Last Exit to Brooklyn (28 page)

Womens Chorus I

The housewives were on a bench. They looked at Ada and laughed. Everything comes out in this weather. Even Ada. I guess shes airing out her clothes. Laughter. Same shitty coat. She wears it all winter. Why dont she take it off? She got nothin on underneath. Whattaya mean? I bet shes wearing scabs. Laughter. Shes a filthy slob. I bet even the fumigator is afraid ta go up her house. I bet her crotch smells like limburger cheese. Laughter. (One picked her nose, exploring each nostril first with the pinky, locating the choice deposits, then with the forefinger broke loose the nights accumulations, scraping with the thumb and plucking forth, with thumb and forefinger, a choice meaty snot, long and green, spotted with yellows, waving it about, then rolling it in a ball, caressing it between her fingers, trying to flip it off but it clung tenanciously, adhesively to the finger until it was finally rubbed off on the bench.) And that fuckin Lucy. I saw her goin to the laundromat with another bunch of clothes. Aaaaa, who the fuck she think she is. Always washin clothes. Yeah, whos she tryin ta kid. You know her husbands goin ta school. Yeah. I guess he thinks hes gonna be somethin. Maybe hes gonna learn ta be a pimp. What for. Aint nobody gonna want ta fuck Lucy. I bet she thinks its ta piss through. Me, I wash my clothes when they need it, but I dont act like that. (One lifted a cheek of her ass, let go a loud gurgling fart and sighed.) Laughter. Looka Ada smilin. I think shes nuts the way she smiles all the time like that. She is. Shes got people talkin to’er in her head. Somebody oughtta call up Kings County and turner in. Laughter. Yeah, it aint safe with nuts runnin around. All she needs is a good fuckin. Maybe I should send Henry ova, hed do a good job. Laughter. I bet she got money put away somewhere. You know those kind. Yeah. Her husband was in business for himself and you cant tell me shes gotta go on Relief. Look atter sittin alone and smilin. If I had her money you wouldnt catch me sittin here. (A scab is picked off a leg, examined from various angles then flicked away.)

PROJECT NEWSLETTER

It has been brought to the attention of the Management of this Project that certain Adolescent children are taking money from younger children, threatening to beat them up if they do not give up the money they have. They are also stopping the smaller children on there way to the store with deposit bottles and taking them away from them along with any money they might have. Any child caught taking money from younger children will be handed over to the Police Department for prosecution and the families of the children will be immediately evicted. The management recommends that mothers refrain from sending young children to the store with money or deposit bottles. We want this Project to be a safe place for everyone to live. It is up to everyone to cooperate.

Mike finally got up. The babys crying was faint, but he knew that as soon as he opened the door the crying would be louder and Helen would come over to him and bother him about something, wanting to eat or get dressed or ask some damn stupid questions. He got dressed and sat back on the edge of the bed and smoked a cigarette, then stretched out on the bed hoping he would feel sleepy. He covered his eyes with his arm, but it didnt help. He put out the cigarette and rolled over on his side – Helen heard the movement and turned from the window, where she had been watching the kids, and waited for the door to open – but he just didnt feel tired. Still he lay there hoping he might drowse off and maybe sleep for a few more hours. At least there would be that much more time passed. I wonder what time it is? Cant be 12 yet, didnt hear the whistle. If the kids would just shut up maybe I could get ta sleep. But the sun was bright and even with the shade drawn there was plenty of light in the room and goddamnit, he might just as well get up. Might just as well. He rolled back to the edge of the bed and slowly stood. The goddamn kid was probably wet. Krist can he make noise. He went to the window and peered out, keeping the shade down. Most of the windows of the apartments were open and he looked in each one, not shifting to the next one until he was fully accustomed to the changes of light and was certain there was nothing to be seen. Once he had seen a woman, not a bad lookin head either, leaning out the window, talking to someone
downstairs, and one of her tits fell out of her robe. She didnt know he was watching so she didnt hurry to stick it back. And it was a good size tit too. Things like that might happen anytime, especially when the weather was warm. That was a good day. He had felt good the whole day. It was almost as good as gettin a strange piece. He had a gigantic hardon all day and when Irene came home from work he walked her right into the bedroom and they fucked like crazy. He had her sit on it and her tits stuck way out and he buried his face in them and all the time Irene wiggled her ass and Krist did his cock twitch. Yeah, that was some day. He wished ta Krist somethin like that would happen again. A couple a times hed seen a nigga bitch walkin around with her tits hanging out, but that was different. It gotim horny, but not the way it did when he saw a white broads tits with big rosy nipples. Thats what he needed. A strange piece. Been a long time since he fucked anybody but Irene … Except, of course, for a couplea gangbangs at beer rackets, but that was different. Its not like really makin a broad. Its not that Irene aint a good piece – shes built real nice and got a great pair of tits – but he was gettin tired of the same old shit all the time. And lately she’d been breakin his balls about getting a job again. Fuck her. Why should he work? He dont get nothin outta it. Why should he get up in the mornin and break his balls? They was doin alright like this with Irene workin. – The baby was still crying, but he was completely accustomed to the noise now and with his mind preoccupied he didnt hear him. He continued looking carefully into each window. A young jew girl lived across from him and he watched her window for a long time. She had a nice pair of boobs and hed like ta catch her sometime. If only he could see in the bathroom window and watch her come outta the tub, man that would be somethin. Nice young stuff. Shit. Shes probably outta the house by now. He passed on to the next window. Why in the hell should I work? Break yaballs for what? Ya dont get nothin anyway. Shit. Almost 26 and whatave I got? Nothin. Why should I break my balls for some jew for a lousy couple a bucks a week and they get all the gravy. Fuckem. If I had a couple a bucks I could see somea the boys tanight and maybe we’d pick somethin up. Thats what I need ta straighten me out. Been feelin kindda crummy lately. Need ta go out with the boys is all. If I
dont wanna work its my business. He finished making the rounds of the windows, but went over them again, quickly, but still there was nothing to be seen. Balls. He left the room. He ignored the now loud crying of the baby and went out to the kitchen, Helen walking behind him. I hope ta Krist Irene made a good pot of coffee this morning. He looked at the jar of instant coffee on the table and cursed Irenes lazy ass for not making a pot of coffee. He heated some water and made a cup of coffee, shaking his head yes, no, at Helen who hadnt stopped talking since he came out, agreeing, disagreeing, telling her OK, wait a minute; not today, maybe tomorrow. He lit a cigarette, turned on the radio – Helen still talking – and finally told Helen to stop bothering him. I want to go out Daddy. OK, OK, let me finish my coffee, willya? He drank his coffee and smoked a cigarette then started to dress her, tearing clothes out of drawers, looking for an undershirt, and where the hell areya pants, cursing Irene for not laying out the kids clothes before she left. How inthehell did she expect him ta know where she kept everything and all the time Arthur was crying and Helen stood away, her thumb in her mouth, and Mike was goddamn mad because there was no reason why the things couldnt be where he could find them and why the hell didnt she dress the kid before she left and he finally said the hell with it and Helen started crying and he yelled ta shut up and shoved her in her room. He made himself another cup of coffee and lit another cigarette, trying to ignore Arthur, but he couldnt and knew that sooner or later he would have to change him just as he knew each morning when he awoke that eventually he would have to get up and he would reach this same point when he could no longer ignore the yellin brat and hed have ta change the pissy diaper. Krist, how he hated ta change the kid in the morning. He didnt mind so much in the afternoon, the other time he changed him (when he did), but in the morning it was disgusting. The goddamn diaper was soaked with piss and they stunk like hell. And usually there was a pile of shit and it was smeared all over the kids ass. He finished the coffee and cigarette, but didnt move from the table. Maybe he should go out and get a few bottles of beer first. Yeah, that was a good idea. He bought a few quarts of beer and came back feeling better. He poured a glass and went into the kids room, looked
at Arthur, why doya have ta make so goddamn much noise. Krist, ya stink. He yanked the rubber diaper off, then carefully took out the pins and turned his head slightly as he slowly pulled the diaper off. O Jesus, what a fuckin mess! He clamped his teeth together and was so goddamn mad he wanted to slap the kid. Arthur finally stopped crying as the wet diaper was removed and Mike looked at him and told him hed better shut up or hed wrap the diaper around his goddamn head. He dumped the shit in the toilet bowl and dropped the diaper in a bucket. The bucket was filled with dirty diapers and he cursed Irene for not cleaning them yesterday like he told her. She knows she should wash diapers everyday, the sonofabitch. Shit. He went back to Arthur, put a clean diaper on him, pulled up the rubber pants, then dropped a few toys in the crib before going back to the kitchen and his beer. At least that much was over and now he could at least sit and have a beer and listen to the radio and maybe think of something to do.

The laundromat was crowded and Lucy sat on a bench waiting. She sat the children beside her and told them to sit still, but Robert started kicking his feet and Johnny was sliding off the bench, Lucy grabbing his arm and pulling him back and telling him to sit still and be quiet. I dont want you running around like those other kids. Lucy glanced at the machines that had been assigned her by the woman in charge, trying to determine how much longer it would be before she could use them. She wished she had a magazine to look at to pass the time, but if she did she knew she wouldnt be able to concentrate because Johnny was sure to play with some other kid if she didnt watch him. She pulled him back to the bench and told Robert to keep his legs still. O, how she hated waiting in this place. Nothing to do but sit, and listen to those stupid women giggling and talking to each other and hehehehe-heing all over the place. Always laughing. O, she hated this place. Johnny had slid down again and was standing leaning against the bench watching his Mother to see if she would pull him back. She checked the machines again. Wont be too much longer. Johnny took a step – she hadnt done anything yet and maybe he could walk around
now. Lucy pulled him back by the arm and sat him down. He would have to wait. Finally the machines stopped and the woman took her clothes out, Lucy eyeing them. They were still a little dingy. She got her clothes ready for the machines. Johnny, who had slid down again from the bench, was moping around. Robert watched his brother for a moment, then he too slid down and stood, holding on to the bench. Lucy put the soap in the machines, and saw Robert pick something up from the floor and quickly took it from him, then looked around for Johnny as she put Robert back on the bench. He was playing with a little boy at the other end of the laundromat and Lucy almost yelled, but controlled herself and calmly walked over to get him. Johnny was playing with a spick boy wearing dirty dungarees and filthy ripped sneakers. Lucy wanted to yank Johnny away, but she calmly took his hand and took him back to where they were sitting. Johnny whined and wanted to know why he couldnt play with the other kid and Lucy told him that he must sit down, that he might get hurt by one of the washing machines. Johnny argued, but Lucy was firm. She smiled at him and told him to sit quietly. Then she looked at her machines and frowned as she saw that suds were above the indicated level and were actually visible on the edge of the funnel on the top of the machine where the soap was poured in. She stared at the rising mound of suds, her hand still on Johnnys leg, and watched it foam over the sides and run down the sides of the machine. She didnt know what to do and was too embarrassed to call the woman who worked there. The suds continued to billow over and a stream of water ran down between the machines. Finally someone called it to the attention of the woman and she came over, tinkered with something in the rear of the machines and the suds went down and then she asked who had the machine. Lucy got up and started apologizing and the woman told her she should be careful of how much soap powder she put in the machine then told her where she could find the mop. Lucy got it and wiped up the water self-consciously avoiding everyones eyes. She replaced the mop and started feeling a resentment and at the same time incapable of keeping from wondering if the woman thought she was no better than the spick at the other end. She went back to the bench and saw that Johnny was not there, but had once again gone
to play with the little boy. She yelled at him roughly and Johnny came running and jumped up on the bench, not daring to look at her (remembering the morning), but knowing she was glaring at him. The children sat still and Lucy said nothing, but stared at the machines, burning with embarrassment and resentment. The machines, finally stopped and she told the children to sit right there and she emptied the machines then sat back on the bench and waited to use the extractor. While she waited a woman came in with a cart of clothes and asked if she could use the extractor, the one in her laundromat across the way broke down. The woman in charge told her she would have to wait until all
her
people were finished, that she couldnt let people from other buildings come in here and use her extractor until her people were finished and she didnt know if theyd be finished in time, it was getting late and there were a awful lot of people waiting and she had to close soon. The woman was annoyed at having waited for an hour in the other laundromat and then the ghuddamn thing went and broke down and she was ghuddamned if shed take any lip from anybody. She said she just wanted to use the extractor and she’d wait ghuddamnit, but she was gonna use it and she didnt want no argument, glaring at the white-woman and ghuddamn mad at her for talking like that at her. Well, youll just wait until all my people are finished and
if
theres still time you can use it and dont be so damn snotty. Look, ah didnt come here to take any of yo shit, ahm just gonna use the extractor and thats all, yo hear? The woman wanted to tell her to get her black ass the hell outta her laundromat, but she didnt dare. She turned her back on her, suddenly deciding to help a woman (colored) take her clothes out of the machine, then told the intruder (the nigga bastard) that this laundromat was only for the people in this building, and anyway, the woman in the other laundromat never lets any of my people use her extractor. The other woman walked over to her and told her not to give her any of her shit, that if she wanted to use the mothafuckan extractor that she’d use it ghuddamn it. The operator stood straight, put her hands on her hips and beamed. You can just get the hell outta here sister. We have ladies here who arent used to that kind of language (you filthy nigga whore). Dont chuall tell me what to do mothafucka. This heres for usall to
use an ghuddamnit Im gonna use this mothafucka if ah gotta break yo fuckin haid. Dont you swear at me you sonofa (black) bitchen scum – Lucy grabbed Robert and the cart, and rushed from the laundromat, up the ramp and out into the air, rushing from the laundromat as she did from the elevator, Johnny running to keep up with her.