Last Exit to Brooklyn (30 page)

Johnny almost drove Lucy crazy in the supermarket. Robert sat quietly in the shopping cart, but Johnny skipped ahead looking at the shelves, stopping to stare at people and talk with other children. It seemed like every few minutes she had to drag him away from some child and he would skip off as soon as she freed his hand and when she looked around again he would be with some child, kneeling and looking under shelves or playing with some kitten or the Lord knows what. And then, of course, he wanted candy and Lucy finally had to twist his arm and tell him to behave or she would beat him. O, how she hated the weekends; having to shop in the crowded stores (Louis was home for two whole days (sometimes), and he was always in a hurry to go to bed, but he wouldnt sleep and wanted to fool around all night), and the laundromat was so crowded. She finally finished shopping and left the store. She rushed along the street carrying Robert, dragging her cart and johnny, who was running to keep up and turning every few minutes to look in a store window or to watch kids play. She was doubly irritated by the people who strolled along leisurely enjoying the warm weather and the bright sun. Ada smiled at her when she passed her bench but Lucy ignored her (the filthy jew. Never changes her clothes) and rushed past her. She had to literally drag Johnny away from the children playing in front of the building and slapped his arm when he wanted to know why he couldnt stay down and play. She snarled in his ear and he ran in the building. Of course the elevator was still messed and she had to climb
the stairs to the apartment. She couldnt understand why someone didnt clean the mess, after all everyone knew the porter wouldnt be back until Monday. The least someone could do would be to cover it.

Louis was sitting at the table drinking coffee and reading. She let the door slam and plopped in a chair. She took the childrens coats off and they ran yelling to their room and Lucy told them to play quietly. She poured herself a cup of coffee and plopped back in the chair. O, Im exhausted. Louis sipped his coffee (she usually doesnt pull that until we get to bed), continued reading and grunted. Im just worn out. Ive had to climb the stairs twice today with that heavy cart. Uh? Yes, twice. Lucy was slightly peeved at Louis’s lack of interest in her discomfort, but reminded herself that he had to study. She waited until he looked at her before continuing. Finally Louis reached the end of a paragraph and turned to her. Whats that? I had to climb the stairs twice, speaking in an exasperated tone. Yeah?
Yes
. She told him about the mess in the elevator. Louis said he thought it would be easier to wait until you got home than do that. Then he smiled as he imagined how funny the person must have looked as he squatted in the elevator, shitting. Lucy said she didnt think it was so funny, not when you had to climb the stairs, but Louis continued to smile, wondering what would have happened if someone else had walked in the elevator just at that time. They sure wouldve been caught with their pants down. Louis laughed and Lucy frowned. Johnny came rushing out of the room shouting, Robert trailed behind, DA DA. Lucy grabbed Johnny and demanded to know what they were doing. Johnny stared at her and said playing. Well, why cant you play quietly? why must you always make so much noise – just playin cowboys. I dont care. Just play quietly. Do you have to run around like a ragamuffin? Now go in your room and play quietly. The children went back to their room and Lucy sighed. That boy sure can be nerveracking. Hes under my feet all day long, always arunnin – running around the house yelling. O, it aint so bad as all that. Lucy almost corrected his using – all –, but hesitated knowing Louis would get mad. But I have him all day, everyday. You do not know how it is. Then why dont you just letim go out an play? Lucy cringed. Caus – Because I do not want him playing with any patched pants kids, thats why. Louis squirmed in his chair. He knew what was coming and he was determined to avoid an argument. If we lived
somewhere else and had a bigger apartment it wouldnt be so bad. Louis said nothing, but breathed deeply and lit a cigarette – somewheres where I could let him out or where theres enough room so he wouldnt be underfoot all day. Four and a half rooms arent enough. And I dont even have any friends here (you dont have any anywhere). I have no body to talk to – O, what doya mean? Theres plenty a people to talk to around here. Why just look out the window, theres people all ovuh. I do not want to talk with those people (the word is
over
). Well,
ah
dont see anything wrong with living here and its goddamn cheap. And ah aint gonna move. But you dont know how it is all day. Already Louis was sorry he had allowed himself to argue, again, with Lucy, but he couldnt stop. Every weekend she starts a argument about something. Look, ah says we stay. This place suits me fine an if we moved we couldnt have no car an ah aint givin up the car. He got up and poured himself another cup of coffee and Lucy argued on. He sat back at the table and tried to ignore Lucy and wished there was a goddamn baseball game on TV. Lucys voice droned on and he sat smoking and drinking trying not to hear her, not wanting to argue about the same old shit again and have her get pissed off and turn her back on him for a month when they went to bed. It was hard enough as it was to get her in the mood. She always had some kind of excuse and he was too tired to go out looking tonight. But he was damned if he was gonna give up the car – the children started yelling at each other and Lucy ran into their room – and anyway, school was only another few months. And once he got out hed have it made. And when he got himself a good job and a few bucks ahead, then maybe theyd move to a Middle Income Project, but he wasnt going to leave school now (and he wasnt getting rid of the car. If he didnt have that he might never get laid), especially after all the money hed paid them. And it was the best TV/radio repair school in the city – Lucy came back moaning about the kids always fighting over a toy – and hed get a job like
that
, and everybody knew how easy it was to knock down money repairing radio and TV sets. Lucy continued talking and Louis refused to argue, thinking, and having thought all day, of tonight, and wishing to hell there was a ball game on.

Womens Chorus II

The women were still on the bench, looking at a couple who had just sat down on a bench across from them. I wonder how they fuck? The woman was short with braces on both legs, a small hump on her back and she walked with crutches. Her husband had a wooden leg and walked with a twisted limp. May be he unscrews his leg and fuckser with the stump. Laughter. I wonder if she hitsim with her crutches when she comes … The
cripples
looked at them and smiled and the women nodded and smiled. Maybe he tapser on the hump when he wants to get humped. Laughter. They smiled again at the cripples, then the smiles left all their faces and they groaned as they saw Mr Green approach. His wife had had a stroke and was in the hospital and whenever he came out of the apartment he stopped the first one he saw and told them the entire story, and whenever he came in sight everybody ran, but the women were too lethargic to move. It was a funny thing how the stroke happened. We were just sitting in the parlour and all of a sudden she looks funny – you know, very pale like – and she moans and dribbles a little at the mouth and I helped her to the couch and she kind of passed out – I called her and shook her, but she didnt move – and I got one of the chairs from the kitchen and took it over to the couch – I couldnt move a big chair – and I sat there with her – I wouldnt leave her side for anything – I guess I sat there for over 4 hours, then I went next door and asked that nice young girl next door to come in and look at my wife – I dont know what I would have done without her – and she looked at her and said right away to call a doctor – such a nice young girl and smart as a whip too – so I did and they took her to the hospital. They gave her all kinds of examinations and they told me she had a stroke. I couldnt even see her until the next day. Shes been in the hospital 3 weeks now, but shes getting better. She ate very well yesterday, even had a second helping of the stew – she says it was very good – (the women continually looked at each other, giggling and moaning, hoping the old creep would go away and one of the women started looking through anothers hair, scraping off large hunks of dandruff, trying to get the dandruff out of the way so she could look for nits. The large hunks she just flipped away, but the smaller ones she
cracked with her finger nail to see if they were just dandruff or a nit. If it snapped she showed it to the woman and told her she got one) she had two helpings of stew and she had a very good bowel movement this morning. It was soft and very dark. I guess the pills they give her make it dark like that. If she keeps improving they may let her come home soon … Mr Green talked on and the women groaned and squirmed (the hunter completely absorbed in her work) and finally he finished and left, stopping someone else as they left the building and telling them the story. The women couldnt understand why he was so upset, the crazy ol bastard, he couldnt get it up for 20 years, or maybe more. Yeah. They cut the bone outta that a long time ago.

Mike got up from the table occasionally, taking his glass of beer with him, and looked out the window. He glanced at the other windows, but not with any real interest or expectation. It was too late to catch some broad walking around in an open bathrobe. He just looked out the window. He noticed the many people walking around and sitting on the benches and remembered that it was Saturday and that his friend Sal would be over. Probably with a bottle. Yeah. Sal would be over and they could get high. Great! He finished his beer then went back to the table and refilled his glass. There was no need to nurse his beer now. Sal should be there by the time he finished the beer and a few shots would set him straight. He turned the radio up and drummed on the table with his fingers. He felt better already. Yeah. Now there was something to do. He cleared the dirty dishes from the table and piled them in the sink. Helen asked again if she could go out and play and Mike almost said yes, but when he looked at her he realized he would have to dress her and he was in no mood to go diggin around looking for shirts, coats and all that shit. No. You can go out tomorrow. What the hell, it wasnt his fault he didnt know where all the clothes were. If Irene would put things out for him in the morning it would be different, but why should he have to go looking around for the kids clothes? Irene could take her out
tomorrow. Thank krist Irene was off the next two days. At least he wouldnt have to take care of the kids. And if it was a nice day maybe hed go out somewhere. Take in a show or somethin. Irene usually broke his balls when she was home, always asking him to help her with this or that, and she’d go running around the joint bitchin because she had to wash clothes or clean the house. What did she think he was, a goddamn house maid or somethin. Fuck her. Thats her job. Why should I do it? Its not my fault Im out of work. Maybe he and Sal would go out and pick up some quiff tonight. Yeah. Maybe we’ll make the rounds of the bars. I could use a little nookie. Thats what I need, a good piece of ass. He rubbed his cock with the palm of his hand. Thats what he needed. Irene had the rag on for a week and he couldnt even get some of the old stuff. He drank his beer and smiled thinking of picking up a nice lookin head and takin her home and layiner – Helen asked if she could have something to eat. Im hungry. O for krists sake. Why do ya always have ta bother me, trying to still think of the nice head he would pick up, but the image faded quickly and he couldnt bring it back to mind as he looked at Helen and listened to her. He buttered her a piece of bread and slapped some jelly on it and handed it to her. She walked away licking the jelly and when Arthur saw her eating he started whining and Mike got mad as hell. Why dontya stay out here and eat. Why do ya have ta break my balls all the time. Helen stared at him for a minute then slowly started walking back to the kitchen, but Arthur continued to whine. OK, OK goddamn it. Mike took the bottle out of the crib and filled it with milk. Here, goddamn it. Now shut up. Krist, I’ll be glad when Irene gets home so I can get you kids off my back.