prohibit him from acknowledging Joe’s presence at the table.
Perry said, “Serve my friend, Marvin.”
Marvin slid one of the cups across the table toward Joe.
“Thanks,” Joe said. “Thank you a lot.” He smiled at the big forehead and tipped an invisible hat to it, considering an absurd impulse to draw a picture on it.
The man resumed his seat and his impassive stare and said nothing.
“My friend thanked you, Marvin.”
“He’s welcome, Perry. You’re welcome, sir.”
Perry’s voice did not alter; it was a warm narcotic bath of sound: “His name is Joe, Marvin.”
“You’re welcome,
Joe.”
A moment passed.
Perry said, “Marvin.”
“Yes, Perry.”
Perry put his hand forward, still not looking at the man. He seemed to place a high, benedictory value on his eyes and would not squander them on unworthy subjects. “Let me see your billfold, Marvin.”
“Oh, Perry, please.”
Perry’s hand was still extended. “I meant immediately, of course, Marvin. I always mean immediately, unless I specify otherwise.”
Marvin placed his billfold in Perry’s hand. “Oh,
honestly,”
he said.
Perry counted the money. There were four one-dollar bills. “How much is in your pocket, Marvin?”
“What
pocket?” Marvin said, quickly removing a hand from the side pocket of his tweed jacket.
“That pocket,” said Perry without pointing or even glancing in Marvin’s direction.
Marvin then handed over a small wad of bills, which Perry held without counting. “How much is here?” he said.
“Tch.” Marvin sighed. “Seventy,” he said.
“You may have my portion then, Marvin.” Perry handed back the billfold. “And I will have yours.” He pocketed the seventy-dollar wad.
“Now I’d like the car keys, Marvin.”
“No! I absolutely refuse! Please, Perry.”
“Excuse me, Marvin. I didn’t hear you. What did you say? You said something just now. Repeat it.”
“Oh, how am I going to get home?”
“What’s the matter, are your feet just killing you, Marvin?”
“Oh, Perry, why are you doing this? Is it to impress your friend? I’m sure your friend is very impressed.”
“I had planned,” said Perry, “to come to your home tomorrow afternoon. However, you’re behaving so poorly, Marvin, it may be necessary to adjust my plans.”
“What time?” Marvin said. “Late afternoon or early afternoon or what tomorrow?”
“The car keys, Marvin.”
“I’ll give them to you, I’ll give them to you. But say what time.”
“Are you suggesting a bargain, Marvin?”
“Oooh!”
“Don’t whimper. You’re whimpering, Marvin.”
Marvin smiled and tried to laugh, but all he could manage was a twitch of the eyebrows and a few minor explosions of breath.
Joe by now had completed plans for the drawing he would never be able to place on Marvin’s big blank forehead: a girl-child with long mascara’d eyelashes.
Marvin took the car keys from his pocket and placed them on the table before Perry.
“Here,
take
the things. Five o’clock?”
“Thank you, Marvin, for the use of your car, and for all your other kindnesses. I may sometimes fail to show my appreciation, but you do have it, from the heart.” Perry rose from the table. “Come on, Joe.”
Joe rose slowly from the table, confounded by what he had witnessed. He had the feeling that if Marvin would show his eyes everything would then be all right. But the spectacles clearly grew out of his face like flesh and horn and muscle and there was no removing them.
Marvin got up and grabbed Perry’s arm. Perry stood stock-still, holding the offended arm aloof from his body, his back to Marvin. “Remove your hand, Marvin. And sit back down.”
These commands were executed at once.
“What time then?” urged Marvin. “About five? Or after? Or
Perry said, “Serve my friend, Marvin.”
Marvin slid one of the cups across the table toward Joe.
“Thanks,” Joe said. “Thank you a lot.” He smiled at the big forehead and tipped an invisible hat to it, considering an absurd impulse to draw a picture on it.
The man resumed his seat and his impassive stare and said nothing.
“My friend thanked you, Marvin.”
“He’s welcome, Perry. You’re welcome, sir.”
Perry’s voice did not alter; it was a warm narcotic bath of sound: “His name is Joe, Marvin.”
“You’re welcome,
Joe.”
A moment passed.
Perry said, “Marvin.”
“Yes, Perry.”
Perry put his hand forward, still not looking at the man. He seemed to place a high, benedictory value on his eyes and would not squander them on unworthy subjects. “Let me see your billfold, Marvin.”
“Oh, Perry, please.”
Perry’s hand was still extended. “I meant immediately, of course, Marvin. I always mean immediately, unless I specify otherwise.”
Marvin placed his billfold in Perry’s hand. “Oh,
honestly,”
he said.
Perry counted the money. There were four one-dollar bills. “How much is in your pocket, Marvin?”
“What
pocket?” Marvin said, quickly removing a hand from the side pocket of his tweed jacket.
“That pocket,” said Perry without pointing or even glancing in Marvin’s direction.
Marvin then handed over a small wad of bills, which Perry held without counting. “How much is here?” he said.
“Tch.” Marvin sighed. “Seventy,” he said.
“You may have my portion then, Marvin.” Perry handed back the billfold. “And I will have yours.” He pocketed the seventy-dollar wad.
“Now I’d like the car keys, Marvin.”
“No! I absolutely refuse! Please, Perry.”
“Excuse me, Marvin. I didn’t hear you. What did you say? You said something just now. Repeat it.”
“Oh, how am I going to get home?”
“What’s the matter, are your feet just killing you, Marvin?”
“Oh, Perry, why are you doing this? Is it to impress your friend? I’m sure your friend is very impressed.”
“I had planned,” said Perry, “to come to your home tomorrow afternoon. However, you’re behaving so poorly, Marvin, it may be necessary to adjust my plans.”
“What time?” Marvin said. “Late afternoon or early afternoon or what tomorrow?”
“The car keys, Marvin.”
“I’ll give them to you, I’ll give them to you. But say what time.”
“Are you suggesting a bargain, Marvin?”
“Oooh!”
“Don’t whimper. You’re whimpering, Marvin.”
Marvin smiled and tried to laugh, but all he could manage was a twitch of the eyebrows and a few minor explosions of breath.
Joe by now had completed plans for the drawing he would never be able to place on Marvin’s big blank forehead: a girl-child with long mascara’d eyelashes.
Marvin took the car keys from his pocket and placed them on the table before Perry.
“Here,
take
the things. Five o’clock?”
“Thank you, Marvin, for the use of your car, and for all your other kindnesses. I may sometimes fail to show my appreciation, but you do have it, from the heart.” Perry rose from the table. “Come on, Joe.”
Joe rose slowly from the table, confounded by what he had witnessed. He had the feeling that if Marvin would show his eyes everything would then be all right. But the spectacles clearly grew out of his face like flesh and horn and muscle and there was no removing them.
Marvin got up and grabbed Perry’s arm. Perry stood stock-still, holding the offended arm aloof from his body, his back to Marvin. “Remove your hand, Marvin. And sit back down.”
These commands were executed at once.
“What time then?” urged Marvin. “About five? Or after? Or
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