PARTISAN REVIEW
"Come on," Enoch started, "we don't have no time to
be
sassing around with her. I got to show you this right away, I got...."
"I ain't clean," Haze said.
It was not until he said it ,again that Enoch heard the words.
"I ain't clean," he said again, without any expression on his
face or in
his
voice, just looking at the woman as if he were looking
at a piece of wood.
She stared at him, startled and then outraged. "What do you
think I care!" she screamed. "Why should I give a goddamm what
you are?"
"Come on," Enoch whined, "come on or I won't tell you where
them people live." He caught Haze's arm and pulled him back from
the counter and toward the door.
"You bastard!" the woman screamed, "what do you think I
care about any of you filthy boys?"
Hazel Weaver pushed the door open quickly and went out. He
got back in his car, and Enoch jumped in behind him. "Okay,"
Enoch said, "drive straight on ahead down this road."
"What do you want for telling me?" Haze said. "I'm not stay–
ing here. I have to go. I can't stay here any longer."
Enoch shuddered. He began wetting his lips. "I got to show
it to you," he said hoarsely. "I can't show it to nobody but you.
I had a sign it was you when I seen you drive up at the pool. I knew
all
morning somebody was gonna come and then when I saw you at
the pool, I had thisyer sign."
"I don't care about your signs," Haze said.
"I go to see it ever day," Enoch said. "I go ever day but I ain't
ever been able to take nobody else with me. I had to wait on the sign.
I'll tell you them people's address just as soon as you see it. You got
to see it," he said. "When you see it, something's
goi~g
to happen."
"Nothing's going to happen," Haze said.
He started the car again and Enoch sat forward on the seat.
"Them animals," he muttered. "We got to walk by them first. It
won't take long for that. It won't
ta.~e
a minute." He saw the animals
waiting evil-eyed for him, ready to throw him off' time. He thought
what if the police were screaming out here now with sirens and squad
cars and they got to Hazel Weaver just before he showed it to him.
"I got to see those people," Haze said.
146
