Зима тревоги нашей

           Waldercalled,"Whatdoyougetforpiccalilli?"

           "It’smarkedonthelabel."

           "Thirty-ninecents,ma’am,"hesaid.Andhewenttowork,measuring,bagging,adding.Hereachedinfrontofmetoringupcashontheregister.WhenhemovedawayItookabagfromthepile,openedthedrawer,and,usingthebaglikeapotholder,Ipickeduptheoldrevolver,tookitbacktothetoilet,anddroppeditinthecanofcrankcaseoilthatwaitedforit.

           "You’regoodatthis,"IsaidwhenIcameback.

           "IusedtohaveajobatGrandUnionafterschool."

           "Itshows."

           "Don’tyouhaveanybodytohelp?"

           "I’mgoingtobringmyboyin."

           Customersalwayscomeincoveys,neverinevenlyspacedsingles.Aclerkgetssetintheintervaltomeetthenextflight.Anotherthing,whentwomendosomethingtogethertheybecomealike,differencesofmindbecomelessragged.TheArmydiscoveredthatblackandwhitenolongerfighteachotherwhentheyhavesomethingelsetofightincompany.MysubcutaneousfearofacopdissipatedwhenWalderweighedoutapoundoftomatoesandtottedupalistoffiguresonabag.

           Ourfirstflighttookoff.

           "Bettertellmequickwhatyouwant,"Isaid.

           "IpromisedMarulloI’dcomeouthere.Hewantstogiveyouthestore."

           "You’renuts.Ibegyourpardon,ma’am.Iwasspeakingtomyfriend."

           "Oh,yes.Ofcourse.Well,therearefiveofus—threechildren.HowmanyfrankfurterswillIneed?"

           "Fiveapieceforthechildren,threeforyourhusband,twoforyou.That’stwenty."