Chapter 21

           Iwashalfwaydownwhenshefollowedme."Didyoumeantoleaveyourstick?"

           "Lord,no."

           "Hereitis.Ithoughtitmightbeakindof—sacrifice."

           Itwasrainingandthatmakeshoneysucklesmellsweetinthenight.MylegsweresowobblythatIreallyneededthenarwhalstick.

           FatWilliehadarollofpapertowelsontheseatbesidehimtomopthesweatfromhishead.

           "I’llgiveyouoddsIknowwhosheis."

           "You’dwin."

           "Say,Eth,there’sbeenaguylookingforyou—guyinabigChrysler,withachauffeur."

           "What’dhewant?"

           "Idon’tknow.WantedtoknowifIseenyou.Ididn’tgiveapeep."

           "You’llgetaChristmaspresent,Willie."

           "Say,Eth,what’sthematterwithyourfeet?"

           "Beenplayingpoker.Theywenttosleep."

           "Yeah!they’lldothat.IfIseetheguy,shallItellhimyou’vewenthome?"

           "Tellhimtocometothestoretomorrow."

           "ChryslerImperial.Bigsonofabitch,longasafreightcar."

           Joey-boywasstandingonthesidewalkinfrontoftheForemaster,lookinglimpandhumid.

           "ThoughtyouweregoingintoNewYorkforacoldbottle."

           "Toohot.Couldn’tputmyheartinit.Comeinandhaveadrink,Ethan.I’mfeelinglow."

           "Toohotforadrink,Morph."

           "Evenabeer?"

           "Beerheatsmeup."

           "Storyofmylife.Whenthecardsaredown—noplacetogo.Nobodytotalkto."

           "Youshouldgetmarried."

           "That’snobodytotalktoinspades."

           "Maybeyou’reright."

           "DamnrightIam.There’snobodyaslonelyasanall-marriedman."