From Here to Eternity_ The Restored Edit - Jones, James [305]
“They can kill you,” he said, “but they cant eat you, Top.”
Warden slapped him stingingly on the shoulder. It was the first frank gesture of friendship he had ever seen The Warden make toward him, or toward anybody else. It warmed all through him like a drink. It was worth three months in any Black Hole in any Stockade. His face stayed stolidly impassive.
“See you later, kid,” Warden said, and started out toward the line of bars with the open door of bars, down at the other end of the one long single room that was the lockup. Prew laid the cards back down and watched him.
“Warden?” he called. “Would you do a favor for me?”
The big man turned around. “Any time,” he said. “If I can.”
“Will you go down to Maunilani Heights for me and tell—Lorene for me why I cant make it down?” He could not, he found, call her Alma even to Warden. He gave him the address.
“Why dont you write her a letter?” Warden said. “I dont want to go down there. Every time I go around women they all fall for me and folly me around like a friggin sheep. I’m gettin kind of tired of it,” he said, his eyebrows quivering. “And besides, I like you too well to risk it. I dont want your woman.”
“Well,” Prew said tightly, “call her up on the phone for me then.” He gave him the number.
“If I did,” Warden said, “as soon as she heard my voice she’d probly try to make a date with me. And I’m scared I wount have the will power to refuse.”
“All right,” Prew said doggedly. “Then go down to the New Congress and tell her and take her to bed while you’re there.”
Warden was grinning at him impishly.
“Oh by the way,” Prew said stolidly, “last time I was down there your dear friend Mrs Kipfer ask to be remember to you and said why aint you been in to see her. I forgot to tell you before.”
Warden’s face exploded suddenly into laughter. “Old Gert?” he said. “Well what do you know. Old Dirty Gerty,” he said. “Gert missed her calling in life. Gert should of been a fraternity mother.”
“Well,” Prew said again, “will you call Lorene for me then?”
“Okay,” said The Warden shortly. “I’ll call her. But I ain’t makin no promises not to go out if she asks me.”
“I aint askin you any, am I?” Prew said.
“All right, on them grounds I’ll chance it. See you later,” he said over his shoulder. “Oh,” he said, and stopped and turned around again, “I almost forgot. I got some other news for you. Pfc Bloom is makin corporal. We got two short time corporals goin home next boat, Bloom gets one of them. I made the Company Order out today. As soon as the boat leaves Saturday it’ll be posted on the board. I thought you’d be happy to know.”
“Bloom ought to feel good now,” Prew said.
“Oh no,” The Warden said. “Not yet. We got two sergeants leavin on the boat next month,” he said. “Well,” he said. “Only four more shopping days till Monday, kid. Then you can start in marking them off.”
Prew watched the big-shouldered narrow-hipped-swinging out through the door of bars in the line of bars into the other world. He picked up the cards.
During the next four days he played a lot of solitaire. During the next four days he also suddenly began to have other visitors besides Culpepper in the afternoons. Warden did not come back any more, just that one time, but Andy and Friday came, and Readall Treadwell, and Bull Nair, and Dusty The Scholar Rhodes, and the rest of them. They came and talked a little. The Scholar did not even try to sell him a diamond ring, or a genuine gold watch chain. And Chief Choate came. Most all of the non-jockstrap faction came over at least once. Even a few of the jockstraps came over. He did not know he had so many friends. He found that like Angelo he had