JR (65 page)

… just for like if he checks in with you but… Sure I know you don't but just tell me one thing hey, what's lithography… ? Honest… ? and then they what… ? No but like putting some picture on these stones with this grease no wonder they're losing all this money, I mean like you can buy a camera for … No okay, okay, I didn't … No there's just this one other thing, did you see the paper yet… ? No not that, I mean about you remember that Ace Development Company which I bought all that stock of? Well see what just happened was this underwriter Mister Decker what he did was when he set it up all it had was these claims to explore for these virgin minerals see so to bring the stock up he found this here Alberta and Western Power Company to merge them by exchanging their stock but see this Alberta and Western was already losing like ten thousand dollars a month so he hires this shit Mister Wall see for … No but he is because listen, they give him this big expense allowance and like this twenty-five percent sales commission to handle their financing so like remember I got those debentures which I was getting this interest on the Series B right after they put out the Series C? Well see like what he did was first he put out this Series A which then when the interest on it was due he put out this here Series B and used that money to pay it see, see then when the interest on the Series B was due he just put out this … No but so what if he goes to jail, I mean I'm the one that … No like Piscator just said maybe we have this lousy bunch of mineral rights and like drilling rights or something on these old Alberta right of ways so wait have you got a map there hey

… ? No I forgot where you are, don't … No don't get mad I forgot where you… What do you mean did I learn a lesson, it's this shit Mister Wall who … No no but wait, hey Bast… ? Wait no I know but… No but you don't have to call Hopper see because I already called him this morning, see he … I know see he sent me all this same crap in the mail too but I just told him like if the bank owns their ballfield now and they get pissed off at… No okay but… sure but… no but see I told him you're not coming back up there that quick anyway so … No no sure I know you don't but I couldn't hardly tell him that or… No well that, see that's just this little thing about this here cemetery right in the middle of where those train tracks go on that big right of way, see it's owned by this Ancient Order of some kind of animal where Hopper's this here Grand… No I didn't either but that's what he said, so anyway there's this here old lawsuit which … No wait I know that's what

Piscator's for hey, see so I already told him to settle it any way they … No but what am I supposed to do! I mean who wants to buy all these like Hopper kept saying these here departed loved ones and who wants… no wait don't… okay okay but don't get… The what? Crawley sent you all that stuff too? I thought you were still talking about … no look hey it's nothing you have to even… No it's just this here drug company at Italy or someplace which he says their stock is this good deal so I called this here other broker which said it just went from thirty-eight to thirty-four and three eighths see so … No I know you don't, see I just… No well that, no well see that's just this other thing Crawley said was … No but see it's just this here spinoff where this Endo Appliance Company is getting spinned off this here other company which got this consent order see so they … No but… no but wait hey I… No sure Bast I know I said just till this here Wonder deal is straightened out see but… sure I know I said Piscator would see but … No I mean I'm not crazy about him either but like right now he's all we

… no no but wait hey I never said you should dress like him either with all those flaps and belts and that thing tied around his neck and those like sideburns and all but… No see I think all he meant about your clothes was maybe like where the back of your coat was … no I know he thinks that too but see I told him you're reading up on all this stuff see and … no but… no but wait hey, I… No sure I think he should do something about it too, it sounds… No you mean the Nonny part that's just from what he called himself when he was little no I mean Piscator, I mean I'm always having to yell it to somebody over the phone they think … what? No but… no I know but… no but see that's what I mean like just for right now if you can like keep things straight with him see once this thing gets incorporated we … No but wait hey wait… hey?

Bast … ? No I know I said that but… no but see getting incorporated all it is is then you don't get screwed on taxes like everybody else and like for this here limited reliability and all if something happens they can't

… No but … no but listen hey … no I know it but see first there's this here accountant up at Piscator's office which he's working up this best arrangement for you taxwise where you don't get screwed on this here salary I'm saving you from see so … No but… no I know but look hey Bast, I mean is it my fault if you went down there and now this here band wouldn't even play your music because you're not in some union so they still didn't pay you yet? I mean holy … No well okay then but I mean like what would of happened if you didn't finally take that

whole seventeen dollars expenses up at the museum after we… Okay but look I mean you won't even have to see because Piscator said he thinks maybe he can find us some public relations company which

that's this here deductible business expense where a dollar's only worth forty … no I know I did but… no but that's why I wrote it all out for you see once you see this here Mooneyham and get this X-L thing fixed up I mean then you can what… ? No I know but … okay but I mean if you said you need this money to join this here copier union so this band

will even play what you… how much? He did hey … ? No but that's neat I mean … no but look hey Bast I mean if Mister Wonder wants to help you out where he'll pay you like fifty dollars to write this jingle for his beer I mean that will pay to … no but I mean like he says making fifty dollars on the side, you… what? No I just mean on the side like, you know … ? No well sure but… no I know but I mean see when you get to do your own work you're always … No okay okay! I mean holy, I mean where I'm just trying to help you out it's… no I know but I mean it's like with me all this here homework which I'm already getting this

D in math and Mrs Joubert says I'm heading for one in social studies and even … Who, Mrs Joubert? Sure she's okay, she … No like she was out a few days but hey there she is, isn't that funny just when we're talking about her she walks down the … No she looks real healthy sure, she just a second … Do you want to use this here phone Mister Gibbs?

Okay just a second… Just this one thing hey you know you said it would take you like a month to read that statistician thing of the United States book I got you? See well I sent in and had you enrolled in this here rapid reading course which all you … hey? Hello hey? hello :..

? And the door clattered fully open. —Hey where'd you get those Mister Gibbs?

—Those what.

—No I just meant those sneakers, I mean like I never saw you wear…

—My mother got them for me, where else do you get sneakers. Don't you like them?

—Honest? No sure I mean they're real neat with those red stars and all, he said getting his armload. —I always wanted them since, you know Buzzie? He had them…

And the door clattered closed, silent for a moment before the receiver came down, the dial spun, —Mister Rich? Jack. I want fifty on Sam's Pet tomorrow in the second at… what? Well then how the hell do you expect me to … Well look, give me twenty on the double, Sam's Pet and Belle Amie and I'm in for an even eight hundred… the last time, yes… the receiver clattered down and the door, more slowly, opened, —bastard.

—Jack… ?

—Oh! he started up, half out of the booth, —didn't see you…

—I wasn't sure, when suddenly I saw your foot…

—These? He sank back to extend them, —I'm just ah, a favor I'm doing for Coach, tie-in he has with a sneaker company and he asked me to …

—No please, please I don't want you to explain…

—Have to explain Amy … he was getting to his feet, —lot of things I, things I wanted to straighten out first…

—I've just felt you've been avoiding me, that you, where have you been? I've hardly…

—Been? Been, straying from the curriculum, you miss my homeroom this morning? Doing it all to please Whiteback … he stopped at the

clock there and drew a hand over his face, —going to be a long day. Now what was, Glancy's class straying from the curriculum yes, people on other worlds, the chance of running into one and two dimensional people out there…

—Jack…

—Run into a two dimensional people sideways you couldn't even see him…

—Jack please, she put a hand on his arm turning back down the corridor, —you don't look…

—Just so damned many things from so many directions Amy, trying to straighten them out before I, when I didn't get down to that cafeteria to meet you for dinner that night because…

—No it's all right I, I couldn't get there either…

—Well I'm, God I'm glad of that… and he turned abruptly where they'd stopped just short of the outside doors to stare with that intentness of committing some detail to memory, loft of brow or curve of throat, —few things I have to go in and straighten out…

—Into town? I'm going in later I think…

—Are you? are you? Look… he took her arm to move her away from the glass door being pushed vainly from the other side, without a glance up till it came open on a sweep of fur, —what time do you…

—Jack… ?

—Why what…

—I had to drive out here and I thought I'd stop in. Is school over?

—Well yes it's, yes it, excuse me this is, this is Mrs Grynszpan, Mrs, Mrs diCephalis … he stepped back for the gloved hand to brush the other's tapered fingers, —just wouldn't have expected you here, I …

—I don't want to interrupt anything, I know you're…

—No please it's all right, I have a class to prepare for tomorrow. I enjoyed meeting you.

—Wait… he fled his image on the dark glasses, —Stella wait here, be right back…

She watched them as far as the clock, and then stepped away from the draft of the door.

—Excuse me, are you looking for somebody?

—Pardon? Oh, no no I'm just waiting for someone … cornered, she caught her breath, —thank you… and she watched that back up the corridor, saw it through the salutation returning now from the other direction.

—Stella what are you doing here.

—I told you, she said stepping through the door he held for her. — Who was that.

—Who.

—That man who just went in with the, with the scars…

—Oh Coach, that's our Coach, why.

—He just, just startled me.

—But what the hell are you doing here anyhow!

—I told you, I came out to see my aunts and I thought I'd stop and, I thought you might want to come into town with me.

—What for.

—But you're not in the nicest mood are you, and that suit Jack, she led on into the parking lot, looking down, —And those sneakers you're wearing…

—Helping Coach out on the, trying the youngsters out on floor hockey.

—You?

—They love it, get to hit each other with sticks and…

—You can't have been drinking?

—Think I stay in here at noon and eat carrot sticks?

She stopped by a car. —Shall I wait for you to get your shoes and, and a coat?

—Have to ride me in like this Stella, he got the opposite door, —or shall I ride you in.

—Please stop it, she said, in behind the wheel, and as they started to move —was there any particular reason to introduce me as Mrs whatever you …

—Grynszpan yes, sorry I didn't give the full name did I, Mrs Hyman Grynszpan. College chum.

—And I suppose some day I may even learn the name of your lovely Mrs, whatever that ridiculous name you made up …

—No no diCephalis, here let me stop and introduce you, this figure going out the gate ahead of us, you can see he's accident prone go slowly, thinks of himself as a vehicle sometimes and he might try to …

—That? she swept the wheel in a turn, —that's her husband?

—That's Dan diCephalis our ah, our resident psycho…

—It's quite an assortment you work with isn't it, except for your Miss, Mrs, turned out by Patou even three or four seasons old she's quite elegant… and they turned into open highway. —What's someone like her doing there.

—Same thing someone like I is. Am. Like I am is, there, something like I am is, is that what I said?

—Will you please take your feet down?

—These? Pardon?

—Those terrible sneakers, will you get them off the dashboard.

—When suddenly I saw your foot, know that poem?

—Isn't she a little young?

—For what, teaching?

—For you.

—Listen Stella what… he was getting knees around, getting an arm over the seat, —what did you come there for anyhow, you don't like my friends, you don't like my sneakers, you…

—I told you.

—I don't believe you. I don't believe you got into furs and dark glasses to come out and see your aunts, what are the shades for

anyhow? Day's so gray I can hardly see without them.

Without turning from the road she raised a glove from the wheel to lift the glasses away, and drop them back. —Now do you?

—But my, good lord what…

—Norman.

—Gave you that? He must have hit you with, must have hit you with a hammer what happened, he got a can of blue paint and a can of orange paint and…

—Please Jack, stop it. It wasn't nice and it, it certainly wasn't funny.

He sagged somewhat, dug out a cigarette and came forward, trying buttons, —there…

—Do we need the radio?

—Looking for the God damned lighter.

—It's that one, at the end. Can you turn that down a little?

—Little, thought it was Moonglow but it's that damned Tchaikowski thing … he settled back in smoke as they veered to an open lane, waved to the glirnpse of age clinging to the wheel of the car they passed.

—Jack I wish you could just…

—Wait let's hear the commercial, thought it was Tchaikowski but it's that God damned…