From Here to Eternity_ The Restored Edit - Jones, James [480]
“Oh,” Warden gasped, rolling his head back and forth on the wall and leaving a grease spot, “oh. Oh. This damn fool lost his roll in the fight. He is without doubt the biggest sucker I ever seen in my life. What’d you flash it for? Thats probly why they started the fight in the first place.”
“It was you started the fight,” Stark said dumbly, his hands still working at the pockets.
“Oh, thats right, I did, dint I? Oh,” Warden gasped. “Oh Christ. Oh.”
“I think its unkind of you to laugh, Milt,” Mrs Kipfer said.
“It is,” Warden said. He began to laugh uproariously again.
“How much did you have in your roll, Maylon?” Mrs Kipfer said.
“Hundred and thirteen bucks,” Stark said dully.
“Oh, that is too bad,” she said. “Is there anything I can do?”
“You can loan him a hundred and thirteen bucks,” Warden said, still laughing.
“Naw,” Stark “said. “I couldnt find it anyway.”
“Flashing a roll like that in that joint,” Warden gasped. He burst out laughing uproariously again. “No wonder somebody rolled you. I’ll bet it was Rose! What’ll you bet; I’ll bet it was Rose.”
“Naw,” Stark said. “She was never near me.”
“Oh, Brother!” Warden gasped. He shoved himself away from the wall weakly. “You better re-enlist, Texan.”
“Well, I guess that cooks me,” Stark said. “I’m done. I might as well go home.”
“You could sit out in the waiting room and wait for Milt, I suppose,” Mrs Kipfer said sympathetically. “Of course, its terribly crowded,” she added. “I doubt if you could find a seat.”
“Well, I guess I better get into this uniform,” Stark said dully.
“Wait a minute,” Warden said. “Dont go yet.
“I tell you what,” he said. “Its crowded as hell out front. They’re lined up outside all the way down to the corner. Its worse than Payday when the fleet’s in.”
“Well?” Mrs Kipfer said cautiously.
“I got two hundred and six bucks here, Gert,” Warden said effervescently, getting out his wallet. “I’ll give you a hundred and fifty of it, if you’ll go out front and get me and my pal two of your lovely young ladies and bring them back here to us and let us have this place the rest of the day.”
Stark turned around and looked at him disbelievingly, the CKCs still hanging from his hand.
“But they can make more money than that out front,” Mrs Kipfer said carefully, “on a day like this.”
“I doubt it,” Warden said irrepressibly. “I sincerely doubt it. But I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll go up to two hundred bucks, if you’ll provide us with a bunch of steaks and half a dozen bottles.”
“Steaks!” Mrs Kipfer exclaimed. “Where on earth would I get steaks.”
“Dont kid me,” Warden grinned. “Dont try to snow an old bull like me, Gert. I know you keep steaks around here for when the big brass comes down from Shafter for a party. Now what do you say? Two hundreds bucks, and you throw in the steaks and whiskey.”
“Well—” Mrs Kipfer said dubiously.
“We’ll cook them ourselves,” Warden said. “I love to cook steaks. The Texan here is the best Mess/Sgt in the Army. If you furnish your own steak, I’ll have him cook you one, too.”
“Heavens, no!” Mrs Kipfer said. “If I ate a steak today, the nervous strain I’m under, it would kill me. I dont know,” she said doubtfully.
“Yes, you do,” Warden grinned. “You know you’ll never get a better deal. And if you think you can get any more, you’re crazy. Two hundred bucks is all I got. What do you say? Its nearly noon.”
“Its ten-thirty,” Mrs Kipfer corrected.
“Its nearly noon and we’ll have to leave at five-thirty to make it home before the curfew. How about it? Take it or leave it. Is it a deal?”
“Well,” Mrs Kipfer said.
“Its a deal!” Warden said irresistibly. “Its a deal. If you love me, Gert. You always said you did.” He grabbed Mrs Kipfer and danced her, capering, around the hallway.
“For goodness sake!” Mrs Kipfer said breathlessly. “Let go of me!” She stepped back, blushing, and smoothed her hair. “I’ll go out and get them. You know where the icebox is. And the stove.”
“I want that new gal,” Warden said, wiggling his eyebrows. “That Jeanette.”
“All right. Who do you want Maylon?”
Stark, who liked