She seemed to like her presents. I made her open the earrings last, and the light that came into her eyes told me I'd chosen well. 'You wait here,' she said. 'I want to try them on. Give me the homburg.'
'What for?'
'Just gimme.'
She went into the bathroom and emerged a few minutes later wearing the hat and the earrings and nothing else. 'Well?' she said.
'What do you think?'
'I think the earrings really make the outfit.'
'Yeah? What else do you think?'
'Come here,' I said, 'and I'll show you.'
* * *
We slept late Christmas morning, and were in the middle of breakfast when the doorman called on the intercom to tell us we had a visitor who gave his name as TJ. Send him up, I said.
'I gave my name as TJ,' he said, ' 'cause that be who I am, Sam.'
He'd brought presents, wrapped and tied with ribbon. Elaine's was an antique dresser set, a brush and comb and hand mirror and scissors, all backed in mother of pearl. 'This is beautiful,' she said. 'How did you know to buy me this?'
'Saw you lookin' at one the time we went to the Twenty-sixth Street flea market. Only it wasn't in good shape so you put it back. So I figured I might could find one in better condition.'
'You're amazing,' she said.
'Yeah, well, Merry Christmas, you know?'
'Merry Christmas, TJ.'
To me he said, 'What you waitin' for? Ain't you gonna open yours?'
It was a card case covered in ostrich skin. It was quite elegant, and I told him so.
'Figured you could use it. For your business cards, you know?
Open it up, this here's the best part.
See? Two compartments. What They say is one's for your cards and one's for cards people give to you, but what I figured is one's for your cards and the other's for the fake ones you use when you's representin' yourself to be somebody you ain't.'
'The perfect gift,' Elaine said, 'for the man who has everything except integrity.'
He unwrapped his presents, which included a sweater she'd picked out for Jiim and a new wallet.
' 'Cause yours was lookin' a little shabby, Abby,' she said, and he rolled his eyes. She told him to look inside, and he found the gift certificate.
'Because it's bad luck to give a wallet with nothing in it,' she explained.
'Brooks Brothers,' he said. 'Buy me somethin' slick to wear on the Deuce.'
'God help the Deuce,' I said, and stood up and stretched. 'Well, so much for Christmas.'
'It be over already?'
'Just about. Right now there's something I need your help with across the street.'
'What, in the hotel? Can't be movin' furniture. You ain't hardly got none.'
'No heavy lifting,' I said. 'That's a promise.'
* * *
TJ's face is expressive, but only when he wants it to be. I guess you learn to mask your emotions on the street. I've seen him receive information that astounded him without any of his surprise showing in his eyes.
But when I opened the door to my hotel room I was able to get a good look at his face, and the mask slipped. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped.
'You got one,' he said, approaching the desk reverently. 'Never thought you would. Told you an' told you, but I never thought you would. Elaine bought it for you, didn't she?'
I shook my head. 'I picked it out myself.'
'It's a Mac,' he announced. 'They easier to learn, what everybody says. That girl helped me learn all that shit about cyanide? She's got a Mac. Probably teach me how to use it. Not to do like the Kongs can do, but regular stuff. An' there's courses I can take, an' other people can teach me things. Shit, you got everything here. Got a printer, got a modem. Don't tell me you hooked this up all by yourself?'
'The fellow who sold it to me helped set it up. He also installed all the software he assured me I couldn't live without. The disks and boxes are in the closet, and there's a stack of manuals on the chair.'
'Takes up space,' he said. 'That why you set it up here 'stead of
'cross the street?'
'That's one reason.'
