Part 18 (2/2)
”Always entertaining the out-of-town trade, Abe?” he said.
Abe relaxed his features in what he intended for a smile, but afterward he turned to Shapolnik with a scowl.
”Only one thing I got to tell you, Shapolnik,” he declared. ”Nowadays, if a feller wants to make a success he must got to wear good clothes and look like a _mensch_, y'understand? It never harms in business, Shapolnik, that a feller should throw sometimes, oncet in a while, a little bluff.”
Between the ages of sixteen and twenty Sidney Koblin had so often tested the maxim, ”Boys will be boys,” that Max Koblin's patience at length became exhausted. ”Do you mean to told me you ain't got one cent left from that forty I gave you on Sat.u.r.day?” Max asked on the Monday morning following Shapolnik's resignation.
”Aw, what's biting you?” Sidney cried. ”You sat behind me last night and if it wouldn't been for you I wouldn't of played that last four-hundred hand at all. Cost forty-eight dollars, that advice of yours.”
This was a facer, to be sure, and Max paused before formulating a rejoinder.
”In the first place, Sidney,” he began, ”you didn't got no right to lead no trump. I told you before lots of times, if you got the extra ten, get rid of your meld first. And in the second place, Sidney, I wouldn't stand for your extravagance no longer. It's time you turned around and attended to business.”
”Aw, you never give me no show!” Sidney protested. ”You keep me monkeying around while other young fellers is out on the road. Look at Mortie Savin and all them boys.”
”Sure, I know,” Max rejoined. ”They got heads on 'em. You couldn't add up eight figures together, and at your age for a feller to write a hand like that, Sidney----”
”What are you kicking about?” Sidney exclaimed. ”When you was my age you couldn't sign your name even.”
”Well, that ain't here nor there, Sidney,” Max replied as he pulled a bill from the roll which he produced from his trousers pocket. ”Here is ten dollars and that's got to last you till Sat.u.r.day night. D'ye understand?”
Sidney grunted as he tucked the bill into his waistcoat. He had heard the same ultimatum once a week for the past two years, and he whistled cheerfully as he despatched one of the stock boys for a package of cigarettes. An hour later he lunched at Hammersmith's, while Abe Potash sat at an adjacent table. As he consumed a modest portion of _rostbraten_, Abe noted with a disapproving eye the cherry-stone clams, green-turtle soup and _filet Chateaubriand_ which formed the menu of the Heir Apparent; and when the latter topped off his meal with half a pint of dry champagne and a _cafe parfait_ Abe seized his hat and fairly ran from the restaurant.
”If n.o.body would tell that feller Koblin what a lowlife b.u.m he got it for a son, Mawruss,” he said as he entered the firm's private office ten minutes later, ”I will. Actually with my own eyes I seen it--the feller eats for five dollars a lunch, and he ain't with a customer nor nothing.”
”What is it your business what Sidney Koblin is eating, Abe?” Morris rejoined. ”If you wouldn't notice every mouthful the feller puts in his face at all you would be back here a whole lot sooner. There's a feller waiting for you in the showroom over half an hour since.”
”Who is he?” Abe asked.
”I think it's that Mr.--Who's this, from Seattle, which he was in here last fall and nearly bought from us them polo coats? I couldn't tell his face exactly, but you remember what a swell dresser that feller was.”
Abe peered through the screen that divided the rooms.
”I think you're right, Mawruss,” he said.
”I couldn't remember his name,” Morris added, ”and that's why I didn't talk much to him. All I says was you would be in soon; and I give him a cigar from the safe.”
Abe nodded and walked hurriedly out of the office. As he approached his caller he extended his right hand.
”How do you do?” he exclaimed, as he shook his visitor warmly by the hand.
”You're looking fine.”
The visitor smiled in return.
”I thought you were going to tell me that,” he replied.
”Yes, indeed! You're looking a whole lot better than the last time I seen you,” Abe said. ”When did you get in?”
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