against the edge of the table. "You got any plans at all, Doc?"
Orient sat down on the mattress. "None. But look, Joker, I understand that my being here with Sun Girl and Julian must be inconvenient and I can..."
"Hold up, Doc. That’s not what I’m into at all here." He scratched the side of his nose. "I’m just trying to clear up the situation in my mind."
Orient waited.
"Look here, man," Joker said finally, "how much bread do you have ?"
"Bread?"
" Money , Doc." Joker shook his head and snapped his fingers, coming down directly on the beat of the music. "I can see I got to work with you extra heavy."
"I’ve got about eighty-five or ninety dollars."
Joker frowned. "Well, you’re traveling light all right."
Orient didn’t answer.
"Well, how about this, Doc, how’d you like to go to work for me?"
"Doing what?"
"Well, I got a lotta things goin’ for me these days and can’t hardly keep track of everything. I need a man to sort of keep my appointments straight and maybe do some delivery work now and then."
Orient frowned. "Just exactly what is it you do?"
Joker sat down next to him. "I wheel some, deal some. If somebody needs somethin’, I kind of arrange things. But mainly I’m a gambler. Cards, dice, any kind of sportin’ proposition. I make money at it, y’understand, but that’s not the whole reason I do it."
"What is the whole reason?"
Joker leaned closer. "Doc, you may think I’m crazy, but I feel I got a callin’. I believe in hustlin’. Keeps me circulatin’ and pickin’ up new things all the time. I meet plenty of interestin’ faces and it pays the rent. And I got ethics, Doc. I don’t touch nothin’ that hurts nobody. Don’t mess with hard drugs or crooked games. Just honest gamblin’ and happy times."
Orient shook his head. "I don’t think that’s what I’m lookin’ for, Joker."
"Listen, Doc, just listen good one minute here." Joker paused and in the brief silence Orient thought he could sense a gleaming vibration of truth. "Think on it. You’ll meet all kinds of people. Contact like you said you wanted. And you can buy yourself some time while you figure out your next move."
Orient didn’t answer.
"Well, come on, buddy. Don’t keep me in suspense here. If you decide to throw in with me, I can start teachin’ you all you need to know about life in the street right away."
Orient looked at Joker. The cowboy’s face was earnest and his words rang notes that were clear and close to his problem. And his hexagram seemed to support the move. Perhaps it was time he took a chance. At least it would be a positive step.
"All right," he said finally. "But on one condition." His eyes met Joker’s and held. "I want none of the profits. No money. As far as we’re concerned, this is an educational experiment only."
Joker solemnly extended his hand. "Doc you got my word that everthin’ is absolutely cool."
CHAPTER 5
In the weeks that followed, Orient became increasingly absorbed in his new way of life.
In the mornings he practiced the physical exercises, breathing patterns, and meditation figures of his spiritual path. In the afternoons he answered the telephone, set up appointments, and discussed the variations of his apprenticeship with Joker. Orient was needed at the phone to record bets and it was necessary for him to learn to interpret the code words of various betting systems. It was also his job to pick up and deliver envelopes containing cash or betting slips.
The legalization of off-track betting had cut into part of Joker’s business, and he complained often and righteously about the development. Orient noticed, however, that the cowboy was extremely generous with expenses, and continued to lavish money on entertaining his various women. Orient was hazy about all the sources of Joker’s income, but he ascertained that they were many, and for the most part,
Orient sat down on the mattress. "None. But look, Joker, I understand that my being here with Sun Girl and Julian must be inconvenient and I can..."
"Hold up, Doc. That’s not what I’m into at all here." He scratched the side of his nose. "I’m just trying to clear up the situation in my mind."
Orient waited.
"Look here, man," Joker said finally, "how much bread do you have ?"
"Bread?"
" Money , Doc." Joker shook his head and snapped his fingers, coming down directly on the beat of the music. "I can see I got to work with you extra heavy."
"I’ve got about eighty-five or ninety dollars."
Joker frowned. "Well, you’re traveling light all right."
Orient didn’t answer.
"Well, how about this, Doc, how’d you like to go to work for me?"
"Doing what?"
"Well, I got a lotta things goin’ for me these days and can’t hardly keep track of everything. I need a man to sort of keep my appointments straight and maybe do some delivery work now and then."
Orient frowned. "Just exactly what is it you do?"
Joker sat down next to him. "I wheel some, deal some. If somebody needs somethin’, I kind of arrange things. But mainly I’m a gambler. Cards, dice, any kind of sportin’ proposition. I make money at it, y’understand, but that’s not the whole reason I do it."
"What is the whole reason?"
Joker leaned closer. "Doc, you may think I’m crazy, but I feel I got a callin’. I believe in hustlin’. Keeps me circulatin’ and pickin’ up new things all the time. I meet plenty of interestin’ faces and it pays the rent. And I got ethics, Doc. I don’t touch nothin’ that hurts nobody. Don’t mess with hard drugs or crooked games. Just honest gamblin’ and happy times."
Orient shook his head. "I don’t think that’s what I’m lookin’ for, Joker."
"Listen, Doc, just listen good one minute here." Joker paused and in the brief silence Orient thought he could sense a gleaming vibration of truth. "Think on it. You’ll meet all kinds of people. Contact like you said you wanted. And you can buy yourself some time while you figure out your next move."
Orient didn’t answer.
"Well, come on, buddy. Don’t keep me in suspense here. If you decide to throw in with me, I can start teachin’ you all you need to know about life in the street right away."
Orient looked at Joker. The cowboy’s face was earnest and his words rang notes that were clear and close to his problem. And his hexagram seemed to support the move. Perhaps it was time he took a chance. At least it would be a positive step.
"All right," he said finally. "But on one condition." His eyes met Joker’s and held. "I want none of the profits. No money. As far as we’re concerned, this is an educational experiment only."
Joker solemnly extended his hand. "Doc you got my word that everthin’ is absolutely cool."
CHAPTER 5
In the weeks that followed, Orient became increasingly absorbed in his new way of life.
In the mornings he practiced the physical exercises, breathing patterns, and meditation figures of his spiritual path. In the afternoons he answered the telephone, set up appointments, and discussed the variations of his apprenticeship with Joker. Orient was needed at the phone to record bets and it was necessary for him to learn to interpret the code words of various betting systems. It was also his job to pick up and deliver envelopes containing cash or betting slips.
The legalization of off-track betting had cut into part of Joker’s business, and he complained often and righteously about the development. Orient noticed, however, that the cowboy was extremely generous with expenses, and continued to lavish money on entertaining his various women. Orient was hazy about all the sources of Joker’s income, but he ascertained that they were many, and for the most part,
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