612
PARTISAN REVIEW
And the second was getting higher than the first. 1 was rich, friends, rich!
Now,
1
told myself, get out, old Schlossy boy, out. Move up and out.
But how?
1
waited for a simple, quiet loss, checked my watch and pulled up
my stakes and waved myself out of the next deal. "Sorry, that's it for
tonight.
1
have an appointment."
The four players, taken by surprise, and maybe by the appointment,
seemed startled.
1
began
packing in the piles.
"Yuh just can't quit on us, yuh know-not with our loot in your pocket!"
declared a round fellow with a cigar in his cheeks.
Tingling,
1
gathered my nerves as best as possible. "Sure
1
can, if
1
want to.
A
few weeks ago, man,"
-I
inserted the little noun for some reason–
"you guys took my money, and now it's my turn."
A
short wiry black fellow, the kind that scared me the most ever since,
as a kid,
1
had seen one slash a fellow's face with a concealed razor in his
matches, stood up, and came toward me.
1
stood my ground and he moved
to a few inches of my face, twirling his toothpick in his mouth as though it
might go off at any moment. "Yuh all looking for some trouble, quittin on us
suddenly,jes like that?"
From the speakers, Sam Cook was singing about sweet sixteen, and
I
held my tongue, counting to six, feeling terror climb my back. Looking at his
shining brown eyes,
1
said, low, ''I'm not looking for any trouble. But for
tonight,
1
happen to have an appointment." An imaginary Mosey winked at
me.
If
the fellow had snapped at me, or done worse,
I
don't know what
1
would have done. His foul breath spilled over me, and
1
accepted that, and
also the menace of his nearness, which seemed to last and last.
Jackson stepped in between us, and eased him back, away. "Hey
Jonesay, the boy's got a right to quit, win or lose," and turning to me he said,
"But-you shoulda let us know aforehand that you had an appointment, sport.
Come on now, I'll walk you out." Without looking back, but feeling the heat
on me,
I
proceeded toward the elevator, and escape. Jackson whispered,
"Yuh got some nice little pussy waitin for you, huh Aaron?"
1
nodded.
"Sho, I dig. Just come back soon and give the boys a chance to get
even now. So Jonesy don't stay angry." He patted my back, still stiff with
tension.
1 nodded, said sure, and recrossed the elevator floor, back onto home
ground. Fiction boy again. This time 1 closed up shop with a different feeling,
and 1 was sorry that Bernie wasn't around, to celebrate with. But my novels
were, and so 1 shared it with them, preening and promenading through the
