He stood and stepped from the porch and kept his hands out and open and walked toward the car.
That’s far enough. What’re you doin out here?
I just got dropped off.
You’re sleepin on the porch is what you’re doin.
I had a long night.
Long night.
I work nights.
Uh-huh. Where at?
Over at Jim’s.
Why don’t you go ahead and empty your pockets, son. Slowly.
He reached slowly and turned them out. He showed his housekey and the hundred dollar bill.
Where’s your license.
I told you I got dropped off.
Well, I wonder if them folks over at Jim’s know they’ve got a fiend workin for them. Cause that’s what you are right. Just a fiend?
That’s right.
Don’t be lyin to me again. And don’t let me catch you sleepin out here anymore. You people make my skin crawl. The other regarded him for another moment and then he banged on the roof and the driver pulled away and paced the vehicle to the end of the block and turned off onto Niles Road.
He repocketed the key and the money and went and sat back down on the porch for some time longer. The dog lay sleeping as it was. A few kids eventually came out onto the block riding bikes. Cars began to pass from time to time and the kids took to the sidewalks and then hopped the curbs back into the street after they had cleared. An old man came out to water his lawn and he began walking out the gardenhose and he looked over at Morris and put his hand up and Morris did the same. The hose was about halfway out and rolled over on itself and the old man’s arms hanging from his tank-top were not much wider than the rubber tube and he pulled on the nozzle and he pulled again but the line wouldn’t free. Morris rose from the porch and crossed the street and the kids jaunted by him and he kept on to the old man’s lawn and directed him to hold taught the nozzle end and the other raised the wad of coiled hose, lurching it up in the air several times until it was true.
Walk it out now, he said.
The man nodded. Thanks Jon, he said. Nice to see you.
He headed back across the street and saw the bikes laid over and the kids huddled at the curb smoking. One of them held out what it was they were smoking to him and he about turned to join them but raised his hand and kept on toward the house. When he came onto the porch the dog didn’t move. He watched for a moment it breathing. Then he stepped over it and went inside.
When he had entered the house all had been quiet save for she’d already been in the kitchen making coffee and he’d told her what Wes had said and then she had led him into her room. He woke now beside her. I smell smoke Justine, he said.