76
PARTISAN REVIEW
"Well, Tom, the wife is in a pretty bad way and I got to
get her to the hospital."
I'd known about it of course, but it was news to me that
the time was so close. Tex had one curly headed kid about five
and now he was getting another one. His wife was a nice little
woman and Tex just worshipped her. Told me once he could
never get it into his head how come she married a big, awkward
lug like himself. So I got my hat and coat while I was thinking
about all this. Paula, my wife, was out so I left a note for her
to go over and take care of Mrs. Buckley. Walking down the
street, I asked Tex if he had applied to the County charity
worker for hospital room.
"Sure," he told me. "I went to old lady Ball about a
month ago. Now she says there ain't no room at the County
Hospital."
Old Ball was the head of the County Relief and she was a
regular old ... well, pardon me, you lady comrades.
"Can't we get a couple of the women and Doc Halper to
help and make out at home?" I asked him.
T ex shook his head slow like. "Amy had a powerful bad
time with the boy, Tom, and she needs lots of help. Doctors
told us then she shouldn't have any more. Tex sounded more
miserable than he looked, which was plenty, and I felt right
sorry for him.
We got to the Council hall and found a few of the boys.
With Jimmy gone, seemed like nobody knowed what to do.
Then somebody thought of Sam and went to fetch him. Sam
finally came and sure enough, he knew what to do. We rounded
up a few fellers and a couple women folks in two old cars and
lit out for the hospital on the edge of town. When we got
there, we went right into the super's office and he turned us
down cold. He was a little bald-headed guy with those pinch–
nose glasses and he talked through his nose too. When he'd
finished telling us there was no room, Tex took a hand. Reckon
it was the first time he'd ever said anything on a Committee.
"But Mister Superintendent, can't you fix up a cot or some–
thing for her?"
The super waved his hand like we was a bunch of school
kids, and he was teacher dismissing us. "There is no room, my
man."
As Tex turned, Sam spoke. "Can't your hospital send
some ether equipment down to the house? We can get a doctor."
