Tuesday morning, in the Kazan Store, tongues were flapping and ears were open.
"Yes," said Mildred Baker to Ellis, at the meat counter, "they tell me Nicholas Abraham has a wife. That scoundrel!"
"That's what they say!" Ellis, cutting meat, replied.
"How's that?" asked Janet Silverman, overhearing, "I heard she wants money from Nicholas!"
"Where did you hear that?" Mildred questioned.
"From one of my snoopy bird dogs!" Janet snapped.
At Cole High School, during the morning break, Bill Kazan and a new friend, Ruth Anson, were chatting in front of the gym. Karen Ingram, her face heavy with makeup, and wearing a new dress, walked up.
"Bill," Karen said, "have you been missing your car trunk key?"
"Yes," Bill, not really wanting to talk to Karen, replied.
"I found it last night!" Karen said.
"Where?" Bill asked.
Karen pretended to be waving to someone, and looked away.
"Where?" Bill, his voice growing angry, again asked.
"Oh," Karen teased, "it was on my bedroom floor. Of course, I can't imagine how it got there! Anyway, I got it!"
"Give it to me," Bill said, "and I'll be eternally grateful!"
"Oh," Karen said, "I see we're learning the art of sarcasm now! I don't have it here--I mean, it's at my house! I'll be home tonight if you want to come get it!"
"Well," said Ruth, "I better be leaving, Bill. If you two have business to discuss, I better be leaving."
"No!" Bill said. "Please stay!"
"Oh, Ruth," Karen said, "I hate to cramp your style, but Bill and I do have something to discuss."
"No, we--" Bill began.
"I'll see you, Ruth," Karen said. "Nice seeing you."
"Okay, damn you, Karen," Bill said, "What the hell is so important that I have to go to your house to get my trunk key?"
Karen began to cry. Bill, pretending to be indifferent, looked away.
"Want a cigarette?" Bill said.
"No," Karen replied. "Remember, we're at school. We've been in enough trouble lately--I don't want us getting suspended for smoking at school!"
"Karen," Bill said, "do you realize how scared you had my ass when you lied that you were pregnant?"
"Well," Karen said, "that didn't seem to bother you when Bobby Nace caught us in the motel room, did it!"
"Uh--" Bill mumbled, his face turning red.
"Admit it, baby," Karen said. "We're meant for each other. You're probably the most handsome guy in this town. You don't take shit from anybody! It's probably no secret to you that you weren't my first fuck, but, man, you're the best!"
"Damn," Bill said, "do you realize how trashy that sounded, Karen?"
"Oh, Bill," Karen again cried, "I made you a cake. It would look pretty funny if I brought it to school."
"I don't know if I want your damn cake!" Bill, grabbing Karen's arm, said.
"You'll have to come to my house to get that key, then," Karen said, wiping her tears.
After a silence during which the two looked deeply into each others eyes, Bill suddenly realized that Karen, despite her reputation, really did love him. In a rather vulgar way, he looked up and down her early matured body.
Karen grew excited.
"I'll be out around eight tonight," Bill said.
"You'll never regret it!" Karen said. "I'll never lie to you again. You'll never regret it!"
Later in the day, in class, Karen passed a note to Sarah Hammer, which read,
I got Bill back! He's going to be so
proud of me! I'll give him anything
he wants, and answer to any call!
What a damn fool! Sarah Hammer thought. At least, Karen was happy. Bill, she knew, would be happy too.
"Operator," said Abel Moses, over the telephone in his store, "long distance to Vicksburg, Kyler and Burnington Realtors." There was a short pause. "Hello, may I speak to Mr. Kyler?" Another pause followed. "I don't give a damn if he is in conference--tell him it's Abel Moses, his old friend from Cole. Thanks."
After another pause, Abel continued.
"Hi--hi, Ralph. This is your old buddy, Abel Moses. Listen, I'm gonna sell my house and store here."
"Where are you planning to go?" a skeptical Ralph Kyler asked.
"I don't know where I'm going," Abel replied. "I'll tell you more about it another time, but I'm just getting out of this town!"
"Have you thought about Vicksburg?"
"I don't know--will you shut up and let me talk?" Abel continued. "I'm just getting away from Cole, Mississippi. I want you to handle my property. Don't sell it to anybody trashy. There must be some good soul who wants to buy my place and fix it up! The store might be hopeless, but the house, after a couple of coats of paint and a few repairs, would be good as new!"
"And if I can't sell it?"
"But you can!" Abel replied. "I've seen you work miracles with other properties a lot worse off than mine. If you don't sell it, I might consider giving it to Captain Sam!"
"Whose Captain Sam?"
"Oh," Abel remorsefully replied, "just an old friend from down the street."
"Okay, okay," Ralph concluded, "I'll meet with you in a few days and see what I can do. Do you have any debt on the place?"
"No, thank God. But it's all a matter of time before it all falls down if somebody doesn't come along and fix it up. Thanks, Ralph, for anything you can do to speed this up! See ya!"
After the conversation, Abel looked the store over. Where he was going, he thought, he did not know. But after last Saturday night, it would not be anywhere near Cole!
No comments:
Post a Comment