J R

  —Look I don’t want to get them by the short hair! can’t you understand that? And reading all these things I couldn’t understand them anyhow don’t you understand that? I’m just . . .

  —No but look Bast I mean that’s why I been sending away for these books and all for you, like Understanding Financial Statements I mean it tells how to read a balance sheet and all didn’t you get that? and like Statistican something of the United States and this here Moody’s something, didn’t you get them?

  —I got them yes! What do you think I . . .

  —No but I mean they really cost plenty, like you didn’t even read them hey? Like this here Moody’s something manual I mean it cost like . . .

  —Of course I haven’t read it it would take a month just to, look that’s what I just said who asked you to! The Statistical Abstract of the United States Moody’s Industrials who asked you to buy them! What . . .

  —No but look hey I mean holy, I mean where we said we’ll help each other out like and I mean all I said is will you read up this here literture and . . .

  —Will you stop saying literture! Look I said I’d help you out once just this once, and you . . .

  —No but I can’t help if that’s what they call it! and, and I mean holy shit like you’re getting lo keep all these here dividends which they’re excludable and all I mean I just thought you could like read up this here, this here stuff in your spare time like where you said once you can compose this music where you’re doing something else like you’re going for a walk or on the train and all see so I just thought where you have all this here spare time to do your own work like you’re always . . .

  —To do what work! what spare time! watching a bunch of idiots play softball listening to them bray God Bless America do you think I look, look these expenses let’s just clear up these expenses and whatever you owe me and . . .

  —Okay don’t get mad I mean see that’s what I mean about this here operating cash on this here loan you know? See we . . .

  —I don’t know no! I don’t want to I just . . .

  —No but see it’s all wrote out there from Mister Piscator this here loan off Hopper’s bank to Eagle management see so we have some opérât . . .

  —Look will you look at this? Just . . .

  —And I mean this here whole fifty dollars I gave you at the boys’ room at school for like expenses and . . .

  —Well that’s what this is! You wanted me to write it all down didn’t you? every nickel I spent so I wouldn’t cheat you out of . . .

  —No but wait hey wait! Who said you’ll cheat anybody, I mean see what it is it’s this whole thing where you get to deduct all these here business expenses like riding around and eating you get to deduct them off taxes and all see that’s the whole thing of it hey, I mean see I was reading in this little booklet I got where this here corporation tax it’s like fifty-two percent after you take off these expense deductions and all, see so that means for every dollar you spend it’s only costing like forty-eight cents see? I mean that’s the whole thing of how it all works see so where I said will you write down . . .

  —All right! look, bus fare nineteen eighty, hotel three nights seventeen sixteen, three breakfasts one twenty, two lun . . .

  —I mean you didn’t charge that turkey dinner and all did you hey? Because like it said in the paper where they’re the host and all see like if they’re deducting it too we’d be . . .

  —No! and I, look I didn’t charge the quarter I put in the radio either will you just . . .

  —No I mean I just wondered . . . he had one leg up on the radiator working with the pencil stub—because, I mean how come it has like two lunches a dollar forty then there’s this here sandwich a whole dollar I mean how come . . .

  —Because lunch in Union Falls is cheap and this bus stop sandwich was two pieces of dry bread with a piece of dry cheese . . .

  —No that’s okay I just wondered twenty, three, four, carry two and one is three, four, forty-four twenty-one then you still have this here ninety-four cents so that’s eight, five . . . somewhere a urinal flushed—wait, four from nought borrow ten, five, I mean then you already spent like your pay you already spent five dollars forty-two cents from it so I mean even with what I still owe you minus that and like minus this here ten dollars from that field trip I mean that doesn’t hardly leave . . .

  —Look it doesn’t matter! Just give me whatever you . . .

  —No but see how it comes out there’s still most of this ten dollars from that field trip I loaned you and I mean you’ll need more for bus fare and all later anyway where you’re taking this guy to dinner see so . . .

  —Look I’m not taking your Mister Piscator to dinner don’t . . .

  —No not him hey it’s one of these here old brothers this Mister Wonder, see . . .

  —No.

  —No but wait a second see he’s only here this once see and . . .

  —No!

  —And I mean you have to eat anyway see so I just thought wait, wait where you going hey! What’s all that stuff wait . . .!

  —It’s music what does it look like, I’m . . .

  —No but you wrote all this here music hey?

  —Of course I did, now . . .

  —No but I mean how come you’re just yelling about you don’t get a chance to do your own work and you write this whole pile of . . .

  —It’s not my own work! I just wrote it for some dancers to make enough money to . . .

  —No but hey Bast? I mean, I mean where I said maybe we can use each other so you can do this here work you’re always yelling about you can’t get it done holy, I mean is it my fault you go write all this music for these here dancers instead? I mean . . .

  —Look I just told you I did this to earn some money so I can do my own work. I’m taking it down there now to get paid and I can settle things with you and get that check the school owes me and get out of this mess that’s all, now . . .

  —No well, well okay. I mean go ahead I, see I just thought I was helping you out and I mean now you . . .

  —All right look, look. I’ll stop on my way out and see this Piscator for you and give him these papers and then whatever you . . .

  —Okay wait a second . . . he got a leg down, digging in pockets—I mean where you only got like this ninety-four cents . . . he had out a glistening black wallet secured by a heavy elastic—wait you want this for your shoe hey? I mean where the bottom’s coming off like you can put this rubber band around it.

  —Yes well, if you don’t need it yes I . . .

  —Okay and look, I mean you might need some expenses see . . . he had a wad out of the wallet, tugged out the corner of a ten and thrust it back, untangled a single, another—and I mean we can just settle up when you get all these payments okay?

  —Yes well I, as soon as . . .

  —Okay look here’s four dollars, okay? And see I was just thinking, I mean later if you got nothing to do if you want to take this here old Mister Wonder to dinner see it wouldn’t cost you anything because I already got you this invitation to this here gala banquet which here’s the delicious full course menu of it, see? And where it says you get to see this here movie Golden Evenings which will cast a haunting glow over this festive occasion, may we make reservations for yourself and your spouse see so I made these reservations where you can pretend he’s this spouse because he’s real old anyway and you and him can talk about this brewery deal which I wrote it all down while you’re having this here festive occasion and wait, wait that real smooth quarter I just gave you it looks real old, hey? If it’s nineteen sixteen it’s worth like a hundred dollars . . . he called after Bast pursuing it now in a long curve brought up short against a fine blucher, where a length of tweed shook and the urinal flushed.

  —My God Bast, you all right there? In here being sick, are you? Good thing I caught you before you got back to work though, forgot to mention these hippos. Same damned thing along the Nile River there, overgrazing, talk about killing s
ix or seven thousand of them to preserve the habitat, but what about our own bayou country down here, eh? Great fellow the hippo, give you the chance to change pace a little, get in a little hippo music? Liven things up down here in the Everglades maybe, preserving that from him eh? And take care of yourself there Bast, came back over the mass of shoulder thrust against the door,—don’t look well at all, no . . . he repeated as the door closed behind him,—didn’t look well at all . . . up the marble toward the Sardis column where he was hit knee, waist and elbow.—Here here! What in . . .

  —Look out for the man hey!

  —Children stop running! Now where are the, why Mister Crawley! what . . .

  —What? What? Amy? What the devil are you doing here?

  —We’ve just come in on a field trip.

  —Oh. Thought you were still off teaching somewhere.

  —Well yes I am, that’s what these children . . .

  —Oh I see, all these little ruffians yours, are they?

  —No it’s really an eighth grade trip, I’m just helping out. But I wouldn’t have expected to see you here.

  —Oh? Yes, well, little change of scene of course, he muttered looking down as from the height of a shoal at the heads bobbing past,—came up for a chat with that young fellow you sent around to me in fact, young composer fellow . . .

  —Not Edward, Bast? Here now? in the museum?

  —A bit inaccessible right now I’m afraid yes, got him doing something for me you know.

  —Edward? for you? But what in the world would he . . .

  —Doing something in music for me yes, composing a little something you know.

  —But I never would have, you don’t mean you’ve commissioned him to compose something? I think that’s simply marvelous of you Mister Crawley, I know he . . .

  —Glad to help him along Amy, not every day there’s the chance to patronize the arts this way is it. Help the starving young composer along in his garret? Looks the part too doesn’t he, shame he can’t stick to it.

  —To music? But that’s the only thing he really . . .

  —Yes, problem is I try to talk to him about art and all he seems to talk about is money.

  —But, Edward? Bast? I’d heard something yes, but . . .

  —This business association he’s tied himself up in yes, pretty shrewd outfit of course but it would be a damn shame to see him sit back and let this fine talent of his go to pot, eh? Anybody can be a millionaire but a young fellow with a talent like that owes the world something, don’t you think? Ought to take better care of himself. Looking a little peaked yourself Amy.

  —Well I’m just, just waiting until things are . . .

  —Always said I admired your spirit a good deal more than your judgment you know, think you’d have proved whatever it is you want to prove by this time.

  —There’s nothing I can do until all this with Lucien is settled and I can . . .

  —This Joubert you mean, yes. Shouldn’t be long though, get that Nobili business straightened out and you’re rid of him, better get back to your charges though hadn’t you, don’t think they should be sailing cups in the fountain there . . .

  —Boys! Come away from there . . .!

  —Nice to see you Amy, I’ll give Beaton a call and try to move things along.

  —If you could, I know Mister Beaton means well but all he seems to do is complicate things . . .

  —Can’t blame him, just doing what he’s told you know and of course he’s had to stall things a little hasn’t he, give your Uncle John a chance to pick up enough of the stock to give this Joubert of yours a run for his money.

  —What? What stock.

  —What? This Nobili of course, takes time to pick it up a bit here, bit there without running the price up, even with the bank in there doing all the . . .

  —But I thought they were buying it from Lucien, I thought the whole point was simply that he wanted the money and they wanted his controlling stock interest, Mister Beaton said . . .

  —Was until he tried to hold them up, yes, little bit of an opportunist isn’t he, this Joubert of yours.

  —He’s, and please don’t keep saying of mine he’s, if he already has the controlling interest what good is Uncle John running around buying it up in bits and pieces if he can never . . .

  —No no, just until he has enough to start dumping it and drive down the price you know, thought Beaton had probably tried to explain it to you.

  —But even if the price goes down and Lucien still won’t sell I don’t see what good . . .

  —Won’t have much choice of course though will he, looks like he’s borrowed against it all over the lot and when the price drops and he runs out of collateral the banks will sell it for him, all a damn nuisance for your Uncle John of course but . . .

  —But what will happen to . . .

  —This Joubert of, Joubert? Might ruin him of course but I wouldn’t . . .

  —No to Francis, to Francis.

  —Who?

  —Francis! My little boy Francis, they said Lucien would try to use him as a weapon, that he . . .

  —Wouldn’t get mixed up in this Amy, too many compli . . .

  —Mixed up in it! But I am mixed up in it, he’s my son! Francis is my son! If Lucien took him to Geneva I don’t know what I . . . boys! I’m sorry, I’d better go after them . . .

  —Yes take care of yourself Amy, wouldn’t get mixed up in all this right now you know. Take care of yourself.

  —But, goodbye then, I hope . . . boys! Here, give me these cups. Where’s everyone else?

  —They went all over, could we just go back and look at the . . .

  —Well where’s Mister Vogel?

  —He went to the toilet Mrs Joubert, could we just . . .

  —No here he comes, I think we’re leaving, Mister Vogel? We’re over here. But where did you . . .

  —Found one of the lost tribes camped out in the gents’.

  —But where did you come from? she said bent down to the figure being weighed toward her by his shifting armload and the hand heavy on each shoulder.

  —Me?

  —Yes what on earth are you doing here?

  —I’m on this here field trip.

  —But you’re, this is an eighth grade trip and you’re not even . . . she straightened away from the trespass in the gaze fixed fallen over the boy’s head.—You’ve been with us all this time?

  —Sure I was in the back of the bus, didn’t you see me? See I got this here special permission off Mrs diCephalis when I first heard about it, you know?

  —No I don’t, what did you . . .

  —See because like I’m real interested in art and all.

  —You?

  —Well like in all that Egyptian stuff and, you know, like these here broken statues and all. You know?

  —I certainly didn’t, but I’m glad to hear it. And please find a handkerchief. Mister Vogel I’m awfully sorry but I have to leave, I really hadn’t counted on doing this today and something’s just come up . . .

  —No I didn’t either, I thought I was taking them to the basketball game.

  —Yes I’m afraid some of them did too but these mixups happen, and I’m sure no one will blame you, now how many were we. Three, four, boys over this way . . . They surged for the doors,—I’ll help you get them down to the bus and then if I can find a telephone, it’s a sort of family problem that I simply must, seven, eight, let’s all use the same door so we can keep, eleven, twelve, try to keep a line going down the steps, there’s a wind isn’t there . . . she excused the hand brushed behind her, and stepped away from it,—I hope you understand Mister Vogel and I’m sure you can explain things . . . She stepped away again but now it followed, lingered down the crevice.—I, I’m sure you can explain . . . she said, half a turn to him.

  —I could feel its whiteness.

  —I, pardon?

  —I could feel its whiteness, underneath. I hoped you wouldn’t mind.

  —Well I, I have to hurry,
I . . .

  —But just, Niadu Airgetlam Mrs Joubert, have you heard of him? Niadu of the Silver Hand?

  —No I’m afraid I . . .

  —Or Nodens, under the name Nodens?

  —No I’m afraid not I . . .

  —Or of the Fisher King? the Fisher King?

  —No I can’t say that I, I think you’d better see to the children . . .

  —It’s not that they don’t notice, at first they stare and then it’s just another fact, disfigurement is just a fact in the wasteland kids live in.

  —Yes well I, I must hurry, I . . .

  —Let me once, just, let me reach . . .

  —Mister . . . Vogel please I . . .

  —Just once . . .

  —Mister . . . Vogel please you, you must see to the children . . . she got a step back toward the doors straightening her collar,—they’re waiting down there for you . . .

  Down there the bus roared.

  —Come on quit pushing . . .

  —Hey Mister Vogel . . .?

  —I know you can explain things to Mrs diCephalis when you get back out there, do be careful . . . It roared. The door clattered.—She may even have enjoyed the basketball . . .

  And the cargo heaved, shifted, through lights, blocking intersections,—I’m sure no one will blame you . . . The bus wallowed through traffic, seethed through the tunnel where light caught his lips moving in the glass,—I know you can explain things . . . Lights passing in both directions,—She may even have enjoyed the basketball . . . He licked his lips.—Just once . . . the seats bounced, lights from both directions,—you can explain things . . . Lights, minutes, the hand on the illuminated dial pointing 50, 40, 55, the hand—She may even have enjoyed the basketball . . . the hand retreating at last, dropped to 20, 5, the cargo shifted, heaved, cheered from behind,—just another fact . . . mounted a curb crushing leaves, candy wrappers,—they’re waiting for you down there . . . And the lights came on, caught his lips again, the door clattered,—down there waiting for you . . . and he came through the still clash of headlights.—Just get back? crushing leaves,—enjoy the basketball?