Part 17 (2/2)
Preston blinked and put down the magazine and rubbed at a little orange stain he'd found on his s.h.i.+rt front, making it worse.
”They're putting him on a sedative,” she said. ”He's going to be fine, but it'll be a while.”
”Because-”
”Because it always is. Everything takes forever. You know hospitals.”
”I know this one pretty good. I've read everything there is to look at around here except the VD flyers. I had enough of them in the army.”
Donna smiled and stood there for a minute, and then she sat down in the chair next to Preston's. She leaned in close and lowered her voice. ”Tell me,” she said. ”What did they ask him?”
”Nothing special. Background stuff. The usual, I guess.”
She slumped forward a little with her hands folded on her lap, shaking her head. ”It doesn't take much, does it?”
”No,” said Preston. ”It doesn't take much.”
Audie.
I WOKE UP WOKE UP in the bed and all the lights were on and Donna was in the chair. I don't think those lights ever do go off. Donna wasn't there to be a nurse, so a different nurse came in and sat me up by pus.h.i.+ng on a b.u.t.ton and the bed moved. Donna smiled to see me come up. She said they were going to let me go home and I asked how long they'd had me to start with and she said not too long. The doctor came in to sign papers. He asked me how I felt and I said I'd feel better once I got out of the hospital and Donna said something to him and he laughed like he didn't really mean it. They had me in a dress made out of blue paper and it made a noise when he touched it. He asked me if I'd mind him taking a look at my backside before he let me go. I said I didn't have any trouble with my backside that I knew of but go on ahead and Donna said go on ahead and he sat me up straight and pulled at the paper dress. He said oh my he'd never seen anything like that in all his years. That rooster tattoo I got way back. He said had I ever got any medical care for that and I said I never got any medical care for anything until this very day. This was the first time and everybody must have done a pretty good job because I felt all right. He stood there clucking at it until he let me go and I got my clothes on and Donna brought me home. I was glad to be out of that dress. It was late and Creed had the milking done and I felt bad about that but he said it was all right. I didn't need to worry. That was what he said. in the bed and all the lights were on and Donna was in the chair. I don't think those lights ever do go off. Donna wasn't there to be a nurse, so a different nurse came in and sat me up by pus.h.i.+ng on a b.u.t.ton and the bed moved. Donna smiled to see me come up. She said they were going to let me go home and I asked how long they'd had me to start with and she said not too long. The doctor came in to sign papers. He asked me how I felt and I said I'd feel better once I got out of the hospital and Donna said something to him and he laughed like he didn't really mean it. They had me in a dress made out of blue paper and it made a noise when he touched it. He asked me if I'd mind him taking a look at my backside before he let me go. I said I didn't have any trouble with my backside that I knew of but go on ahead and Donna said go on ahead and he sat me up straight and pulled at the paper dress. He said oh my he'd never seen anything like that in all his years. That rooster tattoo I got way back. He said had I ever got any medical care for that and I said I never got any medical care for anything until this very day. This was the first time and everybody must have done a pretty good job because I felt all right. He stood there clucking at it until he let me go and I got my clothes on and Donna brought me home. I was glad to be out of that dress. It was late and Creed had the milking done and I felt bad about that but he said it was all right. I didn't need to worry. That was what he said.
1989.
Tom.
”HENRI GIVE ME A CALL yesterday,” Nick said. yesterday,” Nick said.
Tom put down his beer and reached over for some Chex Mix. He got a handful and picked through it to filter out the tasteless bagel bits and those hard little dried peas with the horseradish powder that they put in there to make you thirsty. He didn't say anything.
Nick went on. ”He told me all about the new setup. He had an idea I might not know about it and he was right.”
”What new setup?” Crunching the Chex Mix.
”You know.”
”Maybe I don't know.”
”The deal he cut with you and your old man. Him selling our stuff up there. Us buying more of his stuff for down here.”
”Oh,” said Tom, going for some more Chex Mix. ”That ”That setup.” setup.”
”How come I had to hear about it from Henri?”
”I was getting around to telling you.”
”When?”
”When I figured out how to do it so you wouldn't feel stupid for not thinking of it yourself.”
”I don't feel stupid. I feel got around.”
”I'm sorry.”
Nick waved for the bartender's attention and tapped on the side of his gla.s.s for a refill. ”I told you we go way back. Me and Henri.”
”I know that. I remember.”
”You can't keep secrets from old Nick.”
”I know. That's why I was going to tell you any minute now.”
”Especially if the secret means more work for me.”
”More work, more money. I don't see the problem.” Picking through the Chex Mix.
”It ain't balanced. It ain't fair like it used to be. You got a cigarette?”
Tom gave him one and lit him a match. ”Sure it's balanced. Everybody gets paid for what he does.”
”I already don't get paid as much as you. And now I bet I'm gonna get less.”
”You don't grow the stuff, and you don't process it, and you don't cut the big deals with the Canuck.”
”I used to. With Henri, I mean.”
”Things change.”
”Now look,” said Nick. He pointed at the bowl, which by now held pretty much nothing but wasabi peas and bagel bits and dust. ”That right there is exactly what I'm talking about.”
”What.”
”That's the kind of person you are.”
”I don't-”
”The kind of person only thinks of himself. No concern for the next guy.”
”Oh come off it.”
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