Boldt Read Online Free Page A

he’s only recently stepped out of the bathtub. When he’s set the drinks down in front of us, he wanders away to leave us alone without looking as though that’s what he’s doing.
    â€œYou know,” I say to Murdock, “this place wasn’t even built last time I saw my brother.”
    â€œIt had Florian behind it.”
    â€œYeah, and look at it now. A beautifully designed tax loss. As if he needs one, legitimate, I mean. His mattresses are stuffed with thousand dollar bills.”
    Murdock calls the bartender again and orders the same. The bartender gives it to us and Murdock takes his in one go.
    â€œHow’s your brother-in-law?” I ask him.
    Murdock puts his glass down on the counter.
    â€œMy brother-in-law’s fine,” Murdock says. “He’s great, as always. He uses me as practice for the Elks. He makes one of his speeches last night. He says, ‘Look, do you realize what a strain your presence is putting on our marriage?’ Christ, Jean hates his fucking guts; she likes having me around so he can make his speeches at me instead of her for a change. So he goes on, he says, ‘You realize Jean is likely to break down if you’re here much longer?’ So I say, ‘Fine, I’ll get out now. If you loan me the kind of money they’re asking for apartments these days, then I’ll walk straight out the door.’ So then he says, ‘Why not move back in with Joyce, on a business basis? You’re both adults. Until you’re settled,’ he says. I’m about to tell him that Joyce has got tanks in the driveway in case of any such eventuality when Jean comes out of the bathroom where she must have been listening, and she lays into the prick and reminds him of where the money came from for the down payment on their place. He says, well that’s not exactly the point -- he didn’t expect me as part of the interest, and she says, ‘The man I married, Mr. Wonderful.’ He asks her to cut out the crap but before he’s halfway through telling her, she hauls him one and he goes like stone, you know, like Buster Keaton? He holds the pose for a minute or two, then swings around and goes out the door and out of the house, and Jean looks at me and I look at her and she bursts out laughing and so do I. Then she says, ‘I hope the bum never comes back. But he’ll be back,’ she says, and of course he is, about one A.M. just in nice time to wake the whole fucking household. Of course he’s tanked, and him and Jean slug it out on the landing. The kids wake up and start crying, so I go onto the landing and drag him off Jean and give him a couple of neat ones that send him straight to dreamland. Then Jean tries to pacify the kids who’ve seen the whole fucking affair and then after that she, of course, turns on me, because I’m standing there, and says why did I do a thing like that, laying out her old man with the kids looking on. So I go into the bedroom and pick up my stuff and bye-bye.”
    â€œWhere’d you go?”
    â€œYeats. I got a room with Yeats.”
    â€œYeats? Jesus, why’d you go to Yeats?”
    â€œIt’s not so bad. I get the room free. I don’t even have to tell him I’m getting the room free, he’s so fucking scared when I show up.”
    â€œIt’s a wonder you didn’t empty the place. I mean, just by showing up.”
    â€œI told him, I wasn’t interested in the other patrons. Just a room, I tell him, and coffee in the morning, then I’ll go away.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you call me? You could have come over to my place.”
    â€œIt was only for one night. It was two A.M. by the time I left Jean’s.”
    â€œYou could still have phoned.”
    â€œI see you the rest of the time.”
    â€œWhat about tonight?”
    â€œI may go back. My stuff’s still there.”
    â€œMove in with me.”
    Murdock shakes