thefirsttimeilaideyesonterrylennoxhewasdrunkinarolls-roycesilverwraithoutsidetheterraceofthedancers.theparkinglotattendanthadbroughtthecaroutandhewasstillholdingthedooropenbecauseterrylennox’sleftfootwasstilldanglingoutside,asifhehadforgottenhehadone.hehadayoung-lookingfacebuthishairwasbonewhite.youcouldtellbyhiseyesthathewasplasteredtothehairline,butotherwisehelookedlikeanyotherniceyoungguyinadinnerjacketwhohadbeenspendingtoomuchmoneyinajointthatexistsforthatpurposeandfornoother.

therewasagirlbesidehim.herhairwasalovelyshadeofdarkredandshehadadistantsmileonherlipsandoverhershouldersshehadablueminkthatalmostmadetherolls-roycelooklikejustanotherautomobile.itdidn’tquite.nothingcan.

theattendantwastheusualhalf-toughcharacterinawhitecoatwiththenameoftherestaurantstitchedacrossthefrontofitinred.hewasgettingfedup.

「look,mister,」hesaidwithanedgetohisvoice,「wouldyoumindawholelotpullingyourlegintothecarsoicankindofshutthedoor?orshouldiopenitallthewaysoyoucanfallout?」

thegirlgavehimalookwhichoughttohavestuckatleastfourinchesoutofhisback.itdidn’tbotherhimenoughtogivehimtheshakes.atthedancerstheygetthesortofpeoplethatdisillusionyouaboutwhatalotofgolfingmoneycandoforthepersonality.

alow-swungforeignspeedsterwithnotopdriftedintotheparkinglotandamangotoutofitandusedthedashlighteronalongcigarette.hewaswearingapullovercheckshirt,yellowslacks,andridingboots.hestrolledofftrailingcloudsofincense,notevenbotheringtolooktowardstherolls-royce.heprobablythoughtitwascorny.atthefootofthestepsuptotheterracehepausedtostickamonocleinhiseye.

thegirlsaidwithaniceburstofcharm:「ihaveawonderfulidea,darling.whydon’twejusttakeacabtoyourplaceandgetyourconvertibleout?it’ssuchawonderfulnightforarunupthecoasttomontecito.iknowsomepeopletherewhoarethrowingadancearoundthepool.」

thewhite-hairedladsaidpolitely:「awfullysorry,butidon’thaveitanymore.iwascompelledtosellit.」fromhisvoiceandarticulationyouwouldn’thaveknownhehadhadanythingstrongerthanorangejuicetodrink.

「soldit,darling?howdoyoumean?」sheslidawayfromhimalongtheseatbuthervoiceslidawayalotfartherthanthat.

「imeanihadto,」hesaid.「foreatingmoney.」

「oh,isee.」asliceofspumoniwouldn’thavemeltedonhernow.

theattendanthadthewhite-hairedboyrightwherehecouldreachhim—inalow-incomebracket.「look,buster,」hesaid,「i’vegottoputacaraway.seeyousomemoresomeothertime—maybe.」

heletthedoorswingopen.thedrunkpromptlyslidofftheseatandlandedontheblacktopontheseatofhispants.soiwentoveranddroppedmynickel.iguessit’salwaysamistaketointerferewithadrunk.evenifheknowsandlikesyouheisalwaysliabletohauloffandpokeyouintheteeth.igothimunderthearmsandgothimuponhisfeet.

「thankyousoverymuch,」hesaidpolitely.

thegirlslidunderthewheel.「hegetssogoddamenglishwhenhe’sloaded,」shesaidinastainless-steelvoice.「thanksforcatchinghim.」

「i’llgethiminthebackofthecar,」isaid.

「i’mterriblysorry.i’mlateforanengagement.」shelettheclutchinandtherollsstartedtoglide.「he’sjustalostdog,」sheaddedwithacoolsmile.「perhapsyoucanfindahomeforhim.he’shousebroken—moreorless.」

andtherollstickeddowntheentrancedrivewayontosunsetboulevard,madearightturn,andwasgone.iwaslookingafterherwhentheattendantcameback.andiwasstillholdingthemanupandhewasnowsoundasleep.

「well,that’sonewayofdoingit,」itoldthewhitecoat.

「sure,」hesaidcynically.「whywasteitonalush?themcurvesandall.」

「youknowhim?」

「iheardthedamecallhimterry.otherwiseidon’tknowhimfromacow’scaboose.butionlybeenheretwoweeks.」

「getmycar,willyou?」igavehimtheticket.

bythetimehebroughtmyoldsoverifeltasifiwasholdingupasackoflead.thewhitecoathelpedmegethimintothefrontseat.thecustomeropenedaneyeandthankedusandwenttosleepagain.