Пролетая над гнездом кукушки

           Oncehetookabreakforacigaretteandtiltedbackinhischair,hishandsfoldedbehindhishead,andtoldtheguys,"Thesecretofbeingatop-notchconmanisbeingabletoknowwhatthemarkwants,andhowtomakehimthinkhe’sgettingit.IlearnedthatwhenIworkedaseasononaskillowheelinacarnival.Youfe-e-elthesuckeroverwithyoureyeswhenhecomesupandyousay,‘Nowhere’sabirdthatneedstofeeltough.’Soeverytimehesnapsatyoufortakinghimyouquakeinyourboots,scaredtodeath,andtellhim,‘Please,sir.Notrouble.Thenextrollisonthehouse,sir.’Sothebothofyouaregettingwhatyouwant."

           Herocksforward,andthelegsofhischaircomedownwithacrack.Hepicksupthedeck,zipshisthumboverit,knockstheedgeofitagainstthetabletop,lickshisthumbandfinger.

           "AndwhatIdeduceyoumarksneedisabigfatpottotemptateyou.Here’stenpackagesonthenextdeal.Hey-yah,comin’atyou,gutsballfromhereonout...."

           Andthrowsbackhisheadandlaughsoutloudatthewaytheguyshustledtogettheirbetsdown.

           Thatlaughbangedaroundthedayroomallevening,andallthetimehewasdealinghewasjokingandtalkingandtryingtogettheplayerstolaughalongwithhim.Buttheywereallafraidtoloosenup;it’dbeentoolong.Hegaveuptryingandsettleddowntoseriousdealing.Theywonthedealoffhimatimeortwo,buthealwaysboughtitbackorfoughtitback,andthecigarettesoneachsideofhimgrewinbiggerandbiggerpyramidstacks.

           Thenjustbeforenine-thirtyhestartedlettingthemwin,letsthemwinitallbacksofasttheydon’thardlyrememberlosing.