Appointment in Samarra - John O'Hara [81]
You’re a dirty God damn one-armed bastard, and I wish you had that other arm.
You don t have to wish it, said Froggy, and he picked up the glass of water and threw the water in Julian s face. Come on outside. I ll fight you with one arm. Trembling with rage, Julian stood up, and then he felt weak. He knew he was not afraid; he knew he could not fight Froggy. He still liked him, for one thing; and for another, he could not see himself fighting a man who had only one arm. Come on. Anywhere you say, said Froggy. Julian wiped the water off his face with a napkin. I don t want to fight you. He wondered, but did not turn his head to ascertain it, whether the men at the lawyers table had seen the incident. He heard some children playing in the street and he thought of horrible Saturday mornings at the dentist s, when he was a kid and horses were being whipped and children were playing in the street and the car to Collieryville would be ringing its bell. Come on. Don t stand there because I only have one arm. I ll worry about that. Don t you.
Go away. Beat it, said Julian. You’re showing off. You know I can t fight you.
Come outside or by Jesus I ll sock you in here.
No, you won t. I won’t let you sock me in here, hero, and I won’t fight you outside. You think I d give people the chance to say that about me? You’re crazy. Go on, beat it, General. The war s over.
Yeah? That s what you think. You’re right. I knew you wouldn’t fight. There isn’t a spark of manhood in you. I knew you wouldn’t fight. There isn’t a spark of manhood left in you, if there ever was one.
Run along, cousin. Go on home and count your medals. Froggy swung on him and Julian put up his open hand and the punch made a slight smack sound on his wrist, and hurt his wrist. Gentlemen!
Don t be a God damn fool, said Julian. Well, then, come on outside.
Gentlemen! You know the club rules. It was Straight. He stood in front of Froggy, with his back toward Froggy, facing Julian. He certainly made it look as though he were protecting Froggy from an attack by Julian. By this time there was no doubt about the lawyers being in on the quarrel. They were all watching, and two of them were standing up. Julian heard one of them say something about see what he did ... one arm. He knew they were doing just what everyone else would do who heard about this: they were taking for granted that he had socked Froggy. One stout man, whom Julian knew only as a lawyer face around the court house and Gibbsville restaurants during court terms, walked over and put his hand on Froggy s shoulder. Did he hit you, Captain Ogden?
Captain Ogden! Julian laughed. We know all about him up the mountain, said the stout man. Are you by any chance a member of this club? said Julian. A member, and what s more you never see my name posted, said the man. Don t you worry about me being a member.
Well, that was all right. It was a slap at Julian, who had been posted two or three times, but it also was a slap at Froggy, Carter, Bobby Herrmann and just about everyone else. It was no distinction to be posted at the Gibbsville Club; it could mean that you had not paid your bill six days after the bill was presented. Is this man a member, Straight? said Julian. Oh, yes. Mr. Luck is a member.
Luck? Lukashinsky, if I know anything.
What s that got to do with it. This is between me and you, said Froggy. Not any more, it isn t. No, Captain, it s between me on the one side, standing here alone, and you and the Polack war veterans and whoremasters on the other side. I ll stay where I am.
Hey, you! said the lawyer. Aw, said Julian, finally too tired and disgusted