'Christ, we been waiting for you,' Farmer said irritably as I climbed in. 'You been in there the whole time?'
'I thought you were meeting Priscilla here.'
'Change of venue, you should pardon the expression,' Farmer said. 'Streep won't give you a cup of water to go.' He was in the front with George. Stacey and the kid were in the back with me. The kid didn't look so good today. He had dark circles under his eyes and wherever he'd spent the night hadn't had a washroom.
'Why aren't you in school?' I asked him.
'Screw it, what's it to you?' he said flippantly.
'Haven't been home yet, have you?'
'Chrissakes, what are you, his probation officer?' said Farmer. 'Let's go, she's waiting.'
The car pulled away from the kerb with a jerk. George swore as he eased it into the light noontime traffic. 'I ain't used to automatics,' he complained to no one.
Farmer was rummaging in the glove compartment. 'Hey, there's no works in here. You got any?'
'I got them, don't worry. Just wait till we pick up Priscilla, okay?'
'Just tell me where they are.'
'Don't sweat it, I told you I got them.'
'I just want to know where.'
'Up my ass, all right? Now let me drive.'
'I'll give you up your ass,' Farmer said darkly.
Stacey tapped him on the back of the head. 'Come on, take it easy, Farmer. Everybody's gonna get what they need from Priscilla.'
'Does Priscilla know where Joe is?' I asked.
'Priscilla knows everything,' said Stacey, believing it.
Priscilla herself was standing on the sidewalk in front of a beauty parlour, holding a big Styrofoam cup. She barely waited for the car to stop before she yanked the door open and got into the front seat next to Farmer.
'You got works?' he asked as she handed him the cup. 'This asshole won't tell me if he's got any.'
'In a minute, Farmer. I have to say hello to China.' She knelt on the front seat and held her arms out to me. Obediently, I leaned forward over the kid so she could hug me. She was as bizarre-looking as ever, with her pale pancake make-up, frosted pink lipstick, heavily outlined eyes, and flat black hair. The junkie version of Elizabeth Taylor. She was a strange little girl in a puffy woman's body and she ran hot and cold with me, sometimes playing my older sister, then snubbing me outright, depending on Joe. They'd been on and off for as long as he'd been shooting, with her as the pursuer unless Joe knew for sure that she had a good connection.
Today she surprised me by kissing me lightly on the lips. It was like being kissed by a crayon. 'How's our college kid?' she asked tenderly.
'Fine, Priscilla. Have you'
'I haven't seen you since the fall,' she went on, gripping the back of the seat as George pulled into the street again. 'How do you like school? Are you doing real well?'
Farmer pulled her around. 'This is very sweet, old home week and all, but do you have anything?'
'No, Farmer, I always stand around on the street with a cup of water. Don't spill it.'
'I've got a spoon,' said the kid, holding one up. Stacey took it from him.
'Me first?' she asked hopefully.
Priscilla turned around and stared down her nose at her, junkie aristocracy surveying the rabble. 'I understand I'm not the only one in this car with works?'
George was patting himself down awkwardly as he drove, muttering, 'Shit, shit, shit.'
'Asshole,' said Farmer. 'I knew you didn't have any.'
'I had some, but I don't know where they are now.'
'Try looking up your ass. Priscilla?'
Priscilla let out a noisy sigh. 'I'm not going to do this any more. Some day we're all going to get hep and die.'
'Well, I'm clean,' the kid announced proudly.
'Keep borrowing works, you'll get a nice case of hepatitis,' I said. 'Joe got the clap once, using someone else's.'
'Bullshit.'
'Tell him whose spike it was, Stacey,' I said, feeling mean. Stacey flushed.
'And you want to go first?' Priscilla said. 'No way.'
'That was last year. I'm cured now, honest. I don't even have a cold.' She glared at me. 'Please, Priscilla. Please.'
Priscilla sighed again and passed her a small square of foil and a plastic syringe. 'You give me anything and I'll fucking kill you, I swear.'
