按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Wilson closed the door softly behind him as he left the room。
It took Hoke twenty minutes to find his teeth； but they had landed in a cluster of screw…leaved crotons and weren't damaged。 He put them into a fresh glass of water with another helping of Polident and wondered what in the hell he was going to do next。
17
After the cab tour of Collins Avenue in Miami Beach； Mrs。 Freeman made a brief stop so that Freddy could take a closer look at Lincoln Road； the once famous and now deteriorated shopping mall。 Freddy suggested a late breakfast。
〃You ever eat at Manny's？〃 Mrs。 Freeman said。 〃You can get a crabmeat omelet； and they give you a basket of hot rolls with butter and honey。 And it's the only place left on the Beach with free coffee refills。〃
〃Sounds good。〃 Freddy nodded。 〃I used to eat crabmeat omelets a long time ago on Fisherman's Wharf； when I lived in San Francisco。〃
Manny's was tucked away between a four…story kosher spa and a boarded…up two…story warehouse。 Mrs。 Freeman parked her cab in the weedy warehouse lot and they went into Manny's。 The fish odor inside was strong。 Mrs。 Freeman ordered the crabmeat omelet； but Freddy shook his head。
〃I've changed my mind。 Give me a Denver omelet。〃
〃What's that？〃 The Pakistani waiter asked。
〃It's eggs scrambled up with chopped ham； green peppers； and onions。〃
〃What he wants；〃 Mrs。 Freeman said； 〃is a western omelet。〃
〃That we got；〃 the waiter said； and went off to the kitchen。
〃In California； we call it a Denver omelet。〃
〃So you're from California？〃
〃What makes you say that？〃
〃You just said； 'In California…'〃
〃Just because I said that I'd been in California doesn't have to mean that I'm from California。 People are too quick to imply bad things about people before they've thought them out。〃
〃So you live in Miami； then？〃 Mrs。 Freeman shook her gray curls。 Her gray dentures had a translucent quality。 Her pale blue eyes were clear。
〃Yeah。 What I'm looking for is a nice little house； but what I've seen of Miami Beach so far doesn't appeal to me。 What's up a little farther north？〃
〃Well； after we pass Bal Harbour； WASP territory； we start to hit Motel Row。 The Thunderbird； The Aztec； theme places like that。 They cater mostly to Canadian and British blue…collar vacationers in the summer； and American families down here on the cheap during the season。 Mostly families from New York； Jersey； and Pennsylvania。 But if you're looking for a little house to rent； we can go on past the row and over to Dania。 There're some nice little houses there； and it's a quiet town； too； except for the jai alai fronton。〃
〃We'll take a look。〃
〃What they do in Dania； they sell antiques。 There're dozens of little antique shops along US One。 Fakes mostly； but the furniture's a lot better made nowadays than the real thing used to be。〃
〃I like new furniture。〃
〃Well； that's what you buy in Dania。 New antiques。〃
Freddy liked the looks of Dania。 The small stucco homes reminded him of southwest Los Angeles； down around Slauson and Figueroa。 The main street was also US 1； which would give him a straight shot into Miami； where US 1 became Biscayne Boulevard。 He told Mrs。 Freeman to cruise slowly up and down the tree…shaded streets so he could look for For Rent and For Sale signs。 There were several； but Freddy told her to stop at a small white house surrounded by a white picket fence。 There were two towering mango trees in the front yard； and the owner had planted a border of geraniums alongside the house on both sides of the front door。 There was an attached garage as well。
Freddy knocked on the door and negotiated with the owner。 She was a widow whose husband had died recently； and she wanted to sell the house and move back to Cincinnati to live with her daughter and son…in…law。 Until she sold the house； she wouldn't have enough money to leave。
〃I don't know whether I want to buy or not；〃 Freddy said； 〃but I'll tell you what I'll do。 I'll rent it for a couple of months； and then if I like it you can give me an option to buy it。 If I don't buy； you'll still have two months' rent money to spend； and you can leave for Cincinnati right away。 How much are you willing to rent it for？〃
〃I don't really know；〃 the widow said。 〃Would two hundred and fifty be too much？〃
〃That's not nearly enough。 I'll give you five hundred a month； in advance； and you can leave the furniture； pack up； and go on up to Cincinnati tonight。〃
〃I don't know that I can get ready that soon…〃
Freddy counted out 1；000 on the fake cobbler's bench。
〃But I guess I can make it all right；〃 she said quickly； scooping up the money。 Freddy got a receipt； and after two phone calls the widow said she could be out of the house by ten that night； and that she would leave the keys next door when she left。 Freddy returned to the cab and told Mrs。 Freeman he had rented the little house。
〃Furnished or unfurnished？〃
〃Furnished。〃
〃How many bedrooms？〃
〃One； I think； but I didn't look。 There's a big screened porch out back； too。〃
〃I'm not trying to pry into your business； mister； it's just that you're so innocent…like。 How much is she charging you？〃
〃What's it to you？ You're a nosy old bat； Mrs。 Freeman。 Did anybody ever tell you that？〃
〃Lots of times。 You should've let me negotiate for you。 They call this town Dania because it was settled by Danes； and it takes a Jew to outsmart a Dane。 That's all I'm saying。〃
〃I never question prices。 Money's too easy to get in Miami。 That's why the prices are so high down here。〃
〃In that case；〃 she said； shaking her curls； 〃you can give me a ten…dollar tip when I drop you off at the Omni。〃
When they reached the Omni； Freddy gave the old lady a 10 tip。 〃You're not as sharp as you think you are； Mrs。 Freeman。 I was going to give you a twenty。〃
Her high； cackling laughter followed him into the lobby。
Susan； wearing white cut…offs and a KISS T…shirt； was eating a tuna salad sandwich and drinking a Tab when Freddy unlocked the door and came into the room。 The bed had been made； the curtains were drawn back； and the room was delightfully cool。
〃Why aren't you watching TV？〃 Freddy said。
〃I was。 I did the exercises with Richard Simmons； switched over to cable； and then did aerobics for five minutes。 And that was enough TV for me。 I sent your pants with the little tennis rackets and your blue guayabera to the cleaners。 They'll be back by three； the boy said。〃
〃Good。 I like that。 I've been out getting oriented and thinking about what to do； so I rented us a little house up in Dania。〃
〃By the fronton？〃
〃No； but it's only about eight blocks away。 Maybe we can go some night。 I've never seen any jai alai。 They don't have it in California。 Not that I know of； anyway。〃
〃The first game you see is exciting。 But after the first game it's almost as boring as watching greyhounds。〃
〃We'll go anyway。 But I don't want to talk about that right now。 Let me have the rest of that Tab。 It's hotter than a sonofabitch outside。 What I wanted to ask you was this…〃 Freddy finished the Tab。 〃You said your girl friends up in Okeechobee got married； right？〃
〃Most did； those who didn't leave for someplace else； or just stay home and mope around。 There isn't much choice up in Okeechobee。〃
〃What do they do then； after they're married； I mean？〃
〃Take care of the house； shop； fix dinner。 Sue Ellen； who was in the eleventh grade with me； has three babies already。〃
〃Is that what you want？ Babies？〃
〃Not anymore。 Once I did； but not since the abortion。 I'm on the pill； and I use foam besides…unless the john says he wants to go down on me。 But now that we're married； I guess I can go off the pill and quit using the foam； too。〃
〃No； stay on the pill。 I don't want any babies either； but if you did； I thought I might try it that way some time。 Right now； I like the way we're doing it。〃
Susan blushed happily。 〃Would you like the other half of this tuna sandwich？〃
〃No。 I had a western omelet for a late breakfast。 What else do the married girls do up in Okeechobee？〃
〃Not a lot； the girls I ran around with。 They don't work because there isn't much work there to speak of； and their husbands wouldn't want them to； anyway。 It makes a guy look bad if his wife has to work； unless they're in business together or something and she has to help him out； sort of。 They visit their mothers； shop at the K…Mart； or go roller…skating at the rink sometimes over at Clewiston。 On weekends there're barbecues and fish fries。 I guess the married girls my age do the same things they did in high school； except they just go with one guy； and that's usually the same guy they were fucking all the way through high school anyway。 The best thing； though； they get away from home and their parents。 They can stay up late and sleep late； too。 If it hadn't been for Marty； I probably would've been married now。〃
〃Okay； so let's say we're married； which we are； even though it's a platonic marriage。 Is that what you'd like to do？ Keep house； fix regular meals； go shopping？ I know you're a good cook。 I liked those stuffed pork chops a lot。〃
Susan smiled and looked at her wriggling toes。 〃I did all the cooking at home。 You just wait till you taste my chuck roast； with sherry in the gravy！ I make it in the Crockpot with little pearl onions； new potatoes； and chopped celery and parsley。 I use just a tiny pinch of curry powder…that's the secret to Crockpot chuck roast。〃
〃It sounds okay。〃
〃It is good； too； let me tell you。〃
〃I've never been married before。〃 Freddy took off his jacket and kicked off his Ballys。 〃I lived with a woman for about two months once。 She never cooked anything or kept house or did much of anything a wife's supposed to do。 But when I came home； you see； she was someone to be there。 I came back one night and found that she'd left； taking the five hundred bucks I had stashed under the carpet with her。 I was going to look for her； and then I realized that I was damned lucky to get rid of her so easily。 She was a junkie； so I didn't try to find her。
〃I had a Filipino boy living with me once； too； in Oakland。 But he was a jealous little bastard； and he questioned me all the time。 I don't like to be questioned； you know。〃
〃I know。〃
〃What I'm getting at； Susie； or what I want； is a regular life。 I want to go to work in the morning； or maybe at night； and e home to a clean house； a decent dinner； and a loving wife like you。 I don't want any babies。 The world's too mean to bring another little kid into it； and I'm not that irresponsible。 The niggers and the Catholics don't care； but somebody's got to… d'you know what I mean？ Do you think you could handle it？〃
Susan began to cry and nod her head。 〃Yes； oh； yes； that's what I've always wanted； too； Junior。 And I'll be a good wife to you； too。 You just wait and see！〃
〃All right； then。 I'm going to take a shower。 You can stop crying and pack up everything； and then we can get moving。 If you think you're happy now； wait'll you see the little house I've got for you in Dania。〃
Susan wiped her eyes。 〃But what about your shirt and pants I sent to the cleaners？〃
〃The bellboy'll hang 'em up in the closet。 I'm not giving up this nice room。 It'll be like an office for me； because most of my work'll be in the Omni shopping mall。〃
But it wasn't that simple。 The widow in Dania； as it turned out； couldn't leave for two more days。 They spent those two days shopping for things they needed for the house； including a new microwave oven for Susan。 Then； when they did get into the house； the water and electricity had been turned off； and it took Susan an entire morning to find the water pany and Florida Power to put down deposits。 There was also the gas pany to contact； and they had to have a man e out to fill the propane tank outside the kitchen window。
Freddy also sent Susan to the bank to exchange the ten thousand pesos he had lifted from the Mexican pickpocket； but she brought the money back。
〃The man at the bank told me they weren't changing pesos anymore；〃 Susan said。 〃He said my best bet would be to go out to t