cwilleford.miamiblues-第24部分

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sn'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　the　airport　and　find　someone　who　was　going　to　Mexico　and　to　make　a　dea