Part 6 (2/2)
He is' in his way-or was' until today-a wonderful man: rounded and perfect in his a.s.surances' plated with prejudices' caprisoned about and perfect in his a.s.surances' plated with prejudices' caprisoned about with cant' and possessed of just enough native wit to hold a job in a place with cant' and possessed of just enough native wit to hold a job in a place like this' Porter is an evocation of the Great American Median. Even his like this' Porter is an evocation of the Great American Median. Even his occasional surrept.i.tious expeditions into Sandra Jackson's office to sniff occasional surrept.i.tious expeditions into Sandra Jackson's office to sniff the seat of her chair please me-an endearing little loophole in the walking castle of complacency that is Ma.s.sa Po'tuh. the seat of her chair please me-an endearing little loophole in the walking castle of complacency that is Ma.s.sa Po'tuh.
Oh' but today! What a different Herbert Porter crept into my janitorial cubbyhole today! The complacent'ruddy face had become pallid and trembling. The blue eyes s.h.i.+fted so regularly from side to side that Porter trembling. The blue eyes s.h.i.+fted so regularly from side to side that Porter looked like a man watching a tennis match even when he was trying to looked like a man watching a tennis match even when he was trying to stare right at me. His lips were so s.h.i.+ny with spittle that they looked stare right at me. His lips were so s.h.i.+ny with spittle that they looked almost varnished. And while he was of course still fat' he also looked as if almost varnished. And while he was of course still fat' he also looked as if he had somehow lost his surface tension-as if the essential Herb Porter he had somehow lost his surface tension-as if the essential Herb Porter had shrunk away from the borders of his skin' leaving that skin to sag in had shrunk away from the borders of his skin' leaving that skin to sag in places where it had been previously stretched smooth. places where it had been previously stretched smooth.
”He's out'” Porter whispered.
”Who's dat' Mist Po'tuh?” I asked. I was genuinely curious; I could not imagine what mighty sling or engine could have breached such a gap not imagine what mighty sling or engine could have breached such a gap in Castle Herbert. Although I suppose I should have guessed. in Castle Herbert. Although I suppose I should have guessed.
He proffered me the paper-the Post, of course. He's the only one of course. He's the only one around here who reads it. Kenton and Wade read the T around here who reads it. Kenton and Wade read the Times, Gelb and Gelb and Jackson Jackson bring bring the T the Times but secretly read the but secretly read the Daily News Daily News (the hand that (the hand that rocks the cradle may rule the world' but de han which empty de white rocks the cradle may rule the world' but de han which empty de white folks' wastebaskets know de folks' wastebaskets know de secrets secrets of de worl)' but the P of de worl)' but the Post was made for fellows such as Herb Porter. He plays Wingo religiously and says if he fellows such as Herb Porter. He plays Wingo religiously and says if he ever wins a bundle he is going to buy a Winnebago' paint the word ever wins a bundle he is going to buy a Winnebago' paint the word
W I N G O B A G O on the side' and tour the country. on the side' and tour the country. I took it' opened it' and read the headline. I took it' opened it' and read the headline. ”The General's escaped'” he whispered. His eyes stopped bouncing ”The General's escaped'” he whispered. His eyes stopped bouncing back and forth for a moment and he stared at me in dismay and utter horror. ”It's as if that d.a.m.ned Detweiller cursed us. The General's escaped back and forth for a moment and he stared at me in dismay and utter horror. ”It's as if that d.a.m.ned Detweiller cursed us. The General's escaped and I rejected his book and I rejected his book!”
”Now' now' Mist Po'tuh'” I said. ”Ain't no need to take on so. Man lak dis prob'ly got fo-five dozen scores to settle befo he git to you.” dis prob'ly got fo-five dozen scores to settle befo he git to you.”
”But I could be number one'” he whispered. ”After all' I rejected his G.o.ddam G.o.ddam book.” book.”
It was true'and it is ironic how two such fundamentally different men as Kenton and Porter have managed to get themselves into exactly the as Kenton and Porter have managed to get themselves into exactly the same situation this late winter-each the target of a rejected author same situation this late winter-each the target of a rejected author (Detweiller's rejection a bit more dramatic than that of the Major-General' (Detweiller's rejection a bit more dramatic than that of the Major-General' granted' but that was indubitably Detweiller's own fault) who just happens to be insane.The difference-I know it'even if no one else does (and granted' but that was indubitably Detweiller's own fault) who just happens to be insane.The difference-I know it'even if no one else does (and I believe Roger Wade might)-is that' while Kenton thought there might I believe Roger Wade might)-is that' while Kenton thought there might actually be the germ of a book in Detweiller's obsession'Porter knew better concerning the General's.But Porter is one of those men who has read actually be the germ of a book in Detweiller's obsession'Porter knew better concerning the General's.But Porter is one of those men who has read o m n ivo ro u s ly-and vicariously-about Wo rld War II' that Picke t t ' s o m n ivo ro u s ly-and vicariously-about Wo rld War II' that Picke t t ' s Charge of western man (western Charge of western man (western white white man) in the 20th century' and he man) in the 20th century' and he knew who Hecksler was...in a war filled with military celebrities Hecksler knew who Hecksler was...in a war filled with military celebrities Hecksler was' granted' of the Hollywood Squares type (if you see what I mean)'but was' granted' of the Hollywood Squares type (if you see what I mean)'but to Porter he was to Porter he was somebody. somebody. So he asked to see the completed ma.n.u.script So he asked to see the completed ma.n.u.script of Tw of Twenty Psychic Garden Flowers in spite of the abysmal outline' thereby in spite of the abysmal outline' thereby encouraging a man who was' by the quality and content of his own written words' a palpable psychotic. I felt that the result and his present terror' although unforeseen' were partly his own fault. encouraging a man who was' by the quality and content of his own written words' a palpable psychotic. I felt that the result and his present terror' although unforeseen' were partly his own fault.
I allowed as how it was true that he could be number one on the General's. .h.i.t list (if indeed the poor madman is doing anything other than General's. .h.i.t list (if indeed the poor madman is doing anything other than cowering in drainage ditches or scouring alley garbage cans for offal at this cowering in drainage ditches or scouring alley garbage cans for offal at this point)' but reiterated that I thought it unlikely. I added that he might well point)' but reiterated that I thought it unlikely. I added that he might well be caught before he could get within fifty miles of New York City even if be caught before he could get within fifty miles of New York City even if he had decided to come after Porter' and finished by telling him that many he had decided to come after Porter' and finished by telling him that many psychotics released suddenly into an uncontrolled environment took psychotics released suddenly into an uncontrolled environment took their own lives...although I did not say so in exactly those words. their own lives...although I did not say so in exactly those words.
Po r ter re ga rded me suspiciously for a moment and then said' ”Riddley-don't take offense at this-” ”Riddley-don't take offense at this-”
”Nawsah!”
”Have you really been to college?” been to college?”
”Ya.s.sah!”
”And you took psychology courses?”
”Ya.s.sah' I sho did.”
”Abnormal psychology?” psychology?”
”Ya.s.sah' and I'se pow'ful familier wid de suicidial syndrome a.s.sociated wid de paranoid-psychotic personality! Why' dat Gen'l Hecksler could be slittin' his wrists or garglin' wid a lightbulb even while we's heah could be slittin' his wrists or garglin' wid a lightbulb even while we's heah talkin' Mist Po'tuh!” talkin' Mist Po'tuh!”
He looked at me for a long time and then said'”If you've been to college' Riddley' why do you talk that way?”
”What way is dat' Mist Po-tuh?”
He regarded me for a moment longer and then said' ”Never mind.”
He leaned close-close enough so I could smell cheap cigars' hair tonic' and the graywater stench of fear. ”Can you get me a gun?” and the graywater stench of fear. ”Can you get me a gun?”
For a moment I was literally without a response-which is like saying (Floyd would' anyway) that China was for a moment without manpower. (Floyd would' anyway) that China was for a moment without manpower. I had an idea that he had changed the subject completely' and that what I I had an idea that he had changed the subject completely' and that what I had heard as had heard as Can you get me a gun? Can you get me a gun? had actually been had actually been Can you get me some Can you get me some fun, fun, as in ho. Definition of a ho: dahk-skin woman who do it fo money on as in ho. Definition of a ho: dahk-skin woman who do it fo money on account of de food-stamps is gone and de las fix be cookin in de spoon. account of de food-stamps is gone and de las fix be cookin in de spoon. My response was to either fall down' shrieking wildly with laughter' or to My response was to either fall down' shrieking wildly with laughter' or to throttle him until his face was as purple as his tie. Then' belatedly' I began throttle him until his face was as purple as his tie. Then' belatedly' I began to understand he really to understand he really had had said gun...but in the meantime he had taken said gun...but in the meantime he had taken the overload in my mental switchboard for refusal. His face fell. the overload in my mental switchboard for refusal. His face fell.
”You're sure?” he asked. ”I thought that up there in Harlem-”
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