Chapter 13

           Whentheyhadgone,HarshawstartedtogiveinstructionstoDuke–theninsteadsaidgrumpily,"Whatareyoulookingsourabout?"

           "Boss,whenarewegoingtogetridofthatghoul?"

           "‘Ghoul’?Why,youprovinciallout!"

           "Okay,soIcomefromKansas.Youwon’tfindanycasesofcannibalisminKansas–theywereallfartherwest.I’vegotmyownopinionsaboutwhoisaloutandwhoisn’t?butI’meatinginthekitchenuntilwegetridofhim."

           Harshawsaidicily,"So?Don’tputyourselfout.Annecanhaveyourclosingcheckreadyinfiveminutes?anditoughtnottotakeyoumorethantenminutestopackupyourcomicbooksandyourothershirt."

           Dukehadbeensettingupaprojector.Hestoppedandstraightenedup."Oh,Ididn’tmeanthatIwasquitting."

           "Itmeansexactlythattome,son."

           "But–Imean,whatthehell?I’veeateninthekitchenlotsoftimes."

           "Soyouhave.Foryourownconvenience,ortokeepfrommakingextraworkforthegirls.Orsomesuch.Youcanhavebreakfastinbed,forallofme,ifyoucanbribethegirlstoserveittoyou.Butnobodywhosleepsundermyroofrefusestoeatatmytablebecausehedoesn’twanttoeatwithotherswhoeatthere.Ihappentobeofanalmostextinctbreed,anold-fashionedgentleman–whichmeansIcanbearealrevolvingsonofbitchwhenitsuitsme.Anditsuitsmerightnow?whichistosaythatnoignorant,superstitious,prejudicedbumpkinispermittedtotellmewhois,orisnot,fittoeatatmytable.