Authors: Pete Hamill
Loving Women
Copyright © 1989 by Pete Hamill
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hamill, Pete.
Loving women.
I. Title.
PS3558.A423L68 1989 813′.54 88-42995
eISBN: 978-0-307-79966-1
Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following for permission to reprint previously published material:
Acuff-Rose Music, Inc.: Excerpt from the lyrics to “Hey, Good Lookin’,” written by Hank Williams. Copyright 1951, renewed 1979 by Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. and Hiriam Music, c/o Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. Excerpt from the lyrics to “Jambalaya,” written by Hank Williams. Copyright 1952, renewed 1980 by Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. and Hiriam Music, c/o Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. Excerpts from the lyrics to “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” written by Hank Williams. Copyright 1949, renewed 1977 by Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. and Hiriam Music, c/o Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. Excerpt from the lyrics to “Move it on Over,” written by Hank Williams. Copyright 1947, renewed 1975 by Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. and Hiriam Music, c/o Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. Excerpts from the lyrics to “Cold, Cold Heart,” written by Hank Williams. Copyright 1951, renewed 1979 by Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. P.O. Box 121900 Nashville, Tennessee 37212-1900. International Copyright secured. Made in the U.S.A. All rights secured.
The Goodman Group Music Publishers and MCA Music Publishing: Excerpt from the lyrics to “Goin’ Down Slow,” words and music by James Oden. Copyright 1942 (renewed) Arc Music Corp. for the United States. Copyright 1942 by Duchess Music Corporation. Copyright renewed. Rights administered by MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING, a Division of MCA Inc., New York, NY 10019 for the world excluding U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of Arc Music Corp. and MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING.
CPP/Belwin, Inc. and Concord Partnership: Excerpt from the lyrics to “Goin’ Home” by Antoine Domino and Alvin Young. Copyright © 1956, renewed 1984 UNART MUSIC CORP. Rights assigned to SBK CATALOGUE PARTNERSHIP. Excerpt from the lyrics to “Driftin’ Blues” by Charles Brown, John Moore and Ed Williams. Copyright 1947, renewed 1975 UNART MUSIC CORP. Rights assigned to SBK CATALOGUE PARTNERSHIP. Rights controlled and administered by SBK CATALOG INC. All rights reserved. International Copyright secured. Reprinted by permission of CPP/Belwin, Inc. and International Music Publications.
Alberta Hunter Music Co.: Excerpt from the lyrics to “You Got to Reap Just What You Sow,” written by Alberta Hunter. Copyright © 1976 (renewed) Alberta Hunter Music Co.
Walter Kent Music Co. and Shapiro–Bernstein & Co., Inc.: Excerpt from the lyrics to “The White Cliffs of Dover,” words by Nat Burton, music by Walter Kent. Copyright Walter Kent Music Co. and Shapiro-Bernstein & Co., Inc.
MCA Music Publishing: Excerpt from the lyrics to “See See Rider,” words and music by Ma Rainey. Copyright 1943, 1944 by MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING, A Division of MCA, Inc., New York, NY 10019. Copyright renewed. USED BY PERMISSION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
SBK Entertainment World: Excerpt from the lyrics to “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” by Lloyd Price. Copyright 1952, © 1967 renewed 1980 VENICE MUSIC INC. All rights controlled and administered by SBK BLACKWOOD MUSIC INC. under license from ATV MUSIC (VENICE). All rights reserved/International Copyright secured. Used by permission.
Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. and Rube Bloom Music Co.: Excerpt from the lyrics to “Maybe You’ll Be There” by Sammy Gallop and Rube Bloom. Copyright 1947 WB Music Corp. (renewed). All rights reserved. Used by permission of Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. and Rube Bloom Music Co. on behalf of the composer.
Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. and Jamie Music Publishing Company: Excerpts from the lyrics to “There Stands the Glass” by Mary Jean Shurtz, Russ Hull and Audrey Greisham. Copyright 1951, 1953 Unichappell Music, Inc. & Jamie Music Publishing Co. (renewed). All rights reserved. Used by permission of Warner/Chappell Music, Inc. and Jamie Music Publishing Company.
Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.: Excerpts from the lyrics to “Jumpin’ with Symphony Sid” by Lester Young. Copyright 1949 Unichappell Music, Inc. and Elvis Presley Music (renewed). Excerpt from the lyrics to “Junker’s Blues” by Jack Dupree. Copyright © 1959 Unichappell Music, Inc. (renewed). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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v3.1
A gone shipmate, like any other man, is gone forever; and I never met one of them again. But at times the spring flood of memory sets with force up the dark River of the Nine Bends. Then on the waters of the forlorn stream drifts a ship—a shadowy ship manned by a crew of Shades. They pass and make a sign, in a shadowy hail. Haven’t we, together and upon the immortal sea, wrung out a meaning from our sinful lives? Good-bye, brothers! You were a good crowd.…
—Joseph Conrad,
The Nigger of the
Narcissus
Well, I’m driftin’ and driftin’ like a ship out on the sea
Well, I’m driftin’ and driftin’ like a ship out on the sea
Well, I ain’t got nobody, in this world to care for me …
—Charles Brown, “Driftin’ Blues”
Ah for another go, ah for a better chance!
—Henry James
I was stationed at Ellyson Field in 1953–54. But this is a work of fiction. The characters and events are imaginary.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
PART
ONE
Anchors aweigh, my boys, anchors aweigh
.
1987
I
am on this bed in a cheap motel listening to the growl of the Gulf. My cameras remain in their silvery Halliburton case. I have hung the shirts and jeans in the closet. On the wall there is a fading photograph of the Blue Angels flying in tight formation over Pensacola. There is no room service and I am hungry, but I don’t care to move. It is a week now since my third wife left me, and I am 1,536 miles from home.