— Billy? will you call? please? and she watched them out only long enough to see the books tumbled into the leaves as he came off the step, to see wind flapping the raincoat stooped picking them up as though they'd been flung in that boisterous climb of school out for the day and even the laughter she couldn't hear now, getting the door closed against it, turning away so that when the car made the turn down the hill, the wave of a hand leavetook the blind windows of simply a house.
She'd walked back through the kitchen where the clock was now labouring the hour when fingertips had traced down her back, lingered at the top of the rift searching over the edge, down it, deeper, desperate fictions like the immortal soul and these damned babies rushing around demanding to be born and born again, it was all fear, standing there and looking in where the smoke had paled and the dust settled over the littered table under the dimmed panes, over the books, bundles, trash bags, all at once she stepped back and slammed the door full, jammed the padlock closed on it with the heel of her hand and turned crumpling a paper napkin to blow her nose. Stillness filled the place but she seemed to be listening, afraid I disturbed you Mrs Booth but he learned how to use the damned shovel, that's the difference. I wish you'd never said that Bibb, you've always got the upper hand that's like how you survive but he's sort of a neat old, afraid I disturbed you Mrs Booth… She turned on the radio, to be told there was a forcible rape in this country every six minutes and she turned that off, eyes fixed on the still phone till she picked it up and dialed. — Yes, hello? Let me, this is Mrs Booth Elizabeth Booth, may I speak to Adolph? It's just… Oh, oh no that's all right no, don't interrupt him. It's nothing important.
And here they came, borne up the hill on shouts borne in tatters like the leaves blown one like another, spotted, yellowed here, drawn shriveled brown there but all leaves, hats, a glove or a mitten or even a sock, was it? a book in the air spilling pages and the spill of a grin on the face of the smallest of them frozen at wide eyed sight of her there halved in the glass panels of the door where she held to the newel as though fighting for balance, still as the old man propped on his broom out there recovering his bearings, getting his footing against the threat of movement anywhere even hers, now she suddenly pulled open the door and came out for two books almost indistinct from the leaves where they'd fallen, one of them in a yellow jacket and the other, in brown buckram, Bantu Prophets of South Africa she saw when she'd got them in, got the door closed tight before she turned for the stairs.
Où est-ce que je peux changer des dollars pour des francs?
She watched till the lips appeared on the screen shaping the words, drawing her own tight against their artifice, pulling up the welter of sheets, stretching the bottom one and tucking its corners, unfurling the top one, shaking it out.
Can I change dollars in the hotel? Est-ce que je peux changer l'argent a…
And standing there watching it settle, smoothing the wrinkles only to see at each stroke their damp testament promptly return she tore both sheets away in a sweep and had them up the hall with the wadded socks, drawers, sodden towels on the floor of the bathroom.
A quelle heure ouvre la banque?
Those hands disjointed, rust spotted, crumbled features dulled and worn on the page right where she'd left them, she spread the manila folder open on clean sheets, reached for a pencil and found none, and then came back slowly on the fresh pillowslip stilled in the ashen flush of those silenced lips contorting soundless syllables on the screen which gave way, as the light at the windows gave way, to a lady playing the piano, to a man playing golf as the room grew darker, to leafy vistas and soldier ants in grim procession, to shell bursts brightening the walls for an instant, dimming with stretcher bearers, men loading a howitzer, firing a mortar turned away stopping their ears against the pounding, pounding, she was up, her feet off to the floor, reaching for the light, calling out — I'm coming! to the pounding on the door below, hesitating and then sweeping the folder up from the bed and back into the drawer under blouses, scarves, before she made way down the dark stairs, got the light on under the sampler, got the door open.
— I thought nobody's home.
— Who are you!
— These groceries? you ordered groceries?
— Oh. Oh I'm sorry yes, I forgot just, just wait here.
— Only the wine, they couldn't send you no wine.
— It doesn't matter she said, back counting out bills from the drawer in the kitchen. — It doesn't matter.
She'd set out a cup, put on the teakettle and reached out to the radio which had just time to warn her that the hurdy gurdy was the King of Naples' favourite instrument when a kick at the door brought her round with — Paul?
— God damn door standing wide open Liz, did you know that?
— Oh, yes some groceries just came and I…
— Standing here wide open, he came in from the dark heaving a shoulder against it to get through with the bag he dropped on the floor, the armload of papers down on the kitchen table in his search for a glass. — Any calls?
— Yes, there was a…
— Look before I forget it, call from McFardle down in Teakell's office if he wait, wait maybe I can still get him what time is it… He looked up from the bottle pressed hard down on the rim of the glass, — God damn clock Liz you still haven't set the God damn clock? up to where she looked, to where it had just overtaken the moment she'd stepped wet from the bath, rattled drawers open holding this up to her, that, a printed chiffon she hadn't seen since this Ragg knit — any mail? He'd come down heavily in the chair behind the table there, — Liz?
— What?
— Just asked you if there's any God damn mail, ask you if there's any mail if there's been any calls we don't even know what time it is, here… he turned to obliterate Haydn's Notturno number five in C nagging at his back with a twist of the dial that brought them words of hope for hemorrhoid sufferers everywhere, — find out what the hell time it is… and he put down his glass but held to it, tight, against a sudden tremor in his hand.
— The mail it's, yes it's right there it's sort of mixed up with yesterday's but, and you had a call yes, the one you expected from Mister Slot, from, Paul what happened! Your whole sleeve it's, what happened! He was up again pressing the bottle free over the rim of the emptied glass, setting it down hard to pull off his jacket — and your arm! your arm wait, let me…
— Don't! don't need help no just, just get the God damn thing off me… his back turned to her lifting it from his shoulders, parting the sleeve severed wrist to elbow — think I dressed up like a scarecrow for Halloween you didn't even notice it when I…
— But your shirt too the blood it's, what…
— Switchblade. He picked up the glass and drank slowly till he'd emptied it. — Just broke the skin but there goes my good suit. I got mugged Liz, broad daylight coming out of that prayer breakfast people all over the place I got mugged, that's all.
— No but was it…
— A spade of course it was a spade! Looked just like my, see it in his eyes before he came at me, see it coming in the yellow of his God damned eyes before I saw the knife.
— But it's, don't you want to wash it or, or some ice? put some ice…
He was down in the chair again staring fixed at the glass, thrusting it toward her — yes here, get me some ice. I think he was waiting for me… He reached out to drag up the folds of the jacket, — tried to get his hands on this I think he was waiting for me.
She put down ice in the glass where he'd pulled out a plain envelope, riffling the bills in it with an edge of his thumb. — But what, where did…
— A book Liz, a book? Walked out the door I told you I was seeing a publisher for an advance on a book? Can't back me up you wouldn't believe me at least can you listen?
— But it's, Paul it's all hundreds and, and cash all in cash?
— I wanted it in cash! He'd picked up the glass again, rattling the ice in it. — Walked out the door there you didn
't believe me did you, thought I just wanted to impress your God damn brother where is he, tries to clip me twenty dollars on a hundred dollar check where is he, why isn't he here pissing on the floor.
— Do you, will you want supper in a little while I…
— All you said was what's it about, don't think I can write a book so you just say what's it about… He'd dug cigarettes from the jacket's pocket and lit one — want to know what's it about I'll tell you the title, The Wayne Fickert Story that's what's it about. Sketch it out and get this writer this Doris Chin, the one on the paper, the one that did that story on him in the paper get her in for a final polish before we get into the movie tie in, already talking about a movie tie in get his mother in there to play the mother. Billye Fickert the kid's real mother, get things off the ground here send her to Actors Studio we just have to find a kid to play the kid, it's a big project. It's a big project Liz, have to start work on it tonight that's what all this is… he brushed at the heap of papers he'd dropped on the table when he came in, rattling the ice loose in the glass till it prompted him to reach for the bottle. — I think he was waiting for me.
— Do you want water?
— Saw it in his eyes, seen that look before I knew what was coming.
— I got veal I thought I'd, I thought we'd try veal.
— Put some water in this will you? Get things off the ground here before they, not so much! Before they tear him to pieces, they're after him Liz.
She put the glass down in front of him. — If it was broad daylight I should think the police would…
— What police, not talking about the God damn police I'm talking about the federal government, the ones penetrating into the top power slots in the federal government right down to the county level they're out to get him, here… dashing ashes on the papers in a sweep of his hand — see it all right here, follow up ad campaign on this big crusade we kicked off on west coast television gave them a good look at Billye Fickert back from the fat farm she's already had a few offers, get this movie tie in off the ground they'll line up ten deep she's already had an offer from somebody up in the Bay Area not exactly the kind of thing we, here she is… he held up the page, — Liz?
— Well! she's quite, I think you have a letter from her there.
— What? Where.
— It's there somewhere, you can't miss it. It's in pencil.
— Where. Ask you if there's any mail when I came in the door where, only thing here's God damn B & G Storage… paper tore. — Look at that. Sent us a check Liz look at that… he shook it free of the letter, — twelve hundred sixteen dollars eighty cents look at that, minute you don't need it they get their bookkeeping straight send you twelve hundred sixteen dollars and who the hell's Doctor Yount.
— He was a…
— Keeps sending this God damn thing OV fifty dollars? a year ago?
— No tear it up, I sat in his waiting room for an hour, there was a television set going I was watching something about grasshoppers and this awful woman came over and switched it to a soap opera doctor who's just lost his leg and I turned it off and his nurse came in and told me I had no right to deprive the other patients of their pleasure and I left, Paul this letter…
— God damn good thing… paper tore, — Doctor Yount lose his leg got what's coming to him, that's…
— This letter Paul, the one with the check it says they, no. No it says they sold the, they sold all of it Paul they sold all of it! That bill for, we owed them nine hundred and ten dollars, advertising, handling, auction expenses four hundred eighty four twenty, taxes and, they got twenty eight hundred dollars for it at their auction, for all of it! Can't we, couldn't we call them and try to, those chests and mother's beautiful old, oh Paul…
He put down his glass and sat staring at it. — He was waiting for me, Liz.
— Did you hear what I said! This letter? that they've sold…
— What I've been telling you isn't it? walked in the door ask if there's any mail that's what I've been telling you? Problem Liz sometimes you don't listen… He put down the bottle, — problem is…
— Paul honestly, don't tell me what the problem is. She'd opened the cupboard and had out a saucepan, — do you want…
— All spelled out right here see that? full two page spread pray for America right across the top see that? Somehow he'd managed to get the newspaper open wide without knocking over the bottle. — An organized conspiracy is under way to destroy the Constitution of the United States. We are witnessing a conspiracy to destroy all our churches, our free press and our rights of assembling peacefully before God. Will you let this happen? Running it in these rural weeklies out in the boondocks all these hicks read anyway, here's their picture takes up half the page here then right under it he says we are just one small church down here on the Pee Dee but these are God's people, all God's people, here on the banks of the Pee Dee and out in my radio and television audience across the land and even on the dark continent of Africa where our mission radio brings words of hope and salvation to innocent sufferers everywhere. Today we are fighting your battle single handedly against satanic powers of darkness in high places then he puts in this line from Paul to the Ephusians, gives the Bible school students time off from the bottling plant to dig up his research. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places Liz what the hell are you doing, banging pots around I'm trying to show you something here.
— I'm starting supper.
— Goes right on to the listen, we are fighting your battle for if our church, targeted for the opening attack on the US Constitution is successful, other churches will follow until not one single church in our great Christian nation is left standing. Here in our plight on the banks of the Pee Dee you are witnessing the most satanic and unconstitutional attack on the very fundamentals of American freedom, the dark beginnings of a Marxist dictator state casting the shadow of the powers of darkness over the entire world pray for America, pray for, Liz?
— Do you want peas with it?
— With what.
— The veal, I said I thought we'd try…
— Peas? talking about peas they're down there trying to kill his Bible school wipe out his whole Christian Recovery for America's People put the skids under his Africa missions you're talking about peas? Can you look? just turn around and look for a minute?
— Paul I'm trying to heat the, you showed me her picture and I don't…
— Not her God damn picture look at it, takes up half the page it's Ude and Teakell, Senator Teakell.
— Oh? She'd half turned, — what are they doing.
— Well what the hell does it look like they're doing, think they're down on their knees shooting craps? Taken down there in that Texas hospital when Teakell went down to see his…
— To see Celtic yes, yes… she turned full — what about her.
— Who, his daughter? Suing the car company, she and the kid that was with her their lawyers are suing for twelve million, defective brakes they say the company's own tests showed the brakes could lock and kept the whole thing a…
— I'm not talking about that! suing somebody, I just want to know if she's…
— No now look Liz it's God damn serious. There's Grimes sitting on the board of the car company, Teakell's his man in the Senate and Teakell's own daughter turns around and sues them, God damn embarrassing all over the papers moment like this the press in there driving a wedge they're going after Teakell, that's why they're going after Ude they're trying to get Teakell's what this whole God damn thing is about can you see that?
— Never mind. She'd turned back to the sink holding an empty pan, looking through darkness carved her own shape from the reflection on the glass of the walls behind her and the cupboard and the doorway, and the lamp on the table and the reach of the torn arm for the bottle beside it, through to the darkness outside.
—
Liz?
— I said never mind!
— Problem Liz you just don't grasp how serious the whole God damn thing is… the bottle trembled against the rim of the glass, — after him they're after me they're after all of us… He'd slumped back against word of two tractor trailer trucks overturned and on fire at an entrance to the George Washington bridge, — fit the pieces together you see how all the God damn pieces fit together. SEC comes in claims some little irregularity on a Bible school bond issue next thing you've got the IRS in there right behind them with misappropriation of church funds for openers, problem's their new computer down there's just geared to their mailing list if they don't build their mailing list there won't be any funds what the whole God damn thing is all about, you get these Bible students they're smart enough digging up Ephusians but they count on their fingers nobody knows where in hell the last nickel went, why Ude says it's God's money in the ad he can't, get the phone there… and he had it, — hello? Who…? No now wait a minute operator can't accept the call now no, I'm waiting for an important call tell her I can't tie up the line….
— Wait Paul, was that…
— Can't tie up the line Liz… he'd put down the phone and picked up the glass, — can't get him on that they want to kill his tax exempt status, bottling plant sending out this Pee Dee water join his Pray for America club he suggests a ten dollar donation they say he's running a profit making business that's where they bring in the FDA, they all know each other that's how it works down there. That's what Washington is they all know each other, get one of them he's penetrated the IRS calls his buddy at FDA and they dig up a couple of cases of typhus out in the boondocks, seize their mailing list send out agents in Georgia Arkansas Mississippi Texas digging up typhus nobody told them to drink the Pee Dee water, a lot of God damn ignorant people out there see a bottle they open it and drink it that brings in the Post Office Department and the FCC, they all know each other. Stalling his mailing permits trying to knock him off television queer his franchise with Teakell's FCC connection because they're after Teakell's the one they're after, knock out his Food for Africa program kill off donations to these missions and knock out their Voice of Salvation radio over there have you got an ashtray?