— This your famous Doctor Kissinger? What are you seeing him for he's a proctologist, got asthma why the hell are you seeing a proctologist.
— Paul? Do you want mayonnaise?
— Why do I want mayonnaise! He had his glass in one hand, swept up the newspaper with the other coming through to the kitchen — picture in the paper here he, what are you doing.
— I just sliced this chicken, do you…
— Told you I'd eat on the plane look, this the same Kissinger? Picture here on his way to operate on some sheikh what are you seeing him for.
— He's a consultant Paul, the one I tried to see last week Jack Orsini sent me to, he's supposed to be the best diagnost…
— Here it is look, picture of him with the Ogodai Shah and his wife Christ take a look at her, Empress Shajar looks like a high class belly dancer, ugly old bastard isn't he? Says Kissinger's in there to do a colostomy on him probably bill him for a cool million, what's he charging you?
— I don't…
— Probably had his bill in the mail before you got out the door, did you sign an insurance form? Get this insurance straightened out Liz, got to get this God damn medical insurance straightened out before we, that the door? My car look, I'll try to call you from… he broke off. He just stood there. She was into the room behind him before he managed — You don't even bother to knock?
— Hey, Bibb… came past him without a glance, without a word for him into the brief flurry of her embrace.
— What a beautiful suit she said, stepping back her arm's length. It was a glen plaid, cut long at the vent. — Paul… her hand still on the sleeve, her other out as though she'd just introduced them — Paul's just going to the airport, we thought it was his car.
— You look good Bibbs.
— Told you let's try to keep this God damn door locked Liz… he was over forcing it closed, swollen with dampness against the doorframe, looking out where the streetlight glinted on a dark car pulled up still against the hedge beyond the corner. He stood there tapping a foot, his back to their voices in the kitchen till a shock of laughter, her laughter brought him round — Liz? his voice sharp as his step — look, if McFardle calls in the morning tell him to tell the senator…
— With a B, and a U…
— Paul I'm sorry, what is it?
— Nothing! He was over filling his drink, — finish your jokes.
— No it's nothing, he was just telling me about Sheila running down the aisle at Saint Bartholomew's in a sweater with a big letter B on it shouting today is Buddha's birthday, let's hear it for Buddha, with a…
— B? and a U? The bottleneck came pressed down hard on the glass, — says he's a God damn Buddhist can't even spell it? It's crap anyway that story, I saw it in the paper. What's he doing here, the usual? stops in to piss on the floor and borrow some money?
— Give you good karma, Paul. Doing you a favour, ask you for ten bucks I give you the chance to do a kind deed, earn yourself a little good karma man you're going to need it.
— See that Liz? doing me a favour? Like fixing my car he God damn near got me killed look Billy, take your karma and shove it. He raised the glass and brought it down, as he did so following down the draped ease of glen plaid lounged before him. — What's the new suit. A little good karma for Adolph? squeeze some more money out of Adolph?
— Oh, man… the glen plaid shifted wearily. — What is it with him anyhow, Bibb? Her hand lay still across her forehead sheltering her eyes, and did not move. — Look man… the folds shifted again, — I didn't get a fucking nickel out of Adolph. What I got out of Adolph is you trying to take over Longview, turn it into some media center for your redneck evangelist.
— You see that Liz? see that? Same thing, jump to conclusions same God damn thing look, they're selling Longview to get it off the books before this lawsuit comes up, ever hear of it? Twenty three stockholders' suits consolidated into one thirty four million dollar suit against VCR and your old man's estate ever hear of it? Grimes Sneddiger all your old man's buddies signed up with these Belgians moving in on VCR, they'll sit up there and perjure themselves blind before they'll hand over thirty four million to these God damn stockholders. How the hell did they think we did business there anyhow.
— You tell them, Paul. You carried the bag.
— There. See that Liz? Who was out doing the work while he was smashing up cars and screwing anything with legs, walks in here in a four hundred dollar suit and wants to borrow ten dollars reminds me, wait. Anything in the till there Liz I just need carfare get out to the airport, take this check down to the bank in the morning see if they'll cash it.
— Well I, I'm not sure Paul I…
— How much is it Bibb?
— It's a hundred dollars but it's a little bank somewhere down in the…
— Not a God damn thing wrong with it probably just take it a few more days to clear than…
— Give you seventy five for it, Paul.
— What?
— I'll give you seventy five bucks for it.
— What do you mean sev, it's a hundred dollars a check for a hundred dollars what do you mean seventy five.
— Cash. I mean look at it man, the Pee Dee Citizens Bank? And I mean look at that signature, Billye Fickert? Who's that, some moonshiner you picked up?
— Billy please, if you can really cash it couldn't you just…
— No come on Bibb, I mean Paul's the smart operator isn't he? Knows all about discounting commercial paper doesn't he? A roll of bills had surfaced from somewhere deep in the folds of grey, come up tight in a fist on the table — moving into the big time here, he's got a friend at the Pee Dee Cit…
— Shut him up Liz look, something important before my car comes, I think I hear it. If I get a call on this book advance, didn't get a chance to talk to you about it an advance on a book this publisher's interested in, just tell him you think I'm thinking in terms of twenty thousand leave a little room to move in, there's the car I'll try to…
— But what about your flight? She was up, — will they take you to…
— I'll get there.
— Make it eighty Paul… He had the roll of bills tight in his hand, — I mean look at this big favour you're doing me taking it. You're giving me this chance to do this good deed man, I mean look at this great fucking karma you're giving me.
— God damn it Liz will you, look Billy take your God damn karma and shove it, shave your head give you a red blanket stand you out on Tu Do street with a God damn bowl you ever seen a monk barbecue? Know one God damn thing about karma you'll come back as…
— Billy give it to him! Cash it all of it! just, just give it to him! And two fifties came casually from the heart of the roll of bills tossed on the table where she swept them up, coming after him to the door. — And Paul? She pressed the bills in his hand there — I didn't, those flowers to Cettie I didn't thank you…
— Keep the door locked.
— And Paul…? But he was already pulling it tight behind him against the burst of headlights, the car door slammed and she watched the red glows down the darkness before she turned. — Why do you do that? She was still at the door, her back against the door. — Why do you have to do things like that.
— Like what. I mean he didn't even sign it, grabs the money and runs he didn't even endorse it, what good is it… He crumpled the check into a wad and tossed it at the trash. — You need any cash?
— No. Just if, that twenty you borrowed, if…
— Here… he thrust a thumb into the roll of bills and dropped one on the table without looking at it. — Where's he going anyhow. He runs out of here didn't even have carfare, I mean he's crazy Bibbs. He's crazy.
— Washington, she said, and pushed the plate to him, — do you want this chicken?
— And like what was all that when I called you earlier, I'm teddibly sorry senator I mean you sounded like Edie's old Aunt Lea. We do want to get down to Montego Bay but Paul's so teddibly busy and then he stamps in here with if Mcsomebody calls tell the senator some kind of bullshit, what's all that.