He nodded. She returned then and slipped the bag back to him.
You want me to call over a couple girls?
Wes nodded.
She leaned and kissed him on his mouth and he ran his hands about her body and then she let up and walked off. Two more whiskeys?, she turned and called back.
He raised his thumb.
Morris regarded him. I guess you’re still comin here, he said.
On and off. What you finished with women, Morris?
I think they’re finished with me.
Look, Jon, I know you loved her. We all know you loved her. But there’s plenty of tuna in the sea.
That’s not the expression.
Whatever. You know what I mean.
They came up and one sat on Wes’s lap and the other pulled over a chair from an empty table and sat near Morris.
Hi, Wes. You remember me?
I do, darlin. You smell good.
You smell good.
You believe them, the other one said.
I don’t.
Well, pretendin is alright sometimes, aint it?
I guess it is.
Well, you want to play pretend with me?
She stood up from the chair and took to his lap.
He smiled at Morris. I’m payin for his dances darlin, he said. So keep em comin.
They left the club in the dim gray light of the yet risen sun and they finished off in the car what was left of the grambag and they sat there in the back of the lot parked for a while.
I caint drive, Morris.
He didn’t say any thing but just looked out the windshield at the gunmetal sky above the building and the tall buildingcranes beyond.
You hear me, Morris. I caint drive.
Some of the dancers started to come out. They were dressed in joggers and keds. They had their hair banded up and faces washed of makeup and glitter and they got into used Subarus and Hondas and Saturns and drove out of the lot making lefts and rights and disappeared down the macadam as were they early risers on the empty road.
When she came out he watched her look over at them and then say something to Ron and then she came ahead and over toward the truck and rapped on the driver window. He had his head down and lurched up now and wiped the spittle at his mouth and pushed back his hair. Get in then, Alicia, he said.
She opened the backdoor and climbed up into the cab and left the door swung open.
You gonna shut that.
I aint sure I’m stayin. Ron’ll drive me.
Well, stay or leave one or the other. You’re lettin the bugs in.
You gonna get me home in one piece.
He didn’t answer and he reached then behind him and pulled the back cab door shut.
Wes, he said.
Don’t start with me Morris.