Chapter 15

           Itwasadayasdifferentfromotherdaysasdogsarefromcatsandbothofthemfromchrysanthemumsortidalwavesorscarletfever.Itisthelawinmanystates,certainlyinours,thatitmustrainonlongholidayweekends,elsehowcouldthemultitudesgetdrenchedandmiserable?TheJulysunfoughtoffamultitudeoflittlefeatheredcloudsanddrovethemscuttling,butthunderheadslookedoverthewesternrim,thestrong-armrain-bearersfromtheHudsonRiverValley,armedwithlightningandalreadymumblingtothemselves.Ifthelawwasproperlyobeyed,theywouldholdbackuntilamaximumnumberofant-happyhumanswereonthehighwaysandthebeaches,summer-dressedandsummer-green.

           Mostoftheotherstoresdidnotopenuntilnine-thirty.IthadbeenMarullo’sthoughttocatchapinchoftradebyhavingmejumpthegunhalfanhour.IthoughtIwouldchangethat.Itcausedmoreillfeelingamongtheotherstoresthantheprofitjustified.Marullodidn’tcareaboutthat,ifheeverknewaboutit.Hewasaforeigner,awop,acriminal,atyrant,asqueezerofthepoor,abastard,andeightkindsofsonofabitch.Ihavingdestroyedhim,itwasonlynaturalthathisfaultsandcrimesshouldbecomeblindinglyapparenttome.

           Ifeltoldlonghandedgingaroundonmyfather’swatchandIfoundIwassweepingviciouslywithtensedmuscles,waitingforthemomentofswift,smoothmovementofmymission.Ibreathedthroughmymouth,andmystomachpushedagainstmylungsasIrememberitdidwaitingforanattack.