The Studs Lonigan Trilogy - James T. Farrell [231]
“No danger,” said Studs, smiling at Martin, who was now a tall, skinny, awkward young boy, a trifle loutish in appearance.
“I’m all right,” Martin said in a falsetto voice.
The bell rang. Loretta rushed to the buzzer and pressed it. In a moment, she came back with Rolfe, who was dressed in old clothes. He politely said hello to everyone.
“Well, Phil, we’re all set,” said Lonigan.
“Yes, Mr. Lonigan, I see that you are, and it’s a fine day for moving too!”
“Phillip, it was awfully nice of you to come and help us,” said Mrs. Lonigan.
“It wasn’t any trouble, Mrs. Lonigan, I was glad to help you.”
“Here, I must get you a cup of coffee,” said she.
“Please don’t, Mrs. Lonigan, I had my breakfast. I’m not at all hungry.”
“It won’t be any trouble, and I can fix it in a jiffy,” she said, rushing out, as Phil graciously protested.
“I suppose you’re glad to be moving, Mr. Lonigan.”
“Well, Phillip, as I was saying, we’re getting old, Mrs. Lonigan and me, and we kind of felt we’d rather not live with a bunch of damn smokes.”
“Yes, I know how you feel. They ruined the neighborhood,” said Phil.
Mrs. Lonigan called him from the kitchen.
“Yes, I wish they hadn’t of gotten in, and they wouldn’t have, if all the property owners got together. But I’ll tell you this much, they’ll never get out where we are going. That’s certain. It’s nice out there, too.”
“Phil, Mother is calling you for your coffee,” said Fritzie.
“Hi, there, Martin. All set?” smiled Phil, turning to go out to the kitchen.
“Say, Bill, he’s a good decent, clean-cut boy,” Lonigan said. Studs nodded.
“Dad, the movers are here,” Fran called.
“Well, let’s go.”
The movers commenced taking things down. Studs took a large rocker, and carried it slowly downstairs. It was tedious work. His arms and back got tired. When he set it down in the alley, he was breathless, and all pooped out. Jesus Christ, and he was only twenty-six. Goddamn it, he felt rotten. In rotten condition. He touched the soft, unnecessary flesh about his abdomen and stomach. Goddamn it!
He walked slowly back, wishing the moving was done. Upstairs, the old man, mother, and two girls were standing in the parlor.
“Well, Mother, take a last look around and say goodbye,” the old man said.
“Yes, Patrick.”
“Now, you and the girls go ahead out there.”
“No, Patrick, I’m afraid you’ll forget something.”
“Not on your life.”
“I had better wait until everything is moved.”
Studs picked up a lamp. It was lighter. He carried it down towards the back. Loretta and Phil followed him. He paused at the kitchen sink, and got a drink. Turning, he noticed Loretta squeezing Phil’s hand, and telling him not to hurt himself lifting anything big.
He walked downstairs with the lamp. Yeah, he was kind of sorry to be moving. So were they all. Well!
XXIII
It was a Saturday night. Husk Lonigan had the dough from the first pay he had earned since starting to work for the old man. He, Pete McFarland, Crabby Konetchy, and a couple of other fellows from their old gang at St. Patrick’s wanted a woman. But they were leery about going to a can house. They stood around the corner of Sixty-third and Cottage Grove, telling each other how they wished they would pick up some broads. Husk finally got bored and suggested some liquor. They chipped in and bought a quart of moon. They walked down to Jackson Park and sat on a bench drinking it, talking about girls, each trying to pretend to the other that he had al-ready lost his cherry. They followed two girls and couldn’t make the grade because of their lout-like approach. The booze gave them more courage and they took a taxi down to Twenty-second Street. They walked around lost, but feeling romantic and adventurous. A pimp picked them up, and took them to a can house. It cost two bucks, and the women wormed two bucks extra out of Husk, who was afraid and unable to talk. It was over quickly, and they were disappointed, because there didn’t seem to be hardly anything to it.
Riding back to Sixty-third Street, they acted like men, and with bravado and hard obscene language, minutely discussed their experience. They killed their stuff, and, scarcely able to walk. they bought another pint of cheap moon and staggered back to Jackson Park. They coughed as they drank the bitter stuff, but would not be outdone. Husk suddenly pitched for-wards, bawled like a baby, and muttered prayers. He passed out, still mumbling prayers that were interspersed with in-coherent curses. They carried him around, and once, he started coughing and spit up some blood. They let him sleep on a bench for about half an hour, and still they couldn