouanything.ijusthadn’tmadeupmymind.”

“don’tworryaboutit,terry.there’salwayssomebodyaroundtodoitforyou.”

“iwasinthecommandos,bud.theydon’ttakeyouifyou’rejustapieceoffluff.igotbadlyhurtanditwasn’tanyfunwiththosenazidoctors.itdidsomethingtome.”

“iknowallthat,terry.you’reaverysweetguyinalotofways.i’mnotjudgingyou.ineverdid.it’sjustthatyou’renothereanymore.you’relonggone.you’vegotniceclothesandperfumeandyou’reaselegantasafifty-dollarwhore.”

“that’sjustanact,”hesaidalmostdesperately.

“yougetakickoutofit,don’tyou?”

hismouthdroppedinasoursmile.heshruggedanexpressiveenergeticlatinshrug.

“ofcourse.anactisallthereis.thereisn’tanythingelse.inhere—”hetappedhischestwiththelighter—“thereisn’tanything.i’vehadit,marlowe.ihaditlongago.well—iguessthatwindsthingsup.”

hestoodup.istoodup.heputoutaleanhand.ishookit.

“solong,señormaioranos.nicetohaveknownyou—howeverbriefly.”

“goodbye.”

heturnedandwalkedacrossthefloorandout.iwatchedthedoorclose.ilistenedtohisstepsgoingawaydowntheimitationmarblecorridor.afterawhiletheygotfaint,thentheygotsilent.ikeptonlisteninganyway.whatfor?didiwanthimtostopsuddenlyandturnandcomebackandtalkmeoutofthewayifelt?well,hedidn’t.thatwasthelastisawofhim.

ineversawanyofthemagain—exceptthecops.nowayhasyetbeeninventedtosaygoodbyetothem.