?What??
?This boy just came all the way to your house in the morning to say he was sorry.?
?I said all right.?
?You shake his hand and tell him that you accept his apology.?
The girl did as she was told. Both children were somber while the men smiled on them.
?Have you had breakfast, Mr. Fortlow??
?We got to go,? the ex-convict said.
Officer Biggers was waiting for Socrates that evening when he got home. He was standing at the back gate smoking a cigarette and staring off into the distance.
?Officer,? Socrates said.
?Socrates,? Biggers replied.
?Am I under arrest again??
?Not this time.?
?You got a question I ain't answered??
It was time for the policeman to laugh.
?Sumpin' funny?? Socrates wanted to know.
?I don't think that you'd ever answer a question of mine straight.?
?So what you want??
?I read the police reports from Indiana,? Biggers said. ?What you said was true. Even the arresting officer said that you were more in shock than unrepentant.?
Socrates had never heard that. He wanted to know more but didn't ask.
?So as far Minnie Lee is concerned, well, it don't mean you did an' it don't mean you didn't. I wouldn't bet one way or the other on that.?
?So you gonna let up on me??
Biggers shook his head. Maybe he was even sorry.
?No,? he said. ?Beryl and the captain got a hard-on for you now. They gonna be down on you every time there's a crime within six blocks of here.?
?Shit. That's every other day.?
?Maybe you should move. You know if you leave the district they'll forget about you.?
Socrates felt a moment of dizziness but that passed quickly.
?Naw, man,? he said. ?They know where they can come get me. I'll be right here they need to play around.?
what would you do?
W
hat would you do if you seen a dude stand up at that park bench over there an' then you see that his wallet done falled to the ground behind?? Little Willie Ryan asked.
?Gimme fifteen,? Socrates Fortlow commanded. He slapped down a four/six domino, placing it off of a double four branch in the long line of
?Was it a fat, brown, real leather wallet?? big-boned Brad Godine asked as if the event had actually occurred. ?Or just one'a them paper jobs made up to look like it was leather??
