Last Exit to Brooklyn (31 page)

Irene didnt bother smiling at the customers when they asked her questions. She just told them how much it was; no they didnt have it in green; and that will be 2c tax; and she took money, gave change, dropped articles in bags and handed them over the counter. Saturday was always so busy. If it wasnt for all the crazy crowds on Saturday she wouldnt even think of the days off. There was always so much to do at home. That Mike wouldnt do anything. The bastard. By
the time Tuesday came she was glad to go to work. The job wasnt bad. Especially now that she was used to it. It was just getting up in the morning. And she had a few girl friends at work. But Saturdays were terrible. But the day was more than half gone. And at least her period was over. She didnt tell Mike, but she was a week late this time. She was sure she was pregnant. That night the rubber broke. She was really frightened. She didnt want another kid. Not now, anyway. But if she did, whatthehell. She supposed Mike would get a job. If he really had to. But that was a good night. The best they had in a long time. Maybe theyd have another one like it tonight. She was always so horny after her period. Mike might be drunk when she got home. He usually was on Saturday. She hoped he wouldnt drink too much. At least not so much he couldnt get it up. She wondered if Mike would get a job if she was pregnant. O well, theyd get by some-how. It didnt make much difference. Theres always Home Relief. But she didnt want to quit her job. It was better than staying home. The kids get on your nerves sometimes. If only she didnt have so much to do at home. She d talk to Mike about it again. When they were in bed tonight. She hoped he wouldnt be too drunk.

Sal had been there for a while, having brought a bottle and a bag of potato chips, just in case they got hungry, hahaha. Mike took a couple of quick shots, chasing it with the remainder of the beer, and he was feeling good. Arthur was quietly playing in the crib and Helen didnt bother him anymore about going out and was playing in her room coming out occasionally for a potato chip and Mike smiled at her and patted her head and told her she was a good girl. Sal had a few bucks and they figured theyd hit a few joints tonight and see what they could pick up. After the first few shots they didnt drink too fast, not wanting to get too high, it was too early yet, so they sat at the table sipping their whisky, listening to the radio, waiting for Irene to come home so she could take care of the kids; and waiting for night to come when they would go out and have a ball and get some ass. Yeah!

PROJECT NEWSLETTER
EVICTIONS

The Lesson

A couple of the kids were sparring with each other, the others standing around forming a ring. They hit with open hands and each time one scored all the kids yelled. One of the kids fathers looked out the window and saw them and rushed from the building yelling at the other kids to leave his son alone and yelling at his son for fighting. The kids stared at him for a moment, not moving, then the other kids said they wasnt fighting, they was just foolin around. He was teachin Harold how to fight. The father grabbed his son by the arm and yanked him to his side and slapped his head, telling him he had been warned about fighting and hanging out with those crummy kids. Dont you know we could be evicted if you get in trouble? He pointed his finger at the other kid and told him to leave his son alone, that if he caught him hitting his son again hed take a strap to him. Harold stood pinned to his fathers side afraid to look at him and ashamed to look at his friends. His father continued yelling at the other kid and the kid told him again that they wasnt fightin, that he was just teachin him how to box. The father continued waving his finger in the boys face and told him he didnt have to teach his Harold how to fight. I’ll teach him how to fight. I’ll teach him how to kill, thats what I’ll do. Im not going to have my son hit by lousy kids like you. If he wants to learn how to fight I’ll showim. He started shaking Harold by the arm and told him if ever those kids bothered him again to pick up a
stick and bash in their heads. Or a rock. The kids just stared at him until he stopped and, dragging Harold by the arm, left. When the door closed behind him another kid took Harolds place and the exhibition continued.

Abraham sat through the movies and the cartoons, continually looking at his watch until he got involved in the movie. One of the movies had a real bad cat who was shooting up everybody and Abraham was greatly impressed by the way he had everybody in the town shittin green until that bad bastard from Texas got on his ass and burndim. Ol Abe knew that cat couldnt fuck around with that Texas stud. He chuckled when the guy got his lumps at the end. When he left the theater he walked quickly to the garage to pick up his Cadillac. He looked it all over inside and out and smiled when he saw the big black body shining and the whitewalls gleaming. He paid the bill and gave the stud a buck tip and jumped in and drove off. He drove around for a while, just cruising around the streets, listening to the purr of the motor, feeling the steering wheel in his hands, digging the sounds on the radio. Even while driving he could see the whitewalls and the bigass fins in the back and he felt good. Real great. He drove past MELS BAR and stopped, honked the horn and waved to the guys inside, then slowly drove home. He parked the car, but didnt leave at once. He sat behind the wheel diggin the few cats who were still washing their cars. He stepped forth from his Cadillac and went home to lie down and rest for the night.

Womens Chorus III

The women finished their shopping, took the beer home and returned to their bench. Mrs Olson, who had had a stroke 2 years ago when her husband died, came out and as she hobbled by the women watched her and laughed. She leaned forward slightly as she walked and dragged her right foot. She was unable to lower her right arm and it
was bent at the elbow and stretched across her chest, her hand partially closed and jerking up and down. The women loved to watch her, wondering if she picked up chewing gum and dog shit with her right foot. She oughtta wear steel toe shoes. She probably got that way from jerking her husband off. Laughter. Maybe thats what killedim. One of the women looked up at a window on the fourth floor then called the others and pointed to a baby that had crawled out the window and was kneeling on the ledge. The women watched the baby as it crawled around on the ledge and window sill. Maybe he thinks hes a bird. Hey, ya gonna fly? Laughter. Others looked up and someone screamed and someone else yelled get back, O my God, O my God. Ada covered her face with her hands. The women continued to laugh and wonder when it would fall. People ran frantically in circles under the window; someone ran up the stairs and banged on the door, but no one answered. They banged again and listened at the door for a sound, hearing something, a murmuring, yet still no answer. They ran back down stairs and people asked if anyone was home? are you sure no one was in? Heard something … maybe kids … I dont know … what can we do … O my God … Hes moving … I cant look … call the cops … The people continued running in circles, some running to the street looking for a police car; someone else had called the Office and the women stopped laughing now that there were so many people around, but still looked anxiously, waiting for the small body to slowly slip over the edge of the ledge and fall down, down … then plop on the ground or in a hedge; and Ada looked at the window with every screech from the crowd, covering her eyes quickly after each peek; and the baby rocked back and forth on the ledge and seemed to be toppling and two men ran under the window to try to catch it and others raised their arms (the women still hoping for a little more excitement) and yelled go back – O my God – go back, and the baby leaned forward a little more and seemed to be looking down at the crowd and hysterical screechings came from them and the baby leaned back and the crowd sighed and someone yelled for the cops, theyre never here when you need them – O why dont they hurry; and someone ran back upstairs and pounded on the door and yelled, still no answer; and someone suggested lowering a rope from
the window above and have someone lowered; then 2 Housing Authority Policemen came running up and yelled to the 2 men under the window to stay there and they ran up the stairs and opened the door with a pass key, rushing past the 3 children huddled by the door and into the room where the baby knelt on the ledge, and stopped a few feet from the window, then carefully and silently tiptoed the last few feet trying not to draw the babys attention fearing it might turn and fall, holding their breaths as one inched his arms out the window and grabbed the baby by the arms and quickly jerked him inside … held him for a moment … closed the window (the crowd still staring (the women annoyed that it was all over and that the kid didnt fall) then slowly lowering their eyes as the window was closed then slowly walked away). Then the policemen carried the baby to the living room and sat down, taking off their hats and wiping their foreheads. Christ, that was a close one, his body starting to tremble. The other nodded. The baby started to cry so they put him on the floor and he crawled over to his brothers and sister. The children stared, frightened, as the cops and the policemen smiled at them and asked them where their mommy was. They continued to stare at the cops and said nothing. Then one tottered over to them and asked if they really was policemen? and they said yes and the boy laughed. They asked him where his mommy was and he said out. Wheres your daddy. The youngster laughed and said mommy says hes drunk and he clapped his hands, laughing, and his sister added quickly that her daddy was gonna get a job on the boats and bring home lots of food and get a TV. The other 2 boys said nothing, continuing to stare at the policemen. I guess we’d better take them down to the office and call Welfare, eh Jim. I guesso. I’ll see if I can get some clothes on them. He asked the children where their clothes were and they showed him, saying nothing and remaining silent as they were being dressed. As they were about to leave the oldest boy, about 5 years old, asked them not to tell their mommy what happened. She said not to let nobody in and if she see somebody came in she’ll beatus. The cops reassured the children, left a note stating where the children would be, and left.

MARY STARED AT JOEYS HEAD WHEN VINNIE TOOK THE BOYS HAT OFF. SEE, NOW HE LOOKS LIKE A BOY. NOT LIKE SOME GODDAMN SISSY. MARY LOOKED AT JOEYS HEAD. YOU SONOFABITCH. LOOK WHAT YADID. WHATTA YAMEAN WHAT I DID. I DIDNT DO NOTHIN. I TOOKIM FOR A HAIRCUT. WHATSZAMATTA, YOU DONT LIKE THE HAIRCUT? YA SONOFABITCH, YA CUT ALL HIS HAIR OFF. ALL THE NICE CURLS HE HAD, YA CUTEM ALL OFF. HE LOOKS LIKE HES GOTTA BALDY. AW SHUT YAMOUT. YEAH? HE AINT GONNA TAKE NO MORE HAIRCUTS. joey went to his room. YA STAY AWAY FROM ME YA SONOFABITCH. YA TINK SO, EH? I’LL BREAK YA FUCKIN LEGS. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. I’LL KILLYA. MEEE, SHES REALLY ASKIN FORIT. YEAH? YOULL SEE. YOULL SEE. JUST TRY. I’LL CUTCH YA-FUCKIN COCK OFF. WHOSE COCK YOULL CUT OFF, EH? WHOSE? YA CRAZY FUCK I’LL BREAK YA FUCKIN LEGS. VINNIE SHOOK HIS HAND IN MARYS FACE THEN TURNED AWAY AND SLAPPED HIS FOREHEAD, MARONE AME, WHATTAIDIOT, AND WENT OUT TO THE KITCHEN AND HEATED THE COFFEE. MARY WENT INTO THE KIDS ROOM AND PICKED JOEY UP, HOLDING HIM AT ARMS LENGTH FROM HER AND A LITTLE OVER HER HEAD, TURNING HIM TO LOOK AT ONE SIDE THEN THE OTHER. WHAT THEY DO TA MY JOEY? THEY CUT ALL YA PRETTY CURLS OFF JOEY? YA FATHAS A STUPID. ALL THOSE NICE CURLS AND YA LOOKED SO CUTE. JOEY STARTED TO SQUIRM AND SQUINT SO MARY DROPPED HIM TO HIS FEET. I got a lollypop from the man. WHATTAYA MEAN LOLLYPOP? WHAT MAN? What cut my hair. I cried and he gave me a lollypop. SHE STORMED OUT TO THE KITCHEN. WHATTA YAMEAN GIVIN THE KID A LOLLYPOP, EH? WHATTA YAMEAN? WHATS AMATTA WITH A LOLLYPOP? MEEE, YA THINK IT WAS GONNA KILLIM OR SOMETHIN. I TOLDYA I DONT WANT THE KID TA HAVE NO LOLLYPOPS. WHATTA YA MEAN? WHATTA YAMEAN NO LOLLYPOPS? ALL THE KIDS GOT LOLLYPOPS. WHY HE CANT HAVE ONE? I SAID. A KID CAN CHOKE TA DEAT ON A LOLLYPOP YA STUPID BASTAD. DONT YAKNOW NOTHIN? EVERYDAY SOME KID DIES FROM A LOLLYPOP. WHATTA YAWANT FROM
ME? THE KID WAS CRYIN SO THE GUY GIVEIM A LOLLYPOP. HE DIDNT DIE DID HE? THE KID CRIED. THE KID CRIED. IF YADIDNT TAKEIM TA THE BARBAS HE WOULDNTA CRIED. HE DIDNT WANT NO HAIRCUT. WHY DONT YALEAVE THE KID ALONE? WHY DONT YASHUT UP, YEAH? THE KID TOOK A HAIRCUT OK. NOW HE DONT LOOK LIKE NO CREEP. AND YA GIVEIM A LOLLYPOP LIKE A REAL JERK. SUPPOSE HE HADDA DIED, EH? SUPPOSE HE DIED? WHAT KINDDA DIED. MEEE. THIS FUCKIN BITCH IS CRAZY. HOWS HE GONNA DIE FROM A LOLLYPOP? HE COULD SUCK IT RIGHT DOWN HIS THROAT AND ITD GET CAUGHT, YA FUCKIN STUPID. MARONE AME, SHAKING HIS HAND IN FRONT OF HIM. YA SOME FUCKIN NUT. YEAH? YA TINK SO, EH? JUST DONT COME TA BED THATS ALL. YA STAY OUT HERE TANIGHT. I’LL SLEEP IN THE FUCKIN BED AND DONT YA TRY TA TELL ME NOTHIN. joey and his brother played with plastic trains, tooting and whistling as loud as they wanted. They were having a fine time. YEAH? JUST TRY IT. I’LL BREAK YA LEGS. I SWEAR TA JESUS. I’LL BREAK YA FUCKIN LEGS.