itwastheweekafterthanksgivingwhenisawhimagain.thestoresalonghollywoodboulevardwerealreadybeginningtofillupwithoverpricedchristmasjunk,andthedailypaperswerebeginningtoscreamabouthowterribleitwouldbeifyoudidn’tgetyourchristmasshoppingdoneearly.itwouldbeterribleanyway;italwaysis.

itwasaboutthreeblocksfrommyofficebuildingthatisawacopcardouble-parkedandthetwobuttonsinitstaringatsomethingoverbyashopwindowonthesidewalk.thesomethingwasterrylennox—orwhatwasleftofhim—andthatlittlewasnottooattractive.

hewasleaningagainstastorefront.hehadtoleanagainstsomething.hisshirtwasdirtyandopenattheneckandpartlyoutsidehisjacketandpartlynot.hehadn’tshavedforfourorfivedays.hisnosewaspinched.hisskinwassopalethatthelongthinscarshardlyshowed.andhiseyeswerelikeholespokedinasnowbank.itwasprettyobviousthatthebuttonsintheprowlcarwereaboutreadytodropthehookonhim,soiwentovertherefastandtookholdofhisarm.

「straightenupandwalk,」isaid,puttingonthetough.iwinkedathimfromtheside.「canyoumakeit?areyoustinko?」

helookedmeovervaguelyandthensmiledhislittleone-sidedsmile.「ihavebeen,」hebreathed.「rightnowiguessi’mjustalittle—empty.」

「okay,butmakewiththefeet.you’rehalfwayintothedrunktankalready.」

hemadetheeffortandletmewalkhimthroughthesidewalkloaferstotheedgeofthecurb.therewasataxistandthereandiyankedopenthedoor.

「hegoesfirst,」thehackiesaid,jerkingathumbatthecabahead.heswunghisheadaroundandsawterry.「ifatall,」headded.

「thisisanemergency.myfriendissick.」

「yeah,」thehackiesaid.「hecouldgetsicksomewhereselse.」

「fivebucks,」isaid,「andlet’sseethatbeautifulsmile.」

「ohwell,」hesaid,andstuckamagazinewithamartianonthecoverbehindhismirror.ireachedinandgotthedooropen.igotterrylennoxinandtheshadowoftheprowlcarblockedthefarwindow.agray-hairedcopgotoutandcameover.iwentaroundthetaxiandmethim.

「justaminute,mac.whathavewegothere?isthegentlemaninthesoiledlaundryarealclosefriendofyours?」

「closeenoughformetoknowheneedsafriend,he’snotdrunk.」

「forfinancialreasons,nodoubt,」thecopsaid.heputhishandoutandiputmylicenseinit.helookedatitandhandeditback.「oh-oh,」hesaid.「apickingupaclient.」hisvoicechangedandgottough.「thattellsalittlesomethingaboutyou,mr.marlowe.whatabouthim?」

「hisname’sterrylennox.heworksinpictures.」

「that’snice.」heleanedintothetaxiandstaredatterrybackinthecorner.「i’dsayhedidn’tworktoolately.i’dsayhedidn’tsleepindoorstoolately.i’devensayhewasavagandsomaybeweoughttotakehimin.」

「yourarrestrecordcan’tbethatlow,」isaid.「notinhollywood.」

hewasstilllookinginatterry.「what’syourfriend’sname,buddy?」

「philipmarlowe,」terrysaidslowly.「helivesonyuccaavenue,laurelcanyon.」

thecoppulledhisheadoutofthewindowspace.heturned,andmadeagesturewithhishand.「youcouldofjusttoldhim.」

「icouldhave,butididn’t.」

hestaredatmeforasecondortwo.「i’llbuyitthistime,」hesaid.「butgethimoffthestreet.」hegotintothepolicecarandthepolicecarwentaway.

igotintothetaxiandwewentthethree-oddblockstomyparkinglotandshiftedtomycar.iheldoutthefive-spottothehackie.hegavemeastifflookandshookhishead.

「justwhat’sonthemeter,jack,oranevenbuckifyoufeellikeit.ibeendownandoutmyself.infrisco.nobodypickedmeupinnotaxieither.there’sonestony-heartedtown.」

「sanfrancisco,」isaidmechanically.

「icallitfrisco,」hesaid.「thehellwiththemminoritygroups.thanks.」hetookthedollarandwentaway.

wewenttoadrive-inwheretheymadehamburgersthatdidn’ttastelikesomethingthedogwouldn’teat.ifedterrylennoxacoupleandabottleofbeeranddrovehimhome.thestepswerestilltoughonhimbuthegrinnedandpantedandmadetheclimb.anhourlaterhewasshavedandbathedandhelookedhumanagain.wesatdownoveracoupleofverymilddrinks.

「luckyyourememberedmyname,」isaid.

「imadeapointofit,」hesaid.「ilookedyouuptoo.couldidoless?」

「sowhynotgivemearing?ilivehereallthetime.ihaveanofficeaswell.」

「whyshouldibotheryou?」

「lookslikeyouhadtobothersomebody.lookslikeyoudon’thavemanyfriends.」

「ohihavefriends,」hesaid,「ofasort.」heturnedhisglassonthetabletop.「askingforhelpdoesn’tcomeeasy—especiallywhenit’sallyourownfault.」helookedupwithatiredsmile.「maybeicanquitdrinkingoneofthesedays.theyallsaythat,don’tthey?」

「ittakesaboutthreeyears.」

「threeyears?」helookedshocked.

「usuallyitdoes.it’sadifferentworld.youhavetogetusedtoapalersetofcolors,aquieterlotofsounds.youhavetoallowforrelapses.allthepeopleyouusedtoknowwellwillgettobejustalittlestrange.youwon’tevenlikemostofthem,andtheywon’tlikeyoutoowell.」

「thatwouldn’tbemuchofachange,」hesaid.heturnedandlookedattheclock.「ihaveatwo-hundred-dollarsuitcasecheckedatthehollywoodbusstation.ificouldbailitouticouldbuyacheaponeandpawntheonethat’scheckedforenoughtogettovegasonthebus.icangetajobthere.」

ididn’tsayanything.ijustnoddedandsattherenursingmydrink.

「you’rethinkingthatideamighthavecometomealittlesooner,」hesaidquietly.

「i’mthinkingthere’ssomethingbehindallthisthat’snoneofmybusiness.isthejobforsureorjustahope?」

「it’sforsure.fellowiknewverywellinthearmyrunsabigclubthere,theterrapinclub.he’spartracketeer,ofcourse,theyallare—buttheotherpartisaniceguy.」

「icanmanagethebusfareandsomethingover.buti’djustassoonitboughtsomethingthatwouldstayboughtforawhile.bettertalktohimonthephone.」

「thankyou,butit’snotnecessary.randystarrwon’tletmedown,heneverhas.andthesuitcasewillpawnforfiftydollars.iknowfromexperience.」