Executioner's Song, The - Norman Mailer [64]
Spence said, "Nobody catches you, huh?" "No." "How long you been doing that?" "Weeks." Spencer said, "Steal a six-pack of beer day and never been caught?" Gary said, "Never." Spencer said, "I don't know. How come people get caught and you don't?" Gary said, "I'm better than they are."
"I think you're pulling my leg," said Spencer.
Gary proceeded to tell about the black convict he had stabbed 57 times. Now Spencer thought Gary was trying to impress him with how tough he was, see if he would scare. "Come on, Gary," he said, "57 times sounds like a variety of soup."
After they finished laughing, Gary broke it to Spence. He'd like to get off early on Friday.
"I don't know if you've noticed," said Spence, "but the other fellows don't take off. They work all day, and take care of things after hours. That's how it's normally done."
Still, he gave him the time. One more time. Spence felt a little uneasy. After all, the government, with the ex-convicts' program, was paying half of Gary's $3.50 an hour. It could account for why Gary was giving him half an hour on the hour.
One afternoon, while Nicole was away on a visit to Kathryne, Barrett visited the house in Spanish Fork and found Rosebeth there. By the time Nicole came back, her little friend was no virgin anymore.
At first, Rosebeth merely mentioned that Barrett had been there. Oh, Nicole asked, for how long? About an hour, said Rosebeth, and a half. Nicole began to laugh, If Barrett wasn't feeling bashful, he was in bed. An hour and a half was time enough for Barrett. Seeing that Nicole wasn't upset, Rosebeth began to giggle. She knew now, she told Nicole, why Gary had never been able to put it in. Too big. Nicole and Rosebeth began to have this long laugh waiting for Gary to get home from work.
Gary, however, had dropped in on Val Conlin. The beer he brought was ice cold. After that run-in for not paying on time, Gary made a practice of bringing a six-pack when he went by. Val was appreciative.
Gary had his eye on a truck. The one on the lot that was painted white.
"Buddy," said Val, "pay off the Mustang and I'll get you something better."
"I got to have that truck."
"No can do without mucho mazuma," said Val. The truck was up for sale at $1,700. "Listen, pardner, unless you come back with a cosigner, it's too good a truck for you."
Gary thought he could. Maybe his Uncle Vern.
"I know Vern," said Val, "and I don't think he's in shape for this kind of credit. But, if you want, have him fill out the application. We can always see what we can do."
"Okay," said Gary, "okay." He hesitated. "Val," he said, "that Mustang is no good. I had to put a new battery in, and an alternator. It came to fifty dollars."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Well, if I buy the truck, I think you could allow for what I had to lay out on the Mustang."
"Gary, you buy the truck, and we'll knock off that fifty dollars. No problem. Just get a cosigner."
"Val, I don't need a cosigner. I can make the payments." "No cosigner, no truck. Pardner, let's keep it simple." "The goddamn Mustang isn't any good."
"Gary, I'm doing you the favor. If you don't want the Mustang leave the son of a bitch right out there."
"I want the truck."
"The only way you get the truck is by putting a lot of money on the front end of the loan. Or come in with a cosigner. Here, take this credit application to Vern."
Gary sat across the desk, looking out the window at the white truck on the end of the line. It was as white as the snow you could still see on the peak of the mountains.
"Gary, fill out the application and bring it back."
Val knew it. Gary was madder than hell. He didn't say a word, just took the application, got up, walked out the door, wadded it up, and threw it on the ground.
Harper, Val's salesman, said, "Boy, he's hot."
"I don't give a shit," said Val. Around him, people got hot. That was run of the mill. Just his hell-of-a-success-story boiling away.
In the middle of making love that night, Gary called Nicole, Pardner.
She took it wrong. Thought he was jiving at her for getting it on with Rosebeth.