Hide and Seek

"How goes it among the rich, stud?"

Rafferty was in his usual corner place at the bar, near the wall with

the old crooked print by Frederic Remington overhead. You could see

everybody enter and leave from there and you had a clear view all the

way back to the jukebox. The clock on the wall said five-fifteen.

"Air's a little thin at the moment."

I told him about Steven and Casey pushing him. He shook his head and

grinned at me.

"Line from some Warren Dates movie. I always remembered it. "If they

didn't have cunts, there'd be a bounty on 'em.""

"Pretty deep, I guess."

"Too bad you can't just switch tracks. That little blond looks sweet

and easy."

"I think she probably is."

"But no banana, huh?"

"Nope."

I ordered as hot of scotch with a beer back from Hank McCarty, the

bartender, and he brought it over. My hands were still dusted with a

fine brown powder from the saw at the yard. It turned a muddy mahogany

when I picked up the frosted glass.