И проиграли бой

           Thecustomerchuckled."Well,twentycupsofcoffeeisadollar,Al.You’llfoldupifyougoaboutitthatway.Coming,Will?"Thetwogotupandpaidtheirchecksandwalkedout.

           Alcamearoundthecornerandfollowedthemtothedoorandsliditmoretightlyclosed.ThenhewalkedbackdownthecounterandleanedovertowardMac."Whoareyouguys?"hedemanded.Hehadfat,comfortablewhitearms,baretotheelbows.Hecarriedadampclothwithwhichhewipedandwipedatthecounter,withlittlecircularmovements.Hismannerofleaningclosewhenhespokemadeeveryspeechseemsecret.

           Macwinkedsolemnly,likeaconspirator."We’resentdownfromthecityonbusiness,"hesaid.

           AredflushofexcitementbloomedonAl’sfatcheeks."Oho-o.That’sjustwhatIthoughtwhenyoucomein.How’dyouknowtocometome?"

           Macexplained."Youbeengoodtoourpeople,andwedon’tforgetthingslikethat."

           Albeamedimportantly,asthoughhewerereceivingagiftinsteadofbeingbummedforameal."Here,wait,"hesaid."Youguysprobablyain’tatetoday.I’llslingonacoupleofhamburgsteaks."

           "That’llbeswell,"Macagreedenthusiastically."We’rejustaboutstarved."

           Alwenttohisice-boxanddugouttwohandfulsofgroundmeat.Hepattedthemthinbetweenhishands,paintedthegasplatewithalittlebrushandtosseddownthesteaks.Heputchoppedonionsontopandaroundthemeat.Adeliciousodorfilledtheroominstantly.