— I know I just called there just keep trying, shouldn’t be more than a couple of days unless I stop off there in Dayton to give Kenny a push I tell you, when I was on the road here if old Mister Bast would have had to come in and check my territory I would have been out on the street the next morning, used to be all you’d think about’s your commissions now all these salesmen think about’s their expense accounts, his wife called here lately?
— No sir only that nurse where she’s…
— I’d just hate to be the one footing those bills that’s all… he was standing in hat and coat over his desk turning up the pile of letters there, — if that finance company he got himself mixed up with calls again just have to tell them we’ve gone as far as we can now here’s these Triangle paper people again, just hold up on this payment you tell them it’s the third time they’ve come up short on their shipments, they keep up that way we’ll all be out of business here and look at this Terry… he pulled a page from the pile he was stuffing in a manila envelope, — this last letter you typed to Ardo looks like you left off the s there, see right here… she was up, thrust her hair back brushing against him — where it’s supposed to say metal scrap see it looks like…
— Gee! she snatched it up, pressed against him there — wouldn’t that have been awful if it went out like that? I’m sorry…
— No well that’s, no harm done… he cleared his throat in the wave of unconcealing scent, swallowed — I already signed it, you just, just squeeze a little s in there and no harm done… he stood as though waiting for her to move, and then came after her.
— No but I could type it over, gee it’s very embarrass…
— No harm done Terry, one more thing… he’d turned abruptly back to his desk, — I told Leo to get me some cost estimates you keep after him on it, I want them waiting here when I get back.
— Okay but, Mister Angel if you got a second, it was just about Leo…
— No go ahead Terry… he straightened up from locking the drawer.
— That day I stayed late typing up all those tax forms? Well anyway, wait excuse me… hello? Oh hi look I’ll call you back the boss is just leaving…
— Well go ahead… he stood over her.
— No that’s just my friend Myrna out in the order department, is it okay if I take my typing out there sometimes while you’re gone? It gets sort of lone…
— Fine sure but… he cleared his throat again, — what’s that about
Leo.
— No that’s okay Mister Angel I don’t want to keep you, I mean when you get back…
— You suit yourself Terry… he stood there for a moment, — second thought Leo he can be a funny old geezer maybe better just leave him be, I’ll talk to him on the way out here.
— Have a nice trip Mister Angel don’t worry about anything, gee I wish you had one of those nice cases like they carry instead of these old envelopes you use…
— What’s in it that counts, keep an eye on things Terry…
— So long have a nice trip Mister Angel, don’t do nothing I wouldn’t do… she looked up at the clock, down at her watch, studied her nails the length of her hand and then turned them in on her palm and studied them that way, picked up the phone and dialed — hi, he just went yeah bring in your coffee, you got any Nail Mender…? Bring it yeah I just broke one… she hung up, dialed again, — hello? Mister Mullins’ office…? Hello? Yeah this is Mister Angel’s office in New… oh hi, yeah would you tell Mister Mullins he’s on his way out there? He just left… this afternoon sometime yeah, he’s… okay yeah, goodbye now… she hung up. — Wait put your coffee here, drag his chair over.
— You tell him about Leo?
— I started to no, maybe when he gets back, you want your sugar?
— Here. I swear if Leo tries that with me he’ll go out with a hole in his belly. So how long’s he gone for.
— A couple of days he said, he’s stopping in Dayton I think he’s after Kenny’s ass.
— That Kenny he gives me a big pain you know where, you got an emery?
— Here… a drawer rolled open between their crossed knees, — you want the radio? No just move your coffee…
— You still using his apartment?
— No his kid’s still home sick we been using this friend of his, Kenny said he’s a musician someplace I think he’s a fag the way the place is decorated, you know? It’s real nice.
— I can’t make it like that, like that time with Ronnie I’m always scared somebody’s going to walk in right when you’re wait is that all the pink polish?
— We made it four times up there Monday before he went, I’ll get more at lunch you want to go shopping? I saw this like silky yellow blouse over on Steinway it would go real nice with your coloring turn it up a little…
— and save four dollars on genuine leath… your gospel station. And ye shall… motion to dismiss a class action suit by… viernes sabado y domingo, el… market is down sixteen cents. The… for tomorrow, partly sunny windy and coo…
