It smells like the Fulton Fish Market in here. Marion smiled and shook her head, Don’t be so gauche. At least its better than being crass, and anyway, Im lovable. Harry laughed and Marion chuckled, then he got up, Why dont we take a bath? Marion smiled, I didnt think you knew how, and then she started laughing, I like that. That was a good one. They both laughed and he took off his pants and shorts and tossed them on the bed as they went back into the bathroom. Marion put some bath oil in the water and they plopped in the tub and luxuriated in the smooth, scented water and washed each other slowly, as they worked the soap in to a lather and caressed the lather over each others body, then slowly dripped water over each other, floating away the heat of the afternoon.
Sara continued to stare in the mirror, blinking. Thats red? Ada shrugged, Well its not exactly red but its almost, maybe, in the same family. The same family? Theyre not even distant cousins already. Well, maybe a poor relation. Not even welfare. How poor is poor? How poor is poor? How high is up? Its a red. Not a red red, but a red. Red? Youre telling me this is a red? Yeah. Im telling. Its a red. Youre saying a red? Yeah. Im saying. Then whats orange? If this is red I want to know whats orange? I want to see an orange thats not even a poor relation of this. Ada looked at Saras hair, then her reflection, her hair, reflection, then pursed her lips and shrugged, Well, it could be a little orange too. A little orange? Ada kept nodding as she stared in the mirror at Saras reflection, Yeah, it looks like it could be, maybe, a little orange. A little orange? Its a little orange like being a little bit pregnant. Ada shrugged again. So whats to worry? Itll be alright. Whats to worry? Someone may try to juice me. Relax, relax, dolly. It just needs a little more dye. Itll be alright for the television. I look like a thermometer. Thats what I look like. Like an upside down thermometer. So dont blow your top. Relax. We/ll have some smoked fish and bialy. Come, come, sit down. Ada led Sara away from the mirror and sat her down at the table. I/ll get you a glass tea and youll feel better. Ada put the water on and got the fish out of the refrigerator and the bialy from the bread box, and the plates and utensils. All day long Im getting my scalp scraped, and burned and smelling like dead fish and I look like a basketball. You should learn to relax. Thats your trouble, you dont know how to relax already. Im telling you its alright. Tomorrow we/ll do it again and youll look like Lucille Ball. Here, have a piece of smoked fish and bialy.
Tyrone fell by Marions pad shortly after sunset. They sat around smoking a joint for a while then Marion decided they should eat, Im starving. Yeah, me too, get me a Snickers. Damn Ty, dont you ever eat anything except Snickers? Yeah, Chuckles. Ah digs Chuckles. You sure as hell dont know anything about eating, man. What you need is some good chicken noodle soup. Sheeit, Pepsi and a Snickersll take care of anything. Well, I hope you wont be offended, but I am not going to get any TV specials. When I am hungry I eat food— and no remarks from you Harry, chuckling as he grinned broadly. I didnt say a word. No, but you are thinking very loudly. Sheeit, if he ever had a thought it/d be his first one. They all chuckled and Marion left for the store and came back a short time later with a large loaf of crisp French bread, cheese, salami, black olives, caponata and a couple bottles of cheap chianti. Hey baby, lookit that, soul food. Youd better not let the M A F I A hear you say that Theyd get very bugged. Whats that? The Militant Association ForItalian Americans. They would burn your ass man. Sheeit, the onlyest difference between them and me is that ah smell better. Why dont one of you bon vivants open the bottles while I get some plates. Groovy. Here ya go man. Harry tossed the corkscrew to Tyrone and went over to the stereo and turned on a music station. In a matter of minutes Marion had set the table with plates, silverware, knife and cutting board. Harry poured the wine then sniffed his glass, sipped it, rolled it around in his mouth then smacked his lips. Great bouquet. Full rich body. Hearty yet smooth. A magnificent wine. Must be at least a week old, right? Sheeit I sure as hell dont care how old it is. Just so long as they dont wash they dirty socks in it. Where this wine comes from Tyrone, they dont wear socks. Oooo, this chick is bad jim, ah mean bad, and they continued to laugh and chuckle as they cut hunks out of the salami, the bread and the cheese and wash them down with the wine, sopping up some caponata with their bread or rolling it up in a slice of salami and stuffing it in their mouths, the guys wiping their mouths with the backs of their hands as Marion dabbed at hers with a napkin, then Harry picked up his napkin and started using it. Marion ate slowly and leisurely and Harry slowed his pace to hers. When they finished there were only bread crumbs and salami skin left on the plates. They made coffee and lit a joint. When the joint was finished Marion brought out the dessert, three cannolis. Tyrone dug into his with enthusiasm and Harry battled his trying to duplicate Marions cool way of eating it without the cream squirting all over, by gently breaking off small pieces with her fork and putting them ever so delicately into her mouth and waiting the appropriate length of time after slowly chewing and swallowing before sipping her coffee and dabbing her mouth genteelly with her napkin. When they finished Tyrone leaned back, patted his stomach,
Guhddamn… now that was somethin else. They refilled their coffee cups and lit another joint and luxuriated in the feeling of deep and all pervading satisfaction, a feeling of knowing absolutely that all was well with the world and them and that the world was not only their oyster it was also their linguine with clam sauce. Not only were all things possible, but all things were theirs. Harry gazed at Tyrone C. Love through half closed eyes, I think maybe we/d better forget about goin down and shapin up tonight, eh? O man, ah dont even want to talk about work right now, not that ah ever am too hip on it, but right now ah just wants to think of Tyrone C. Love an how goooooood he feel. Tyrone looked up in the air for a minute, then smiled, Well maybe ah feels like thinkin about some fine fox, but ah damn sure dont want to have anythin to do with work in any way, shape or form, uh uh. Marion opened her eyes as wide as possible and raised her eyebrows. What is this about work? You lose a bet? Tyr one started giggling, Damn, this a righteous chick, jim. Harry chuckled for a minute then ran down their idea about working for a short time, a very short time, and getting enough bread together to get a piece of Brodys shit and cut it and off it. When he finished Marion was actually listening. She agreed that it was a good idea, But I just cant see you guys getting there at that time in the morning. Well, we/ll make it. You may make it there, but how long are you going to last? Hey baby, dont be a bring down, ah feels too good. We figure we/ll cop some bennies and thatll get us through. They all smiled and nodded. Well, if thats all you want I can take care of that. I always have a supply of dexies and downers. Sheeit, dont rush it now. We needs time to think about this, right man? Harry laughed, Dont panic Ty, we aint goin to work tonight. You bet your sweet ass ah aint. Uh uh. No way ahm gonna blow a nice high like this. They laughed, then Harry got serious for a moment. How about tomorrow? We/ll cool it during the day and when we/re ready to go we/ll drop some dexies and take a few with us just in case. Whatta you say Ty? Sheeit, ahm down jim. But remember, tomorrow. Mah sainted mutha always tole me dont never do today what you can put off till tomorrow. An there be a fox ahm goin to see tonight that aint about to let me go before tomorrow. You have enough dexies to keep us working? You know we aint about to make it on the natch. Of course. I told you I have a couple of doctors writing for me. Then we/re cool. Tomorrow night we make it, right? You got it baby, and they slapped palms. We is on our way.