「he’sthepolitestdrunkievermet,」isaidtothewhitecoat.

「theycomeallsizesandshapesandallkindsofmanners,」hesaid.「andthey’reallbums.lookslikethisonehadaplasticjobonetime.」

「yeah.」igavehimadollarandhethankedme.hewasrightabouttheplasticjob.therightsideofmynewfriend’sfacewasfrozenandwhitishandseamedwiththinfinescars.theskinhadaglossylookalongthescars.aplasticjobandaprettydrasticone.

「whatchaaimtodowithhim?」

「takehimhomeandsoberhimupenoughtotellmewherehelives.」

thewhitecoatgrinnedatme.「okay,sucker.ifitwasme,i’djustdrophiminthegutterandkeepgoing.themboozehoundsjustmakeamanalotoftroublefornofun.igotaphilosophyaboutthemthings.thewaythecompetitionisnowadaysaguyhastosavehisstrengthtoprotecthisselfintheclinches.」

「icanseeyou’vemadeabigsuccessoutofit,」isaid.helookedpuzzledandthenhestartedtogetmad,butbythattimeiwasinthecarandmoving.

hewaspartlyrightofcourse.terrylennoxmademeplentyoftrouble.butafterallthat’smylineofwork.

iwaslivingthatyearinahouseonyuccaavenueinthelaurelcanyondistrict.itwasasmallhillsidehouseonadead-endstreetwithalongflightofredwoodstepstothefrontdoorandagroveofeucalyptustreesacrosstheway.itwasfurnished,anditbelongedtoawomanwhohadgonetoidahotolivewithherwidoweddaughterforawhile.therentwaslow,partlybecausetheownerwantedtobeabletocomebackonshortnotice,andpartlybecauseofthesteps.shewasgettingtoooldtofacethemeverytimeshecamehome.

igotthedrunkupthemsomehow.hewaseagertohelpbuthislegswererubberandhekeptfallingasleepinthemiddleofanapologeticsentence.igotthedoorunlockedanddraggedhiminsideandspreadhimonthelongcouch,threwarugoverhimandlethimgobacktosleep.hesnoredlikeagrampusforanhour.thenhecameawakeallofasuddenandwantedtogotothebathroom.whenhecamebackhelookedatmepeeringly,squintinghiseyes,andwantedtoknowwherethehellhewas.itoldhim.hesaidhisnamewasterrylennoxandthathelivedinanapartmentinwestwoodandnoonewaswaitingupforhim.hisvoicewasclearandunslurred.

hesaidhecouldhandleacupofblackcoffee.whenibroughtithesippeditcarefullyholdingthesaucercloseunderthecup.

「howcomei’mhere?」heasked,lookingaround.

「yousquiffedoutatthedancersinarolls.yourgirlfriendditchedyou.」

「quite,」hesaid.「nodoubtshewasentirelyjustified.」

「youenglish?」

「i’velivedthere.iwasn’tbornthere.ifimightcallataxi,i’lltakemyselfoff.」

「you’vegotonewaiting.」

hemadethestepsonhisowngoingdown.hedidn’tsaymuchonthewaytowestwood,exceptthatitwasverykindofmeandhewassorrytobesuchanuisance.hehadprobablysaiditsooftenandtosomanypeoplethatitwasautomatic.

hisapartmentwassmallandstuffyandimpersonal.hemighthavemovedinthatafternoon.onacoffeetableinfrontofahardgreendavenporttherewasahalfemptyscotchbottleandmeltediceinabowlandthreeemptyfizzwaterbottlesandtwoglassesandaglassashtrayloadedwithstubswithandwithoutlipstick.therewasn’taphotographorapersonalarticleofanykindintheplace.itmighthavebeenahotelroomrentedforameetingorafarewell,forafewdrinksandatalk,forarollinthehay.itdidn’tlooklikeaplacewhereanyonelived.

heofferedmeadrink.isaidnothanks.ididn’tsitdown.whenilefthethankedmesomemore,butnotasifihadclimbedamountainforhim,norasifitwasnothingatall.hewasalittleshakyandalittleshybutpoliteashell.hestoodintheopendooruntiltheautomaticelevatorcameupandigotintoit.whateverhedidn’thavehehadmanners.

hehadn’tmentionedthegirlagain.also,hehadn’tmentionedthathehadnojobandnoprospectsandthatalmosthislastdollarhadgoneintopayingthecheckatthedancersforabitofhighclassfluffthatcouldn’tstickaroundlongenoughtomakesurehedidn’tgettossedinthesneezerbysomeprowlcarboys,orrolledbyatoughhackieanddumpedoutinavacantlot,

onthewaydownintheelevatorihadanimpulsetogobackupandtakethescotchbottleawayfromhim.butitwasn’tanyofmybusinessanditneverdoesanygoodanyway.theyalwaysfindawaytogetitiftheyhavetohaveit.

idrovehomechewingmylip.i’msupposedtobetoughbuttherewassomethingabouttheguythatgotme.ididn’tknowwhatitwasunlessitwasthewhitehairandthescarredfaceandtheclearvoiceandthepoliteness.maybethatwasenough.therewasnoreasonwhyishouldeverseehimagain.hewasjustalostdog,likethegirlsaid.