WHEN MEDICINE ED FINALLY HAD Little Spinoza alone, he tell it into him: Get ready, son. The women gone to take your manhood, he broke the news, not like it was the end of the world, and next come disease, hospital cases, and death, but like it was a thing the horse ought to know. The first cold had come and they were walking round and round the shedrow in a silver fog that beaded up the cobwebs and the horses' eyelashes.
Wasn't no idea of mine. I say wait a short while, see how he do. Nothing ain't gone change that horse much at his age. I say he a little bit of a crybaby, that's all, but easy to settle once he riled. You be surprised, I tell em. Ain't even all that interested in the senoritas compared to what you would think. They don't want to listen. They don't want to take no chances. They don't want to lose they edge. I say what if casteration change him the other direction, into a chucklehead girl? They start to laughing. Pretty soon they cackling like witches. Got me outnumbered, what it is.
Medicine Ed checked himself. This was a stab-back and two-face thing to say about the women. They don't mean no harm, he added. He didn't want to be a wrong influence on the horse. What good it do if the horse love him and hate them others? They a bidness now.
Little Spinoza don't fuss. Ma' fact he had to admit the horse taken to prancing and corvetting round lately, high in his nature compared to how he used to do. He was always in a good mood these days-could be too good. Maybe it was the change in the weather. Maybe he don't rightly follow about his manhood. He always was a baby. He scoping round at the cats, the raindrops pimpling the puddles, the sparrows hopping up and down and cussing each other in the eaves. He stopped and had him a long sniff of Grizzly's goat. Now that Deucey had the two horses, she bought Grizzly a ten-dollar goat to keep him company. When the goat wasn't in the stall he was tied up like now on a chain in the grass patch between the shedrows, but he always pulled it out tight as a fiddle string if folks was around, for he was nosy.
Medicine Ed returned to the subject at hand. It's one thing you can count on, son. When they gone they gone. You never know what you missing. Onliest thing, you be lighter of heart. Anyhow, he say into the horse-first he spied round to see what devilborn varmint might be listening, a crow, say, or Deucey's slit-eye goat-you know I be a little of a doctor-man. I take them things and do you good with em, you hear? You don't got to worry, you in good hands.
But Little Spinoza was only interested in that satchel-bellied ten-dollar billy goat. First he jumped back like insulted when the goat lift his head at him and stare. What you think this is, son? Ain't nothing but a spotted he-goat, good for nothing save to be the horse's friend. He gone urinate in you hay and shove his head in you feed bucket and race you to you eats. You don't mind out, he win too. You want that? Medicine Ed reached down and touched that peculiar armor-plate forehead of the goat between his coin-slot eyes, and shuddered. But Little Spinoza dance around and look happy and want a billy goat all his own.
…
The time to call Mr. Two-Tie was nine in the morning from the payphone back of the track kitchen. Midnight until four, Two-Tie be taken up with his after-hours card game. Then the backside come alive and Medicine Ed himself couldn't get away, and if he could, Two-Tie's line be always busy. At eight he out walking his dog. By noon he be fast asleep.
Two-fifty will be no problem at all, Edward, your credit is always good. May I ask do you need the cash in front of any particular race? Possibly sumpm I shoulda heard about it but ain't? I can have one of my associates bring over the dough any time.
Naw, Medicine Ed reply, it ain't no race, but then it go quiet, too quiet, save for a little itchy noise deep in the phone.
Gone to the dentist, Medicine Ed explained. Toothache.
How soon you say you need that two fifty?
Soon's I can get it.
I'll send somebody over this afternoon. How you like that new job, Edward?
It all right, Medicine Ed tell him.
I hear that Hansel fellow shipped in here from the Eastern Panhandle. Charles Town.
That's right. Two-Tie was silent and Ed understood he should give up more. Four horses. Zeno claim one the first night out. Hansel he still talking bout that horse.
This seemed safe to say. He couldn't believe the young fool would be so fool to claim the horse back, nemmind what he say now.
You don't happen to know where he was before that?
Hansel? Well, Medicine Ed said slowly, surprised and a little worried at Two-Tie's interest in the young fool. I believe he work for Roland Hickok oncet. Before he have his own string. I don't know when. He say he spend last winter selling cars.
Selling cars! Where the hell was that?
Some cold place way it's no horse racing. One of them states up by Canada. I disremember the name.
Selling cars, Two-Tie echoed in disgust. Edward. You and I have done plenty of business over the years.
Sho is.
We understand each other, ain't it?
Sho is.
Like you already know, I look on it as a pleasure to do business with people that has a mature insider's view of life on the backside. I find their conversation highly educational. I prefer to forgo interest for such preferred individuals when I can. Like you already know.
Sho is. Thank you, Mr. Two-Tie.
Edward, I would like to know more about that young man.
Hansel? Medicine Ed said again, in surprise.
Hansel. It's a personal thing, a family thing. How does he get along with his girl?
So it was the young fool's woman after all. But this was highly disputatious territory, for if blood run thicker than water, and which it always do, then even sensible Two-Tie will come down blind on her side.
Does he treat her right? Does he act like a gentleman? Two-Tie was inquiring.
Look to me like them two go pretty good together, Medicine Ed said carefully. When it come to training horses he look young but think old. You know he have old Mr. Hickok's Pelter in his string.
You don't say, Two-Tie said.
Medicine Ed saw himself laying down track away from Little Spinoza and felt a pierce of regret. If he get over on the old gentleman it won't be for long. Then he have to face him when at last he colly.
She crazy bout that old horse, he say. She care for him too. You be surprised. She can work like a man. You ought to see her haul them buckets.
Umbeshrien, Two-Tie talk in his Hebrew language, not sounding all that pleased. A little thing like her? She'll ruin her back.
Yet and still. You see what I'm saying. They gets along, Medicine Ed continued. She like them old classy horses and he like the old ways best.
What are they-twenty-five years old? Thirty? What do they know from old? Come on, Edward. Toches on the table. Is he a smart horse trainer or not? You know what I mean. We're talking money coming in, regular money, per diems, like that. Does he get paid to train somebody else's horses for them or is he in the business so he can sit in the track kitchen and cross his legs and tell people I'm a horseman?
He all right, Medicine Ed say darkly. He free-handed. I don't know where he gets it.
He's a bum. What does she see in him? What's the girl like, anyway?