Last Exit to Brooklyn - Hubert Selby Jr (33 page)

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WOMENS CHORUS IV

The women sat back on the bench after the baby had
been taken safely from the ledge. It was fun while it lasted. Sure
was a shame the cops had ta come so soon. Maybe he really woulda
flyed. Laughter. Wait till the cops get on her ass, leavin the kids
alone like that. I guess theyll reporter to Relief. Yeah, itll server
right. I hope they kicker off. Boy, theyre really gettin tough on
Relief now. We had anotha inspector around yesterday. She looked at
the beer bottles and wanted ta know what they was doin here. Yeah,
they got some nerve. I toler some friends boughtem. They usually come
at the beginnin of the month and I get rid of all those things. Yeah,
theyre always nosen around. How come they come back so soon? The
inspector said someone had reported Charlie was workin. Thank krist
he was off yesterday. Aint he workin steady? What for? 2 days a weeks
enough. With Relief we make out good. The guy dont take no social
security or nothin, so they cant check up. Yeah, Henry gets a couple
a days a week like that too. I hope no investigator comes around when
hes workin. Charlie work today? No. Hes upstairs sleepin. Gettin
plenty a rest for tanight, eh? Laughter. Yeah I/ll give Henry a
couple a beers and he/ll be good for a while. Try puttin some Geritol
in his beer. I hear it puts the bone back in. The women continued
talking until they decided to go home and fix supper. They parted at
the entrance to the building hoping each other was lucky tonight then
went to their apartments and put the beer in the refrigerator, piled
the dishes from the day in the sink and started supper.

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Ada remained on the bench as long as it was in the
sunshine. There were a few people walking about and a few children
still played, but all the other benches were vacant. She sat alone. A
few people had said hello and smiled, though none had sat and talked
with her. Yet it hadnt been too lonely a day. There were people
around, and children, and the sun was bright and warm. Sometimes on
days like this while the sun was still shining and the cool evening
breeze was just starting to blow she and Hymie would stand in front
of the store and watch the sun go down behind the building and watch
the people rushing home from work . . . and the cars and trucks along
the avenue . . . and it used to smell so nice and fresh, like sheets
that had been on the line all day, and then she would go inside and
fix supper and Hymie would eat his soup and smile . . . God bless
poor Hymie.

The sun had gone down behind the building and the
street lamps had been turned on. The breeze was cooler. Soon it would
be dark. Ada got up and slowly left her bench and climbed the stairs
to her apartment. She hung up her coat, closed all the windows then
stood by her window. There were still a few children in the
playground and she watched them, but soon the entire playground was
in shadows and they too left. Cars and trucks passed along the
avenue, but she ignored them and just watched the buses stop at the
corner and people get off and rush home. She couldnt see the sun set,
but she knew what it looked like and she imagined the purples, pinks,
reds, laying on each other and mixing, just as she used to see it and
as it looked in the picture puzzle she had of a ship on the ocean
with the sun setting, the puzzle she put together and took apart, and
put together again time after time after time all through the long
cold heartless winters . . . and even sometimes in the spring when it
rained for days and even looking from her window afforded no comfort.
It was getting dark fast now and it seemed very cold outside, the
trees barely visible from their shadows, the birds seeming to be
jumping for warmth. There was nothing much to see now, just an
occasional person rushing home, the cars and trucks which she
ignored, and the waving ovals of light cast by the street lamps. She
left her window and went to the kitchen. She fixed her supper and sat
down at the table, still conscious of the empty chair opposite her.
So long hes dead now and still it seems like yesterday we would sit
and Hy-mie would put a big piece of sweet butter on an onion roll.
She smiled remembering how much Hymie had loved onion rolls, and the
way he would spread the butter. God bless him, hes happy now. No more
suffering for him . . . only for me. She ate slowly and lightly then
sat for a few minutes remembering how Hymie and Ira used to kid her
because she took so long to eat. I could eat two times before youre
finished Momma. Thats what Ira would say. I could eat two times. And
all the cookies they sent Ira while he was in the Army. So many
cookies. How many did he ever eat? Maybe he was dead a long time and
we sent cookies. And he always wrote and said thanks Momma for the
cookies . . . Such a good boy, God bless my Ira . . . She went into
the bedroom, turned down the bed cover, laid out her nightgown and
Hymies pajamas and went into the living room to listen to the radio
for just a little while before going to bed.

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Irene came home from work glad Saturday and her
period were over. She was hoping maybe Mike would go to the store for
supper, but she didnt expect it. But she didnt mind because she was
in a good mood and it was nice out. Especially after being in the
store all day. Before she opened the door she could hear the radio
and wasnt surprised when she did open the door to see Mike and Sal
sitting at the table drinking. She said hello and went straight to
the bedroom and threw her jacket on the bed, then picked up Helen who
had run after her. Helen told her everything she did and Irene oooood
and aaaaad and they both went in to see Arthur. She stayed with the
children a few minutes then came out and, smiling, asked Mike how he
was doing. Pretty good babe. Sal came over a little while ago and
weve had a few drinks, hahahaha. She smiled again and wondered if she
should ask him if Helen had been out. You want something to eat Sal?
Of course he does. Ya think he dont eat? Irene shrugged her
shoulders. I was just askin. How about gettin us a steak, handing her
some money and smiling at Sal, making sure he understood that he was
the boss in his house and just because Irene worked didnt mean he had
to take any shit. Go getus a steak babe. Irene went to get her
jacket, her good humor leaving her, feeling at that exact moment,
humorless, and ready any second to lose her temper. He could have at
least asked and not show off so damn much. She stopped in front of
the table and asked him, attempting a slight nonchalance, how come
Helen didnt have her overalls on? Didnt she go out today? No, she
didnt go out today. Why not? It was a beautiful day. Because I didnt
feel like trying ta find where ya hid her clothes. So what? not able
to return her stare and turning his head to look at Sal, increasing
the scowl on his face. Irene clenched her teeth and left the
apartment. The bastard. Wont go to the store; wont clean the house
(probably get too drunk tonight); wont even let the kid out. She
hustled from one store to the other, buying what she needed; rushed
home; prepared and served the meal in silence; Mike ignoring her,
feeling he had made his point with Sal; he and Sal leaving as soon as
the meal was over.

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THE DASHER

A young girl was waiting alone for a bus. She stood
smoking and looking down the street for the bus. She had to meet her
friends in a few minutes and she was late. She kept stepping off the
curb to look down the street. A car stopped a few feet from the curb
and the guy in the car yelled, can I takeya somewhere baby? The girl
looked at the car, then down the street, but no bus was coming.
Comeon, I/ll takeya where ya wanna go. She looked at the guy for a
minute wondering if he would take her to 5th avenue or if hed start
fuckin around. She thought she/d take a chance, hoping the guy
wouldnt kick her out when she said no. He yelled again and she
started to walk to the car when she saw the bus turn a corner 2
blocks away. She stepped back on the curb and turned her head. He
yelled again and she said, go on, beat it. He mumbled something and
she flipped her cigarette at the car and told him ta get the fuck
outtahere. The guy started the car and drove away, but stopped a few
hundred feet up the street and got out of the car. He whistled and
yelled at the girl and when she turned and yelled at him ta go screw
he opened his fly and took his cock out and waved it at her, still
yelling and whistling. She told him ta shove it up his ass and he
finally got back in his car and drove away. The young girl watched
the car go up the street then turned as the bus approached. What a
fuckin creep.

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Nancy and the kids were still eating when Abraham got
up. She asked him did he want some supper and he said hell no. He
didnt want to eat none a her slop. He filled the tub and sat in the
water smoking a cigarette, gently rubbing himself with the soap with
his free hand, thinking of the brownskin gal and contemplating his
stiffened dick. After he finished his cigarette he lathered himself
up good, carefully and gently lathering his crotch so it would be
sure to smell sweet (kissen sweet, hehehe), then rinsed and dried
himself. Then he put deodorant under his arms and balls; massaged
skin cream into his face; splashed after shave lotion on his face,
neck and chest; rubbed pomade between the palms off his hands and
rubbed it on his hair, then spent 20 minutes combing it carefully and
adjusting his waves. Ghuddamn if he wasnt a sharp lookin stud. He
checked the back of his head with the small mirror then satisfied
that each wave was in its proper place he washed his hands and went
back to the bedroom to dress. He put on his new white on white shirt
with the Hollywood Roll collar and tied his silk lavendar and purple
tie in a large Windsor knot. He selected his brown suit, the one he
had made last year, and man its a sharpass suit. Put me back a 100
clams. He carefully adjusted the waist of his shirt before pulling
the thin belt tight. He put on the jacket, buttoned it and rolled the
lapels, fixed the handkerchief, and straightened out the things in
his pockets. Then he took down the cool tan top coat, checked his
shoes, put the coat on, then carefully placed his hat on his head.
Man, he was ready. He left the house and didnt stop till he opened
the door of his bigass Cadillac. He sat behind the wheel and pulled
the door closed, smiling as he heard the heavy thud of the door.
Sheeit. This is gonna be a night. I mean a night Jim . . .

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WHATTA YAMEAN THE SAUCES NO GOOD? THATS WHAT I SAID,
THE SAUCES NO GOOD. WHATS THE MATTA, YA DONT UNDERSTAND ENGLISH? ITS
NO GOOD. NO GOOD, NO GOOD. WHATTA YAKNOW ABOUT SAUCE? MEEEE, WHATTA I
KNOW? I KNOW IT STINKS. NOT ENOUGH GARLIC. ITS GOT THE SAME GARLIC.
JUST LIKE ALWAYS. THE SAME 8

CLOVES OF GARLIC AND YA SAY NOT ENOUGH GARLIC. YUR A
FUCKIN DUMMY. ITS GOOD SAUCE. DONT TELL ME ITS NO GOOD. WHOSE A
FUCKIN DUMMY? EH? WHO? I/LL GIVEYA A RAP IN THE MOUT IM A DUMMY. YA
CANT EVEN MAKE A SAUCE. WHY DONTCHA EAT AND SHUT UP, YEAH? I DONT
LIKE THE SAUCE, BANGING HIS FORK DOWN ON THE TABLE AND SHAKING HIS
HAND IN MARYS FACE. ITS A FUCKIN IRISH SAUCE. NO GARLIC. NO GARLIC,
little ralphy picked up a string of spaghetti and dropped it on the
floor, joey picked it up and put it back on his plate, ralphy threw
another string down and joey picked it up. DONT TELL ME. THERES NOT
ENOUGH GARLIC. I LIKE GARLIC IN MY SAUCE. SO SHUT UP OR I/LL RAPYA
OVA THE HEAD. AAAA, WHATTAYAKNOW, EH? WHATTAYAKNOW? little ralphy
picked up a handful of spaghetti and threw it hitting joey in the
face, joey yelled to stop and slapped ralphys hand, ralphy yelled and
threw another handful in his face, joey hit ralphy with a handful . .
. GET ME ANOTHA MEATBALL. I CANT EAT THE MACARONI. YA CANT EAT, YA
CANT EAT? WHATTAYA, A KING OR SOMETHIN? YA CANT EAT. GET ME ANOTHA
MEAT BALL AND SHUTUP. WHATTSAMATTA YA CANT GET THE MEATBALL YASELF,
EH? WHATTA YAMEAN GET IT MYSELF? GET ME ANOTHA MEAT BALL OR I/LL
BREAK YALEG. AAAA, GETTING UP AND LADLING ANOTHER MEATBALL OUT OF THE
POT AND PLOPPING IT ON VINNIES PLATE. MAYBE I CAN EAT THIS. CANT EVEN
MAKE A SAUCE.

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Lucy said little during the meal, just reminding
Johnny to eat from time to time and asking Louis to pass something.
Half way through the meal Robert decided he didnt want to eat any
more and Lucy forced food into his mouth in between feeding herself
and telling Johnny to eat. When she had finished she started clearing
the table, forcing the last bit of food on Roberts plate into his
mouth. Louis just left the table and turned on the t v. Johnny
started playing with his food and Lucy yelled at him sharply and
Johnny whined and started eating and Lucy told him to hushup and eat.
Louis felt like telling her to stop yellin, ghuddamn it, and rap her
side the head. Seemed like she was always yellin about somethin.
Especially on the weekends. He just stared at the t v thinking about
goin for a drive tomorrow ( maybe alone ), and hoping the next few
hours would pass fast. Lucy finally shoved the last spoonful of food
in Johnnys mouth then did the dishes, leaving the kitchen
occasionally to tell the children to be quiet (Louis squirming in his
chair), then finishing the dishes she put the children to bed and sat
in the living room, saying nothing, and watched t v. Louis turned to
her once in a while and made a comment about the show hoping to get
her in a good mood before they went to bed, but Lucy only grunted,
thinking how soon she would have to go to bed with him and it would
start like every weekend (and many week nights too) and just the
thought made her muscles tighten and her flesh get clammy. Lucy just
grunted so Louis figured the hell with it. Theyd be going to bed soon
and maybe tonight will be different.