Part 39 (1/2)
Murray laughed with him ''If it were the money you wanted, you could have taken that job with the LA But I knew better”
Chapter 18
The office assigned to hih room for his desk and two chairs, one behind it and one in front In the comer of the room was a small coatrack The walls, painted white, were bare But he did have one , and if it had not been for that he one coan his contacts with the local organizers They were friendly enough, but not about to relinquish any of their power or authority to anyone without specific instruction, and they had received no communication as yet from the central office as to his position He had placed innuh, but had never reached him Each time, he was assured by the secretary that McDonald would return his call, but at the end of the week, he accepted the fact that it was not about to happen
The papers on Friday afternoon played up Murray's press conference in Washi+ngton The phrase ''Unholy Alliance'' caught on It was jingoistic journalese The newspapers loved it Even Gabriel Heatter used it on his national evening radio newscast Daniel picked up the telephone and called Murray in Washi+ngton
He felt a ratulations,” Daniel said ”The press conference went doell The newspapers here gave it a big play”
Murray was obviously pleased ”Good I think we're beginning totocrazy,” Daniel said shortly ”F locked out”
”I don't understand” Murray sounded genuinely puzzled ”You talk to Dave?”
”Can't get hiionals haven't been officially notified as tomy way”
”FU talk to his difficult for you,” Daniel said ”You have enough on your mind Maybe it would be better if I moved on”
”No” Murray's voice was ehtened out”
”You don't oweI should be back in California with h he has no mother; he shouldn't be without a father too”
”Give me until the end of the hten it out by then, you can go where you want”
”Fair enough,” Daniel said He put down the telephone and took the bottle of whiskey from the bottom drawer of his desk He poured himself a drink and turned to theand stared out while sipping his drink Rain and dusk were falling on Chicago, and as he watched the buildings disappear and the lights coot to his feet and threw open his office door To his surprise, the big office was eirl huddled over her typewriter at the far end of the roolanced at his watch Five o'clock
Tio that union workers never went ho about what they were doing and what they hoped to achieve But noas Hke any other business Five o'clock and everyone went ho the drink in his hand, he walked dowa the rooirl She looked up as she heard his footsteps ''What are you doing?” he asked
''Mr Gerard wants this report on his desk when he co,” she answered
”Mr Gerard?” It was a new naal,” she said
”What's your na for a union?”
She glanced down at her typewriter ”It's a job”
”Why the union?” he asked ”Do you feel you'rea contribution to the laborconditions?”
”I don't know anything about that,” she said ”I answered an ad in the paper, even though they were only paying fifteen dollars a week”
”Is that a fair salary for your job?”
”Most places pay about nineteen a week for the same job,” she answered ”But there aren't any other jobs”
”Maybe what you need is a union,” he said, grinning He finished his drink ”Want a drink, Nancy?”
She shook her head ”No, thanks I have to finish this”
”Okay,” he said, and started back to his office
Her voice stopped hiins” He turned to look at her ”Can I ask you a question?”
”Sure”
”Ever since they put your na exactly what is it you do and what department you're with
You're kind of a hed ''Ever hear of the limbo department?” ''Limbo?” she was puzzled ”I don't think I have” ”That's where I'm at,” he said, and went back to his office and closed the door
It was still drizzling when he left the office and walked to the parking lot for his car He started the engine and switched on the headlights, then sat there with theback to his empty apartment didn't attract him at all He had read all the papers to co alone with a bottle of whiskey, listening to the radio, wasn't his idea of spending an evening He thought about going to the movies, but that too was empty and offered no real escape from his restlessness
Io, to a bar near the Republic Steel anize The bar was croith men, steelworkers, who had spent the best part of their day on the rainy picket line Against the wall, neatly stacked, were their picket signs REPUBLIC STEEL ON STRIKE! FOR A LIVING WAGE, GO CIO! Some were printed, but there were many that had been hand-lettered by the men themselves
He pushed his way up to the bar and ordered a double whiskey While waiting for the drink, he glanced down the bar There were lasses The strike had alreadyhabits Steel workers drank whiskey Beer was usually nothing but a chaser
The bartender put the whiskey in front of hie on the bar as Daniel raised his glass Daniel took his drink and was about to walk back to a booth at the side of the rooDan!”
He recognized the rizzled veteran of many years in the mill, one of the first to join the union 'How're y'doin Sandy?”
Sandy picked up his beer and worked his way up the bar to hi Dan,” he said ''I didn't expect to see you down here again”
''Why not?” Daniel asked
”We heard you went out to California”
”I did But I've been back more than a week now”
”You haven't been down to the union office” He was referring to the subregional office
”They've been keeping ave me a new job”
”There's been talk about that too,” Sandy said dourly