"O sure. Good to talk to someone who knows what he"s talking about."
"I"d like the key left in the lock of the suite."
"Now this emotional ingredient, that how you function, Mr. Smith, I mean pardon me for asking this time of night."
"Morning."
"Yeah morning."
"And I"m imposing upon the graciousness of a country citizen. This is an emergency."
"O sure. Just remembering that. Free the mind of emotional ingredients when looking for profits. I need investment advice. My wife wants to know why you want to spend all that good money getting buried."
"If you don"t mind Norbert, the suite. Flowers and hot punch if you will."
"Sure, Mr. Smith. Good to hear from you again. Just goes to shows, my whole life I"ve been getting all emotional looking for a profit. The key will be in the tunnel entrance."
"In the door of the suite, please."
"Sure Mr. Smith, anything you want, you know me, boy I"ll bet you"ve got some doll tonight-"
Smith lightly hanging the little ear piece on the fragile hook. Hick turning from the door where he was peering out in the night. At what must be Miss Tomson. That gun makes me nervous. Don"t suppose he"s ever seen her likes before in tight blue satin, slippered in gold and silver twiddling a pine cone in this vague neck of the woods. He may make bombs in his attic. George Smith tendering a crisp treasury bill.
"Nope stranger."
Smith taking leave gently on the grey porch. With a thanks a million. Once is enough stranger. And stepping down three steps to the hard path underneath the three great trees at the fork of this road. Turning to look back. The shadow standing in the light of the hall, gun at port arms. People who live in the country like strangers to call out of the blue.
The dirt road goes down winding, twisting and turning. Lights flooding the pa.s.sing woods enclosed in an endless wire fence. A small pond. Up on a hill again faint grave stones of a cemetery. Apples must grow there and drop on the dead in summertime full of flavour. Handfuls of hair round Miss Tomson"s head. Turn right at this turn, Miss Tomson, left at the next. Silent cruising through the night. South. Catching up with the storm splashing down the heavy rain. A rabbit popping on the road, Smith isn"t that sweet that rabbit.
"Miss Tomson what were you going to tell me, back there in the bar."
"It was nothing."
"Come on tell me."
"It embarra.s.ses me now."
"Please tell me."
"Well. You know when I was working for you. Saw you get all those letters, and the pathetic little set up you had and all, in Golf Street. I can"t tell you. Seems too silly. Might make you sore."
"O.".
"You"ll get sore if I don"t tell you."
"No I won"t."
"I just used to add money to the petty cash box because I thought you were really having it rough. You"d come out and when you thought I wasn"t looking you"d take it back into your office and count it and come back looking so pleased because it was more instead of less."
"I never did."
"You"re getting sore. Real sweet, the way you used to look with that cash box. Even cried one night over my pay check but next morning I thought what the h.e.l.l, this is a jungle, and paid it into my account. Which way do I turn."
"Go straight."
Smith slumped back on the leather. The tiny sound of windscreen wipers fanning across the gla.s.s. And down into a valley. A swollen river. Raindrops flickering through the light beams. Across a stone bridge and train tracks into a sleeping town. Spread across a hillside, a hotel, terraces built out on the jutting rock. Car mounting an incline towards a great brown door.
"Smith, where we going can"t you see the door"s closed."
"Drive on, it"ll open. Watch."
"Gee."
Hollowing bubbling sound of Sally Tomson"s long black car sliding in out of the dark rain. Three moss green armoured bullion trucks. Vast concrete wasteland. Miss Tomson turning and looking at George Smith. Her hand slowly sliding across the black leather to his. Entwining his fingers. Her face a little flower. As the lids lift up on the eyes. Her voice so soft and low. Saying O and O and O.
In the vast underground garage. Their voices echoing. Smith with a finger raised. Beckoning. Come Miss Tom-son. Cross this chill interior. Your legs. Watch you walk ahead of me through life. To open doors, buy my lamb-chops and pay the milkman.
"Where are we, Smith. This is crazy. I feel they move dead bodies in and out this door."
"For G.o.d"s sake, Miss Tomson."
"I just was thinking this place is built for death."
"This way."
"This elevator is like a little church, Smith."
In Miss Tomson"s eyes, down the steps, at the bottom, is her soul. When she was a little girl she had a little boy friend who looked up her dress every Friday after school to see if anything had changed. Easy joys of childhood.
"Smith."
"What."
"I know I said yesh. About a port. In the storm and all."
"Miss Tomson, what"s the matter."
"Please take me back down. I"m going to try to get back to town."
"Miss Tomson I can"t let you go out in the stormy night again. Might be trees down across the roads."
"This the down b.u.t.ton."
"I wish more than anything you wouldn"t press it. Wanted to bring you somewhere dry."
"Smith. I just wish it wasn"t you. I just wish that tonight wasn"t tonight. Don"t be sad. Come on, don"t be."
"I"m all right."
"I know it"s silly but the tunnel. I"m nervous, a litde scared. Smith I"ve been thinking I"ve got you figured. I haven"t got you figured at all. Face to face like this. I"m a coward. I"ve been bluffing. Like I"m some sort of careless society girl. I"m a hick."
"Please Miss Tomson."
"And I"m just scared."
Paneled door sliding back. The tunnel The steps to the underground garage. Miss Tomson"s beige medallion on her tan finger. Wet tire tracks of her car. Worship the cement she walks on. Across this entrance of death. Night time nearly over. Smacked up her car. Stood by while her dog got killed. Mustn"t cry. Just watch her drive away through clear, cool eyes. Got to be hard. Let her go alone. Never see her again. Milk truck b.u.mping, grinding by outside. Her door clicks, engine roars and she spins the wheel. Backing and turning around. Don"t go. Look back at me. Please. Standing here. With the nice tie you said I was wearing. Two little corners of a hanky I pulled up to show from my breast pocket. To look natty for you. Wave. Goodbye. Into the faint light of morning. Goes Sally Tom-son"s car.
Sad Starts Under the eyes As age begins With lies Laughing hardly at all The way to The grave.
13.
SMITH back up these steps. Two minutes ago she left. Train thundering through the station in the town. No anger. Gave her fear. I mind so much. To keep her, must let her go. My hands folded under elderberry blossoms today. All marked with dying. Start off in the carnation smell of Brandy"s death wagon to meet Bonni-face on the train. Find him enthroned on an ice block. We all get left. back up these steps. Two minutes ago she left. Train thundering through the station in the town. No anger. Gave her fear. I mind so much. To keep her, must let her go. My hands folded under elderberry blossoms today. All marked with dying. Start off in the carnation smell of Brandy"s death wagon to meet Bonni-face on the train. Find him enthroned on an ice block. We all get left.
Smith rose in die elevator. To a room full of flowers. Low table with a bucket of ice and thermos of wine. Across soft green carpets, a bedroom. Fat white marble lamps. The window looking down at the train tracks. Shingled roof of the station. The road under the bridge and up round the war memorial in front of the hospital, curving down again to the river and the highway that has taken Miss Tomson away.
Lock the door. Draw the curtains tightly. Sit. Take a sip of punch. Close eyes. What you want so much you lose. Die and carry me away. Once at college, I thought I"m dying. And tried to run. From the terrible loneliness. Bereft in those university rooms, cold and tall ceilinged, late at night. I fell to my bed. Looked from the top of my head down to my toes. Said I"ll never make enough money to live. And too young to die. I thought at least I would make a stagger for it while ticking my last. Go down from a standing position. And out I went from my college rooms hobbling down the old stone stairs, clutching wall and banister. Yelling to two students busy peeing against the college granite. Said help me I"m having a heart attack. They looked at each other and tried to smile. I said through my faint breath, I"m not kidding, I"m George Smith of number 38 College and I"m dying. They carried me out across nightly lit cobble squares of college. A moist dark wind blowing. And slumped in their students" arms, they finally carried me by the feet as well. At the porter"s gate I squeaked tell my tutor to please see to my affairs. Porters made a s.p.a.ce and let the red glow of embers shine on me. My china, cut gla.s.s, plain gla.s.s, and collection of Georgian decanters are bequeathed to college. My tapestries too. To help remember me. Dead so young. My head fell back against the lodge wall. The porters" scary eyes. Which were tickled at first for the college was famous for jokes. I said call a taxi, and one pulled in under the archway. I was loaded in. An ambulance too white for my last moments. All said goodbye. Waved. Like I did to Sally tonight. A hope to bring you back again. In front of the hospital I crept for the door feeling I must not make any movements, said taxi man I"ll pay you later. And he nearly had a seizure, gasping he wanted it now. I dug into my pocket. Only that it was necessary to give all my energies to my own heart attack I would have hit him several times. I limped inside. Three medicos I knew by sight from the university having tea. They made a merry word. Not to be cheered I asked them, listen before it ticks its last. Out came the stethoscopes. They said together, my G.o.d what a heart. Will pump for years. Are you sure. We are certain. Are you absolutely. We are and will write it on a piece of paper for you. And sign it. And Sally it was dawn that night too when I went back to my college rooms sheepish and took up this little note which has lain in my wallet since and read it now, worn and old round the edges.
YOUR HEART IS ALL RIGHT.
D. Romney M. Bradfield And tonight these many traumas since. Smith sliding the slip of paper back in the wallet between all the thin treasury bills. Shine gone from shoes. Death certificate all filled out. See Mr. Stone in the lobby of Merry Mansions. A fair minded man. He"ll say to Hugo Mr. Smith"s only a doc.u.mentation now. Stretched on the feather filled cushions here. Chase Tomson down the roads. And into the hereafter. I let her go. When you must take women. Open their lips with fingers. Speak to the flower. Each petal then will curl back as you tell it with your voice. Big stately b.i.t.c.h you are.
Smith put his tired softness on the bed. Arms spread out, head across elbow. Where to go. Where to be. Sting of her slap on my face would have been better than nothing at all. Could have led her by the hand to bed. Untwisted any wire or garment on her large blond frame. Unlatched the straps behind her back. Dive in, a soft mountain water full of her cool long fingers. Will ask G.o.d something while I sleep.
Please Wish you would Give everyone A pot To p.i.s.s in So they would not Ask for mine.
Pots are ringing. Like strange bells pinging. Hear it all in my ear. The phone. I fell asleep. Who knows I"m here. Who is that ringing. Like a hand reaching out of a closet door. Ding a ling. Let it ring. Ding a ling. Someone knows I"m here. Smith picking up the talking instrument.
"h.e.l.lo."
"Mr. Smith, night porter here, Norbert. Gee, look there"s a party down here, I had to disturb you. Says they want to speak to you, said they knew you were here. I said I"d ring and find out but that I had no knowledge you were in the building. You know I wouldn"t want you raided."
"What are you trying to sell."
"Nothing, this particular party sir, didn"t occur to me, I was pretty shook up, you might say it was a dish."
"What do you mean dish."
"Well, you know what I mean, dish, someone if I was you I"d be seeing I tell you, only I know you"re busy. But maybe interested in an hour or two."
"Look here, who is this. What do you mean by this extraordinary conversation."
"It"s Norbert, plain old Norbert. Just telling you what I know. Hey by the way, been thinking over your investment advice. I told the chef what you said, he wants to come in on the advice as well. Says he"ll send you up a souffle."
"It"s five twenty by my watch. In the morning."
"I know. I know. That"s what I told this dish."
"And don"t call me again. Good night."
"Gee. Good night."
Smith derobing. Flicking off the lights. Leave a feeble glow of lamp in the sitting room. That son of a b.i.t.c.h Norbert. Thought I was on the job. And add a thrill with a phone call. A dish in the lobby asking for you. The whole world tries to get in touch and have some sort of ring side seat. Even at toilet of a morning. Ring the village bell. George Smith, gentleman, has made a motion. Without incident. The bell echoing down the valley. Without incident. The bell echoing down Thankful the town folk paused and clapped.
A motion This side of the ocean Producing a tidal variation Upon the opposite sh.o.r.e One could not ignore.
Ding a ling. Smith sitting on the edge of bed. Trousers down. World wants to know time of tomorrow"s movement. Pick up this phone for the last desperate time.
"Gee Mr. Smith I"m really sorry, this is Norbert, night porter, on duty the Boar Hotel, again. There"s some misunderstanding down here. And boy this party, the dish is on the way up by the private elevator. Told me to mind my own d.a.m.n business and slapped me. Christ. Said get lost, buster. I"m not tussling with any more of these parties who want audience with you Mr. Smith. If she wasn"t so beautiful I"d let her have one on the jaw, sure she"s no friend of yours. Even the papers say you have a.s.sets they don"t even know about. That"s what I"ve been saying to the property owners around here. I say, so what, you own property, I tell them get a gun, this long, about a foot, go down your cellar and start blasting. They"re crying about their taxes, sure I tell them, sure you got taxes, sure, you go down your cellar and start blasting."
"All right, Norbert."
"Sure I say, you got your taxes, all these property owners, sure, go down your cellar and start blasting."
"Thanks for informing me."
"Start blasting, that"s what the property owners -"
George Smith gently put down the phone. Norberts got some kind of affliction. A gentle knock on the door. Opening it. Sally Tomson standing there. Stepping across the threshold.
"Kiss me. I"m so desperately sad."
"You poor kid, come to me."
The drink of a refreshing fountain. Her long tall frame. The perfume of her neck. In under the tresses of hair. Find the ear. Say something but can"t think of a thing. Except how your open mouth has such tender softness. So much younger than I think. More afraid than I knew. You didn"t want to drive away in the rainy world. Who would help or keep you safe. All cold. Come in. Put this door shut with a nudge of toe. The hours before we touch and then touch and everything is all right. Skins together. Melt the chill conversation to tiny groans. You tremble. Peek out of my eyes close up to yours. Arms around my neck. Underneath your closed lids come dropping big tears. Down the side of your nose they go, around the nostril. And sneak between our lips. We have no future. All the sad spoils we spend. You thought me some cheap operator, waltzing from one soiled little deal to another, extending a hand here and there with a nice to sue you. I"m kind to those who love me. Soft and tender to the helpless. You kick off your slippers to make you smaller. Stand in your stockings. Dress unzips down the back. Caught me without trousers at all. A leaf you are, go all golden, full of autumnal beauty. Reach up, Miss Tomson, I am your buffalo.
"Jesus, Smith. What old fashioned underwear."
"Christ, Miss T."
"I"ve never reached into a man"s pants before."
"Feel free."
"Think I"m lewd."
"You"re no wall flower."
"Shouldn"t have come up here the way I did. I was mortified in the lobby. Made a scene. You just let me go out of the garage. Why didn"t you stop me."
"Because I wanted you to come back."
"Take me into the bedroom. Carry me."