Morris said. “On Dorchester Ave.”
“Do you suppose he could arm a
regiment?”
“Ralph works out of his car.”
“Yes, of course,” Fish said.
“Very efficient.”
“I could ask around,” Morris said,
“Um hmm.”
Fish seemed to be thinking of something else. Morris looked at him and came as close to smiling as he ever got.
“Or you could figure out a way to skin
them,” he said.
· Fish didn’t answer for a time,
as if he had to finish a thought and remm to the subject at hand.
“If they wish to give us their
money,” he said finally,
“I sec no reason why we shouldn’t
encourage them in that COUl’Se.‘ ’
off. He was stringy, the sparse hair on his chest was white, and there were small wrinkles inside the bend of his elbow.
He didn’t look at all rich and powerful. In fact he didn’t look anywhere near as good as Bobby had, and Bobby had been a loser for sure.
“Come to bed,” she said.
And she was glad when he got in bed and was under the covers. He always got under the covers. The first time they had done it and he got under the covers she had almost laughed. Would he wear pajamas next time? With feet on them?
He put his arms around her and clamped his mouth against hers. She had to help him a bit, as she always did, to get it up, but as soon as it was up he rolled over on top of her and proceeded. While he was on her he whispered how much he loved her and called her his darling. He was through before she was even aroused. And like always he rolled off her and lay on his back beside her silently, with the covers up to his chin. Still, it didn’t take him long, and there were other men, Saturday-night men, who would give her excitement.
“If you love me so much,” she
said, “how come you don’t get rid of your wife and marry me?”
“I can’t do that,” he
said. “We’ve been married twenty-seven years.
I’m the leading figure in the town.”
“But you know she’s fucking other
men,” Tammy said.
“You know I don’t like you to
talk that way about my wife,” he said.
“Well, it’s the god’s
truth,” Tammy said.
“We… have… our
understanding,” he said.
“Yeah, sure,” Tammy said.
“And where does that leave me.”
“I give you money,” he said.
“I buy you things. We have our time together every week.”
“Yeah, you sneak in here and bang me, and sneak out.
You know what that makes me feel like?“
“Tammy, please, we’ve had this
talk before.”
“Well, we’re having it again. I
deserve more than that.
I deserve to be out of the damn closet here. I deserve to be married and going to the YaCht Club with you, instead of her.“
“God, no,” he said.
