Sernoon because s get settled. Some days like t. For one t of t er all t of it made
bad trust in anyt mig to them.
Mick did not to go back into tayed. And s to o talk to any of t but treet—and too burning . S puso to a real piano I sure o myself thing I know.’
t Portia ain kind of niggery craziness, but so Bubber or Ralp Portia sopped ood very still, rubbing on top of her head.
ia t w would shink？
S to ruth.
Mick sloairs. S landing and on to to make a draughe house.
Mick stopped on t fligairs and sat dourned on he music. Maybe some good program would come on.
S ied knots in trings of ennis s ia say if s aler anotime it of in a hundred pieces.
But s it to herself and no person had ever known.
Mick sat on teps a long time. Miss Bro turn on t people made. S a long time and kept ting s. like it tered in pieces and s keep it straig it . I —I —I — s—but just
was s know.
After about an urned on t er Singer. ood in tes and across to t come out ting s of t pulled over him.
Sed for Mister Singer to come out of throom.
and s th her hands.
Maybe it rue t sop steps sometimes so ser Singer o Miss Bro kind of music
kind of talk.
Nobody kne either.
Mick ed, and after a o the hall again.
S to his door he did glance down and nod his head.
Micks grin rembling. into t mig to invite o see ed suddenly to go into his room.
Sometime soon w er Singer. S.
t afternoon passed sloill sat on teps by sarts music Mister Singer reminded o out loud. Some kind of music oo private to sing in a oo, ried to te place t t about time s there was no good place.
l_j AtE in ternoon Jake Blount a enoughe room hi which he lay was small
and neat, furnisable, a bed, and a feurned its face sloo anot passed Jakes face of cool er. By t before table and stared do a c before t familiar to Jake, but antly and it ime.
Many memories urned palm upe s. o tc sometime. ired and unkempt. ache was awry.
Even ousled. As wice and ach a nervous quiver. .
After a o straig. him.
God, Im ty, Jake said. I feel like ts stocking feet. t ill smiling, and table and brouged pitcer and a glass. Jake drank in great panting gulps—standing ense fist.
ook a deep breattle.
Instantly certain recollections came to remember coming t er er, and afteralked. a lot of t and the man had
listened. alked ter t o bed in t could come in. At first mares and o turn t on to get
complained at all.
kick me out last nig. case remember it back from taurant , and some ss o dress himself.
An electric coffee-pot able by time o t of t t out a card and Jake took it questioningly. ter, and beneatten in ink e precision as there was a brief message.
I am a deaf-mute, but I read tand o me. Please do not s.
t and vacant. looked at eacher.
I o find t out, he said.
Singer looked very carefully at iced t before. But a dummy！
t at table and drank coffee out of blue cups.
tened t from a tin box t contained a loaf of bread, some oranges, and c eat muc sat leaning back in . Jake ate o leave tely and tranded to scout around for some sort of job in a room oo peaceful and comfortable to and walk by
himself for a while.
Are te people here? he asked. *You have many friends?’
Singer ill smiling. catco t first, and Jake o repeat them. Singer raised his sharp, dark eyebrows and shook his head.
Find it lonesome?’
t mig eit silently for a little o leave. imes for ts lodging, moving o be understood. te only smiled again and scase under te nodded t ook and e carefully on a pad of paper oward Jake.
/ can put a mattress on tay il you find a place. I am out most of t be any trouble.
Jake felt remble efulness.
But accept. t a place.’
As e o a tigy-five cents. t and, s.
Adios, Jake said. til be back sometime soon.’
te standing in till in s and teps of tairs urned and waved.
te o him and closed his door.
Outside t ood on too dazzled at first by t to see very clearly. A youngun ting on ters of ts sed her eyes.
y roll of overalls. to these
away. Know where I can find a garbage can?’
ters. Its in the back yard.
Ill show you.’
to t tting on teps. te suits and green. t mulatto of average . in rast all companion ie were a red.
ted to turned to tcia! she called.
ing for you.’
A soft voice anscting on my right now.’
Jake unrolled tiff orn and a feained t. of te-suited boys on teps. Jake sa ts from one foot to ted.
Are you kin to Mister Singer? she asked.
Not a bit.’
Good friend?’
Good enougo spend t h him.’
I just wondered------’
ion is Main Street?’
Sed to t this way.’
Jake combed acarted off. y-five cents in il it tled and scarlet. talking among themselves.
Because lonely in to and so her.
planned for this evening? she asked.
It depend entirely upon you, all boy said. quot;illie and me dont have no special plans.’
So t to decide.’
ell------ said ter boy in t m-maybe us to church.’
t tones. O— K— And after c a notion I ougo go and set a s t corner, and Jake stood c before walking on.
treet and , almost deserted. realized until no it of tores sun. ty and dark. found any socks to morning, and t pavement burned t like a piece of iron pressing doillness of treet gave range feeling. and riotous. And no o a sudden, static .
into a fruit and candy store to buy a paper. ted column y-five and forty omobiles to sell various products on commission. tisement for a truck-driver tention for a fees. But tice at ttom interested It read:anted—Experienced Mecreet.
it kno o taurant t store o drop in and see Biff Brannon.
ter tness outside.
Everyter t. Brannon stood beer as usual, . filing ter.
Jake noticed t t eacher as he came in.
Afternoon, said Brannon.
Jake felt somet ood ful. Package of target, please. As Brannon reacer for tobacco Jake decided t laugime t as nig slept, and he look of a weary buzzards.
Speak up, Jake said. how much do I owe you?’
Brannon opened a dra on ter a public-scablet. Slocablet looked more like a private notebook t s. tracted, and little dra a certain page and Jake saten at t random across ttle round, seated cats ails. Jake stared. ttle cats le cats were Mrs. Brannon.
I raigme see------ Brannon rubbed tablet. Approximately ty dollars.’
Itll take me a long time, Jake said. tut maybe youll get it’
quot;theres no big hurry.’
Jake leaned against ter. Say, own?’
Ordinary, Brannon said. About like any othe same
size.’
population?’
Around ty thousand.’
Jake opened tobacco and rolled te. ly mills?’
ts rigton mills—tory. Some gins and sawmills.’
kind of wages?’
Id say around ten or eleven a t laid off no makes you ask all to try to get a job in amill?’
Jake dug into sleepily. Dont kno. er and pointed out tisement read. I to this.’
Brannon read and considered. Yea ss not muc a couple of contraptions suc corrals to different vacant lots in town.’
So get there.’
Brannon o ted out tion. Did you go on his morning?’
Jake nodded.
quot; do you think of him?’
Jake bit es face was in his mind very clearly.
It ime.
even know he was a dummy, he said finally.
, deserted street. ranger in a strange toricts bordering treets became narro empty any longer. Groups of dingy, o eacen and unpainted. tink of food and se in t rushing