Double Play

36.

There were always people hanging around the players’ exit at every ballpark, many of them women. They were there when Burke and Jackie came out of Ebbets Field after a night game with the Pirates. A number of the women were Negroes, and they shrieked and giggled like bobby soxers as Jackie walked past. Burke always disliked these moments. Some women reached out toward Robinson, trying to touch him. Burke always tried to keep himself between Jackie and everyone else. No one paid him any attention. He was an invisible man in the glare of Jackie’s visibility.

Some of the women offered themselves.

“You come on down to my house, Jackie... You want some lovin’, Jackie, you come right here to me... You looking for a home run, honey... Jackie, you get your sweet self over here to momma...”

A lot of men and boys pushed things at Jackie to sign. Some tried to shake his hand. Some tried to talk with him.

“That Kirby Higbe ain’t got no chance with you, Jackie... Dixie Howell can’t never throw you out... We with you, Jackie, we with you...”

As they moved through the crowd a light-skinned well-built Negro man in a good suit, wearing sunglasses, stepped in front of them.

“Evenin’, Mr. Burke,” he said. “Mr. Robinson.”

Burke said, “Ellis.”

“Wendell want to know everything working out copacetic with Mr. Paglia.”

“Fine,” Burke said.

Jackie looked at Burke and back at Ellis.

“Excellent,” Ellis said. “Wendell say in that case he like to meet Mr. Robinson.”

“Who’s Wendell?” Jackie said.

“Wendell Jackson,” Ellis said. “He done you a big favor. Your boy here ain’t telling you?”

Jackie looked at Burke. Burke shook his head.

“Guess he didn’t,” Jackie said. “What’s the favor?”

“Took Gennaro Paglia off your back.”

“Tell him thanks,” Jackie said.

“You don’t seem to get the idea,” Ellis said. “Wendell Jackson wants to meet you, you say where and for how long. Dig?”

Jackie looked at Burke.

“Whaddya think,” he said.

“He did us a favor,” Burke said. “Easiest thing is to meet him and say thank you.”

Ellis nodded toward the street.

“This way,” Ellis said.

“Sure,” Jackie said.

He and Burke walked behind Ellis to the street where a black four-door Chrysler sedan was parked at the curb. Ellis opened the back door. Burke got in first and Robinson followed. Ellis closed the door behind them and leaned on the car fender again. In front there was a thick-necked black driver, who didn’t turn around, and Wendell Jackson, who did. He sat sideways and rested his left arm on the seat back.

“I’m Wendell,” he said.

“Nice to meet you,” Jackie said. “Understand you did me a favor.”

“Understand?” Wendell said. “He didn’t tell you.”

“Burke don’t talk much,” Jackie said.

The street was empty now. Two cops who had been on duty outside the park headed for their squad car, parked across the street. They paused and looked at Wendell’s Chrysler, with Ellis leaning on the fender. One cop went on to stand beside his car, the other one took his nightstick out and walked across the street slapping the nightstick gently against his thigh. He had a round face and very small eyes.

Burke heard Ellis say, “Evenin’, Officer.”

“What are you doing here, boy?” the cop said. “You looking for trouble?”

Ellis murmured something Burke couldn’t hear and stepped away from the car. The officer stepped away with him.

“I do,” Wendell said. “I like to talk.”

Jackie nodded.

“While ago,” Wendell said, “you embarrassed Gennaro Paglia in one of his joints uptown.”

“Didn’t set out to,” Jackie said.

“No, don’t suppose you did. But Paglia pushed you kinda hard and you pushed back and White Hope Burke here, he pushed back too, and Gennaro got kind of showed up in his own joint. He don’t like to be embarrassed.”

“Most people don’t,” Jackie said.

“Gennaro don’t like it even more if he gets embarrassed by colored folks.”

Robinson was silent.

Outside the car, the cop said to Ellis, “Okay, just watch your step. You’re in Brooklyn now, boy, you ain’t struttin’ with some high yellow on Lenox Ave.”

“Yassah, Officer,” Ellis said.

As the cop walked back to his partner, he put the nightstick away and folded something and put it in his pocket.

“So he’s out to even it up,” Wendell said, “and Burke he come to me and say can I maybe do something to calm Gennaro down, and I say, sho’. And Ellis goes and talks with Gennaro and we, ah, reach a meetin’ of the minds.”

“Which was to take him off my back,” Jackie said.

“Exactly,” Wendell said.

Across the street the police car pulled away. Outside Wendell’s car Ellis was leaning on the fender again whistling softly to himself. Burke thought it might be “Sing, Sing, Sing.”

“Thanks,” Robinson said.

“You welcome,” Wendell said. “You didn’t tell him none of this, Burke?”

“I don’t talk much,” Burke said.

“You sure don’t,” Wendell said. “Anyway, I done you a favor, Jackie, and I hopin’ maybe you might do me one, sort of even us up.”

“What do you want?” Jackie said.

“Well, I seen some games this year. And I see you playing out of position.”

“Got Stanky at second,” Jackie said. “Need a first baseman.”

“Sure,” Wendell said. “That’s right. But still means you sort of new. Make some mistakes.”

Jackie nodded.

“Everybody understands that,” Wendell said. “Even if the mistake cost a game sometime. Hell, especially with a low-ball pitcher, first baseman involved in half the plays in the game.”

Jackie nodded again. Burke saw where this was going. He suspected Jackie did too.

“You make the right mistake at the right time, game go either way,” Wendell said.

“You going to tell me when the right time is?” Jackie said.

“Yes, I am,” Wendell said.

“Can’t do that,” Jackie said.

“Why not?”

“Ain’t gonna give you a lecture,” Jackie said. “Appreciate what you did for me with Paglia, but I can’t do you that favor.”

“What are we going to do with this boy, Burke,” Wendell said.

“Watch him play. Clap when he gets a hit.”

No one in the car said anything else. The driver continued to be perfectly still. Burke could see the stress of his shoulders on the back of his coat. Wendell stared at the two men in the back seat.

“So,” Wendell said after a while, “what’s a big old cracker like you doing hanging ’round with this nigger boy?”

“They pay me to,” Burke said.

Wendell looked at both of them some more. Then he raised his voice.

“Ellis?”

Ellis opened the back door and held it. Burke nudged Robinson and he climbed out. Burke climbed out after him. Ellis stood looking into the front seat at Wendell.

“Get in the car, Ellis,” Wendell said.

Ellis smiled. He nodded at Burke and Robinson and climbed into the back seat.

Through the open window in the front Wendell looked out at Burke.

“You understand why he can’t tank me a couple games?” Wendell said.

Burke didn’t answer right away.

But finally he said, “Yeah. I understand that.”

Wendell shook his head. The Chrysler started up.

“Deal still hold?” Burke said.

Wendell looked out the window at the two men on the late-night sidewalk.

“For the moment,” he said.

And the Chrysler pulled away.