Part 7 (1/2)
”Nu?” asked Peter.
”Like I said,” Borden answered, his voice once more calm, ”I'm opening up in Brooklyn, a studio, in a few weeks. I had planned to sell my equipment at this studio because I got for my new place all new equipment.” He leaned over Peter's chair and dropped his voice to a confidential whisper. ”For six thousand dollars I can let you have my equipment at the old studio and it's a bargain.”
”Willie,” Peter said, getting to his feet and looking down at Borden, ”you haven't changed a bit since the days you tried to sell me two-cent shoelaces for a nickel off your father's pushcart. I might be green in the picture business, but I'm not so dumb as you think. You think I don't know the condition of your old equipment? It's not for nothing I spent all these years in the hardware business not to know merchandise. If you had said to me three thousand dollars, I might have listened, but six, I laugh.”
Johnny caught his breath. Was Peter crazy? Didn't he know that you couldn't get equipment in this business-that the combine controlled everything and that there were men who would jump at the opportunity of getting that equipment for six thousand dollars?
Borden's reply was even more amazing to Johnny. ”Peter,” he said, ”the only reason I made you an offer so sensational like that is because I want you in this business. I got anyway a feeling that you're going into the picture business, so I'll make you another proposition. From you and only you I'll take three thousand dollars in cash down and three thousand dollars I'll take in chattel mortgage. Such confidence I got in you as a person, you can pay me when you make the money.”
The spirit of bargaining had caught Peter. ”Make it five thousand, two down and the rest mortgage, and I'll consider it. I'll even talk to Esther about it.”
Again Johnny was surprised. He didn't understand why Peter said he would talk to Esther about it. He didn't see why it was necessary. After all, what did she know about the picture business?
But Borden didn't seem surprised. He looked up shrewdly into Peter's face. What he saw there must have pleased him, for suddenly he gave Peter a playful punch in the arm. ”Good enough, Landsman!” he said. ”If Esther approves it, we got a deal!”
9.
Peter was very quiet on the train going home. Johnny didn't talk much to him when he saw that Peter wanted to be left alone. Peter stared out of the window most of the time.
The snow was still packed tightly on the ground when at last they got off the train and trudged toward home. As they drew near the house, Peter began to talk.
”It's not so easy like you think, Johnny,” he said. ”There's lots of things I got to do before I can even take a chance like that.”
Johnny got the impression that Peter was talking more for his own benefit than Johnny's, so he didn't reply.
”I got responsibilities here,” Peter went on. Johnny was right, Peter didn't expect an answer. ”I got the two businesses and the house, which I have to sell so we can have some cash to operate. The hardware business is not so good right now and I got a big inventory, which I expected to clear out in the spring.”
”But we can't wait,” Johnny protested. ”You can't ask Borden to wait until then. He will have to sell his equipment.”
”I know,” Peter agreed, ”but what can I do? You heard he wants at least two thousand in cash and right now I ain't got it. I don't know either whether it's such a good thing to jump into anyhow. It's a risky business. What if the pictures don't sell? I don't know nothing about making 'em.”
”Joe'll come in with us,” Johnny said, ”and he knows how to make 'em. His pictures are the best that Borden's got. We can't lose.”
”Maybe,” Peter said doubtfully as they came to the door. ”But there's no guarantees.”
Peter went upstairs to his apartment and Johnny went into the nickelodeon.
”Hallo, Johnny,” George called from behind his counter.
”h.e.l.lo, George.” Johnny walked over to the counter and sat down on a stool.
George put a cup of coffee in front of him. ”Have a good trip?”
Johnny sipped at the coffee gratefully and started to unb.u.t.ton his coat. ”Yeanh”-he nodded-”pretty good.” ”At least it would be if Peter wasn't so d.a.m.n cautious,” he thought.
”I didn't think you'd be down today,” he said aloud. ”It's so cold n.o.body'll be out.”
”p.o.o.puls come out,” George said. ”You should been here last night. p.o.o.puls come minute she stops snowing and wait in entrance for you to open op.”
Johnny was surprised. ”You mean people were actually here last night in all that snow?”
”Sure,” George said.
”Did you tell 'em we'll be open tonight?” Johnny asked.
”Nope,” George said proudly, ”did better. I go upstairs to Missus Kessler and tell her. She sticks head outside windows and sees p.o.o.puls. She comes downstairs and we put on show. Did good business too.”
”Well, I'll be d.a.m.ned,” Johnny muttered under his breath. ”But who ran the projector?”
”Me,” George said beaming. ”Missus Kessler took the tickets and my brother Nick, he work the store. I run him putty good too. Only broke film twice.”
Twice in one show was nothing. ”How did you learn to work the machine?” Johnny asked incredulously.
”Watched you,” George answered. ”Not so hard to do.” He looked at Johnny and smiled. ”Sure is one good business. Make money easy. Put in film one end machine, money comes out other end.”
Johnny never heard it put better. He finished his coffee and started for his room at the back of the store.
”Johnny,” George called him back.
”What?”
”Missus Kessler, she say Peter go to New York. Maybe go into picture business there.”
”Maybe.”
”Then what he do with this?” George asked. ”Sell it?”
”Maybe.”
George walked over to him excitedly. He put his hand on Johnny's arm. ”If he does sell, you think maybe he'll sell it to me?”
Johnny looked at him a moment before he answered. ”If he decides to sell and if you got money to buy, I don't see why he won't.”
George looked at the floor. His face, as always when he was excited, turned a little red. ”You know when I come to this country fifteen yirrs, I'm Grik, and poor boy, but my brother Nick and me, we live cheap and save few bucks maybe for to go back to old country with some day. I think now maybe we don't go back to old country so quick. We use money to open up picture show.”
”What made you think of that?” Johnny asked curiously.
”I read in papers all over the country they open. In New York they got theaters now show only moving pictures.” George spoke slowly, he didn't want to get mixed up in his choice of words. ”If Peter sell me the building, I take out hardware store and make regular theater like New York.”