time enough for love-时间足够你爱(英文版)-第49部分

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！


dies。　This　I　had　Llita　figure　in　Valhalla　kroner；　at　Valhalla　wage　rates。　I　had　her　add　to　this　Joe's　wages　as　kitchen　help　on　Valhalla；　minus　what　he　had　spent　there。　This　total　was　credited　to　them　as　a　share　in　cargo　on　the　third　leg；　Valhalla　to　Landfall…which　amounted　to　less　than　one…half　of　1　percent　of　that　cargo。　I　made　Llita　work　this　out。
　　
　　To　this　we　added　ship's…cook　wages　for　Joe；　Valhalla　to　Laodfall；　payable　in　Landfall　bucks　at　Landfall　wage　scales…but　only　as　wages　not　as　a　share　in　cargo。　I　had　to　explam　to　Llita　why　Joe's　wages　for　that　leg　could　not　be　invested　retroactively　in　cargo　lifted　at　Valhalla。　Once　she　understood　it；　she　had　a　grasp　of　the　notions　of　venture　and　risk　and　profit…but　I　did　not　pay　her　for　this　accounting；　I　was　durned　if　I　would　pay　purser's　wages　to　figure　her　own
　　
　　money　when　I　was　not　only　having　to　check　everything　she　did　but　was　giving　her　a　lesson　in　economics　as　well。
　　
　　I　did　not　pay　Llita　for　the　leg　to　Landfall；　she　was　passenger；　busy　having　a　baby　and　then　still　busier　learning　to　care　for　it。　But　I　did　not　charge　her　for　passage；　she　deadheaded。
　　
　　You　see　what　I　was　doing…rigging　the　accounts　so　tha　I　would　owe　them　something　once　I　sold　my　cargo；　while　making　it　appear　that　they　had　earned　it。　They　hadn't　been　worth　any　wages；　on　the　contrary　I　had　spent　quite　a　chunk　on　them…aside　from　buying　them；　which　I　never　charge　against　them　even　in　my　head。　On　the　other　hand；　I　was　paid　in　deep　satisfaction…especially　if　they　learned　to　stanc　on　their　own　feet。　But　I　discussed　none　of　this；　I　just　hac　Llita　figure　their　share…my　way。
　　
　　（Omitted）
　　
　　…came　to　a　couple　of　thousand；　not　enough　to　supper　them　very　long。　But　I　took　time　to　find　a　hole…in…the…wall　luncheon；　on　which　I　took　option　through　a　third　party；　afte　satisfying　myself　that　a　couple　of　strivers　could　stay　afloat　with　it；　if　the　price　was　right　and　they　were　willing　to　work。　Then　I　told　them　that　they　had　better　start　job　hunting　as　I　was　putting　the　Libby　up　for　sale　or　bond…and…lease。　It　was　root　hog；　or　die。　They　were　really　free…free　to　starve。
　　
　　Llita　didn't　pout；　she　just　looked　solemn　and　went　or　nursing　little　J。A。　Joe　looked　scared。　But　later　I　saw　then；　with　their　heads　together　over　a　newspaper　I　had　brought　aboard；　they　were　checking　〃help　wanted〃　ads。
　　
　　After　much　whispering　Llita　asked　diffidently　if　I　could　baby…sit　while　they　went　job　hunting？…but　if　I　was　busy；　J。A。　could　ride　her　hip。
　　
　　I　said　I　wasn't　going　anywhere…but　had　they　checked　〃business　opportunities〃？　Jobs　for　untrained　people　didn't　lead　anywhere。
　　
　　She　looked　startled；　it　was　a　new　idea。　But　that　hint　was　enough。　There　was　more　looking　and　whispering；　then　she　fetched　the　paper　to　me　and　pointed　to　an　ad…my　own　but　not　so　marked…and　asked　what　〃Fve…year　amortization〃　meant？
　　
　　I　sniffed　at　it　and　told　her　it　was　a　way　to　go　broke　slowly；　especially　if　she　spent　money　on　clothes…and　there　must　be　something　wrong　or　the　owner　wouldn't　want　to　sell。
　　
　　She　looked　as　sad　as　Joe　did　and　said　that　the　other　business　opportunities　called　for　investing　lots　of　money。　I　grudgingly　admitted　that　it　could　not　hurt　to　look…but　watch　out　for　booby　traps。
　　
　　They　came　back　full　of　enthusiasm…they　were　sure　they　could　buy　it　and　make　it　pay！　Joe　was　twice　as　good　a　cook　as　that　fry　cook　who　had　it…he　used　too　much　grease　and　it　was　rancid　and　the　coffee　was　terrible　and　he　didnt　even　keep　the　place　clean。　But　best　of　all；　behind　the　storeroom　was　a　bedroom　where　they　could　live　and…　I　squeaked　them。　What　were　the　gross　receipts？　How　about　taxes？　What　licenses　and　inspections　and　what　squeeze　on　each？　What　did　they　know　about　buying　food　wholesale？　No；　I　would　not　go　look　at　it；　they　had　to　make　up　their　oe　and；　anyhow；　I　didn't　know　anything　about　restaurant　business。
　　
　　Two　lies；　Minerva；　I've　run　restaurants　on　five　plas…　plus　a　silent　lie　as　to　my　reasons　for　not　being　willing　to　inspect　the　joint。　Two…no；　three…reasons：　First；　I　had　gone　over　the　place　in　cynical　detail　before　I　optioned　it；　second；　that　fry　cook　was　bound　to　remember　me；　third；　since　I　was　selling　it　to　them；　through　a　dummy；　I　could　neither　vouch　for　it　nor　urge　them　to　buy。　Minerva；　if　I　sell　a　horse；　I　won't　guarantee　that　it　has　a　leg　on　each　corner；　the　buyer　must　count　them　himself。
　　
　　Having　disclaimed　any　knowledge　of　restaurant　business；　I　then　lectured　them　about　it。　Llita　started　taking　notes；　then　asked　to　be　allowed　to　start　the　recorder。　So　I　went　into　detail：　Why　100　percent　gross　profit　on　the　cost　of　food　might　not　break　even　after　she　figured　costs　and　overhead…amortization；　depreciation；　taxes/insurance；　wages　for　them　as　if　they　were　employees；　etc。　Where　the　farmers'　market　was　and　how　early　they　had　to　be　there　each　morning。　Why　Joe　must　learn　to　cut　meat；　not　buy　it　by　the　piece…and　where　he　could　learn　how。　How　a　long　menu　could　ruin　them。　What　to　do　about　rats；　mice；　roaches；　and　some　dillies　Landfall　has　but　thank　heaven　Secundus　does　not。　Why…　（Omitted）
　　
　　…chopped　the　umbilical；　Minerva。　I　don't　think　they　ever　guessed　that　they　were　dealing　with　me。　I　neither　cheated　nor　helped　them；　that　amortized　sales　contract　simply　passed　on　the　price　I　had　to　pay　for　the　dump；　plus　a　load　representing　time　I　had　spent　dickering　the　price　downward；　plus　legal　and　escrow　fees　and　a　fee　to　the　dummy；　plus　the　interest　a　bank　would　charge　me……two　points　cheaper　than　they　could　get；　at　least。　But　no　charity；　none…I　made　nothing；　lost　nothing；　and　charged　for　only　a　day　of　my　time。
　　
　　Llita　turned　out　to　be　tighter　than　a　bull's　arse　in　fly　time；　I　think　she　broke　even　the　first　month　despite　closing　down　while　they　cleaned　and　refurbished。　Certainly　she　did　not　miss　that　first　month's　payment　on　the　mortgage；　nor　any　after　that。　Miss　one？　Dear；　they　paid　that　five…year　loan　in　three　years。
　　
　　Not　too　surprising。　Oh；　a　long　spell　of　illness　could　have　wrecked　them。　But　they　were　healthy　and　young　and　worked　seven　days　a　week　until　they　were　free　and　clear。　Joe　cooked　and　Llita　handled　the　cashbox　and　smiled　at　customers　and　helped　at　the　counter；　and　J。A。　lived　in　a　basket　at　his　mother's　elbow　until　he　was　old　enough　to　toddle。
　　
　　Until　I　married　Laura　and　left　New　Canaveral　to　be　a　country　gentleman；　I　stopped　in　their　joint　fairly　often…not　too　often；　as　Llita　would　not　let　me　pay；　and　that　was　proper；　part　of　standing　tall　and　proud；　they　had　eaten　my　food；　now　I　ate　theirs。　So　I　usually　stopped　just　for　a　cup　of　coffee　and　checked　on　my　godson…while　checking　on　them。　I　steered　custom　their　way；　too；　Joe　was　a　good　cook　and　got　steadily　better；　and　word　got　around　that　Estelle's　Kitchen　was　the　place　if　you　appreciated　good　food。　Word　of　mouth　is　the　best　advertising；　people　tend　to　be　smug　about　having　〃discovered〃　that　sort　of　eatery。
　　
　　It　did　no　harm　with　customers；　male　especially；　that　Estelle　herself　pres？ded　over　the　cashbox；　young　and　pretty。　and　with　a　baby　in　her　arm。　If　she　was　nursing　him　as　she　made　change…as　was　often　the　case　at　first…it　practically　guaranteed　a　lavish　tip。
　　
　　J。A。　gave　up　the　dairy　business　presently；　but　when　he　was　about　two　his　job　was　taken　over　by　a　baby　girl；　Libby　Long。　Didn't　deliver　that　one；　and　her　red　hair　had　nothing　to　do　with　me。　Joe　was　blond；　and　I　assume　that　Llita　carried　the
　　
　　gene　as　a　recessive…doubt　if　she　had　time　to　branch　out。　Libby　was　a　number…one　tip…inducer；　and　I　credit　her　with　helping　lay　off　the　mortgage　early。
　　
　　A　few　years　later　Estelle's　Kitchen　moved　uptown　to　the　financial　district；　was　somewhat　larger　and　LLita　hired　a　waitress；　a　pretty　one　of　course。
　　
　　（Omitted）　…
　　
　　…Maison　Long　was　swank；　but　it　had　a　corner　in　it；　a　coffee　shop；　named　〃Estelle's　Kitchen〃　and　Estelle　was　hostess　there　as　well　as　in　the　main　dining　room…smiling；　dressed　fit　to　kill　in　clothes　that　showed　her　superb　figure；　calling　regulars　by　name　and　getting　the　names　of　their　guests　and　remembering　them。　Joe　had　three　chefs　and　a　number　of　helpers；　and　they　met　his　high　standards　or　he　fired　them。　But　before　they　opened　Maison　Long；　something　happened　that　showed　that　my　kids　were　even　smarter　than　I　thought　they　were…or　at　least　remembered　everything　~and　figured　things　out　later。　Mind　you；　when　I　bought　them；　they　were　too　ignorant　to　pound　sand　and　I　don't　think　either　one　had　ever　touched　money　at　any　time。
　　
　　Letter　from　a　lawyer…Inside　was　a　bank　draft；　with　it　was　an　accounting：　Two　passages；　Blessed　to　Valhalla　to　Landfall；　second　leg　taken　from　tariffs　of　Transtellar　Migration　Corporation；　Ltd。　（New　Canaveral）　and　first　leg　arbitrarily　equated　to　second　leg；　certain　monies　accruing　from　share　in　sale　of　cargo；　five　thousand　blessings　expressed　as　bucks　at　an　estimated　exchange　rate　based　on　assumptions　as　to　equivalent　buying　power；　see　enclosure；　total　of　above　gross　sums；　interest　on　gross　pounded　semiannually　for　thirteen　years　at　the　going　mercial　rate　for　each　year　for　unsecured　loans…and　grand　total　same　as　the　bank　draft；　a　sum　I'm　not　sure　I　remember；　Minerva；　but　it　would　not　mean　anything　in　Secundus　crowns　anyhow。　It　was　a　sizable　sum。
　　
　　There　was　no　mention　of　Llita　or　Joe；　and　the　draft　was　signed　by　this　lawyer。　So　I　called　him。
　　
　　He　turned　out　to　be　stuffy；　which　did　not　impress　me　as　I　was　a　lawyer　there　myself；　although　not　practicing。　All　he　would　say　was　that　be　was　acting　for　an　undisclosed　client。
　　
　　So　I　fired　legalese　at　him；　and　he　loosened　up　to　the　extent　of　informing　me　that　he　had　instructions　to　cover　the　contingency　that　I　might　refuse　the　draft：　He　was　then　to　pay　the　draft　sum　to　a　designated　foundation　and　so　inform　me　after　it　was　paid。　But　he　declined　to　tell　me　what　foundation。
　　
　　I　signed　off　and　called　Estelle's　Kitchen。　Llita　answered；　then　cut　in　video　and　smiled　her　best。　〃Aaron！　We　haven't　seen　you　in　much　too　long。〃
　　
　　I　agreed　and　added　that　apparently　they　had　gone　out　of　their　silly　minds　while　I　wasn't　watching。　〃I　have　here　a　bunch　of　nonsense　from　a　lawyer；　along　with　a　ridiculous　draft。　If　I　could　reach　you；　dear；