the snow continued to fall.
“you have to help me,” johnny repeated.
reilly did not answer. he started to stagger away, and johnny grabbed his arm.
“come now, young man, don’t be tiresome. i don’t know kind of help you need, but whatever it is. i don’t have it. good night.”
and reilly tried to wrench his arm free, but johnny held it fast.
“you have to help me.”
reilly sighed. “help you do what?”
“i don’t know. just help me.”
reilly started to laugh. “that’s the funniest thing i ever heard! ha, ha, ha!”
“you think it’s funny?” johnny asked.
“yes. i think it’s funny.” reilly looked around. there were no other people visible on the street. “and if anybody was watching us, they would think it was funny too. a couple of damn fools standing arguing in a snowstorm instead of having enough sense to try to get out of it.”
“you can call yourself a damn fool, i am not a fool,” said johnny. “it’s says in the bible - “
“the bible!” reilly laughed. and johnny’s invocation of the bible must have caused him to lose his grip, because suddenly reilly broke free of his grasp.
“the bible!” reilly laughed again, rubbing his freed arm, but he made no move to run away and johnny did not grab his arm back. “i don’t want to hear about the bible at two o’clock in the morning.”
“all right, don’t then. see if i care.”
“in that case, i bid you good night. good morning.” reilly turned away, but was hit in the face bu a gust of wind blown snow.
“where are you going?” johnny asked.
“where am i going? wherever the wind takes me. actually, i was headed to carl’s coffee shop, to see if i could a mooch a cup of java from some kindly soul. if there are any out tonight.” reilly started to back away from johnny.
“i’ll buy you a cup of coffee,” johnny said.
“you will? well, hallelujah, as it says in the bible. ha, ha! you want me to help you out by letting you buy me a cup of coffee? i have no objection to that, young fellow.”
“let’s go, then.”
they headed into the wind and snow.
behind them the lights and signs in ruby’s went dark.
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