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quot;Whatwith?"
"GodIdontknowuseyourfistkickherwhatdoIcareitsnotmyproblemisit.Hither."
"Youdontthinkthatsalittlesevere?"
"Itsgonnatakeagoddamnpresidentialordertogetyoutohither?"
"Whyme?"
"OkayIvebeenbad.Iadmitit.Butothershavebeenworse.Icouldpointsomefingers."
"LordImtiredoflisteningtothisdrivelifyoudontgetittogetherinthenextthreetofiveminutesImgoingto——"
"What?"
SIMONSfatherdiedandheflewbacktoCaliforniaforthefuneral.Hehadtobuyadarksuit,wenttoBarneysandpickedthefirsthatseemedtofithim.InSanFranciscohestoodnexttohismother,theirarmsentwined,whilethePresbyterianministersaidwhathecould.Thechapelwasemptyex?ceptforthetwoofthemandanelderlycouplehismotherhadintroducedasConnieandBillandwhoturnedouttobegolfers,partofamixedfoursomehisfatherhadplayedwithonceaweek.TheotherwomanwasunabletobepresentbecauseofadaughtergivingbirthinCorvallis,Oregon.Hismotherdidntplay.
Afterward,backatherhandsomePacificHeightshouse,hismothersaid:"Whatareyoudoing?"
"Takingalittletimeoff."
"Itsbeenmonthsnow."
"Excellentmonths."
"Justasking."
"Whatsthemoneysituation?"
"Yourfatherwasverygoodaboutthat,asyouknow.ThatCarbideheboughtyearsagoattwelve?Hesolditjustbeforehediedatseventy-three.Whentheywerehavingthattrouble.Hehadalmosttenthousandshares.Actuallyitwentuptoseventy-eightlastweekbuthedidverywell,verywell.Wehavesomeotherstuffthatslookinggood."
"HowaboutcomingtoNewYork?Ihaveaplaceyoudlike.Needsfurniture.Wecouldgooutandbuyalotoffurniture."
"Idontwanttobuyanymorefurniture,"hismothersaid."Ilikeithere.Illhavetoseehowitfeels.IfIneedyouIllcallyou,relyonit."
"Nothingmorefunthanbuyingfurniture."
"Iagree.Butithastobegoingtowardsomething."
Nothingtosaytothat.
Hisfatherhadbeenalumberman,aprophetofred?wood.Redwoodwaslight,easilymilled,plentiful,tookastainwell,weatheredbeautifully.TensofhundredsofthousandsofboardfeetofCaliforniaredwoodhadpassedthroughthefamilysloggingandmillingopera?tions,hisfathernotthebiggestlumbermaninthestate,butnotthesmallest.Simonrememberedoddmo?ments:puttingahugedollopofWorcestershiresauceonahamburgerinarestaurantandhisfathertellinghim,"Dontdothat,son,itwhipsupthebody."Sit?tingbytheradioin1938listeningtothesecondLouis-Schmelingfight,sittingbytheradioallnightlongin1939listeningtoaccountsoftheGermaninvasionofPoland.WhenSimonhadbeenexpelledfromUSC,beforehewenttoPenn,hehadcomehomeandtoldhisfatheraboutit,andhisfathersonlycommentwas,"Whatarewegoingtotellyourmother?"Thedeathofthefatherissupposedtoreleaseaburstofnewcreativeenergy,heremembered.Hefeltnothingbutsadnessandadmiration.
BackinNewYorkhereceivesanoticeforjuryduty.Howcanthisbe?Hesnotregisteredtovote.Neverthe?lesshedutifullyhaulshimselfdownto60CentreStreetoneMondaymorning.ThebenchesonthefifteenthflooroftheCriminalCourtsBuildingarefilledwithreaders.HespotsatleasttwentypaperbackcopiesofleCarresTheLittleDrummerGirl,whichhehimselfhasreadandgreatlyenjoyed.Hefallsintoconversationwithayoungwomanwhois,helearns,theeditorofatradejournaldealingwithlingerie.Shesknittingfuriously,asleevelesssweater,asshetalks."Wemakeninehundredthousandayearforthecompany,profit,"shesays."Canyoubelieveit?"Sheproducesfourteenissuesayear,witheachissuerunningtony-sixpagesofeditorialandGodknowshowmanyofads."Itshardtothinkofthingstofeatureafterawhile,"sheconfesses."Howmanywaysofbifurcatingbreastsarethere?Wetakealotofcluesfromtheartists.Memphisisinnow,spatterandclatter."
Thelingerieeditortellshimthatherassistantisaberserkoandthatitsimpossibletogetgoodsubordi?
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