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〃But you were on overtime pay。〃
〃pensatory time。〃
〃What's the difference？〃
〃Twenty…five bucks。〃
They both laughed； but laughing didn't mask Hoke's uneasiness。 He didn't know which was worse…telling a father that his son was dead or telling a sister that her brother was dead； but he was glad he didn't have to tell both of them。
5
In his new clothes Freddy looked like a native Miamian。 He wore a pale blue guayabera； white linen slacks with tiny golden tennis rackets embroidered at irregular intervals on both pants legs； white patent…leather loafers with tassels； a chromium dolphin…shaped belt buckle； and pale blue socks that matched his guayabera。 He had had a 20 haircut and an 8 shave in the hotel barber shop； charging both to his room； together with a generous tip for the barber。 He could have passed as a local； or as a tourist down from Pennsylvania to spend the full season。
Freddy arrived at Granny's a little before five and ordered a pot of ginseng tea； telling the heavy…hipped Cuban waitress that he was waiting for a friend。 He had never tasted ginseng tea before； but he managed to kill some of the bitterness by adding three spoons of raw brown sugar to his cup。 The menu didn't make much sense to Freddy。 After looking it over； he decided he would order whatever Susan ordered and hope for the best。 The ginseng tea was foul； but it had seemed like a better choice than the gunpowder tea the waitress had remended。 He had run out of cigarettes； his first pack smoked since leaving prison。 But when he asked the waitress to bring him a fresh package of Winston 100s； she told him that no smoking was allowed at Granny's； and that 〃cigarettes are poison to the body。〃
Actually； Freddy realized； he didn't truly want a cigarette。 Kicking the habit in prison had been difficult。 Six days in the hole without a cigarette had given him a good start； helping his body get rid of the stored nicotine； but it hadn't helped his psychological dependence on smoking。 There were very few things that a man could do alone in prison。 Smoking was one of them。 Smoking not only helped to pass the time； it gave a man something to do with his hands。 Until he started pumping iron in earnest； those long days of wandering around in the yard without a cigarette had been his worst days in stir。 And yet the first thing he had done when he got into the San Francisco bus terminal was to buy a package of Winston 100s。 He had picked them because of the deep red package。 He had somehow associated smoking with freedom； even though smoking was a form of slavery。 That settled it。 He would give it up before he got back into the habit。 Otherwise； when he got back to prison； he would have to go through all of that painful withdrawal business again。
Susan； still in her work clothes； arrived a few minutes after five。 She waved from the door and then joined him at the table…for…two against the wall。 She ducked her head and sat under an ominous hanging basket containing a drooping mass of ferns。 She was obviously pleased to see Freddy。
〃You forgot the suitcase；〃 Freddy said； 〃but I gave it to Pablo。 The clothes are in the bag under the table。〃
〃I didn't really forget。 I just thought better of it。 A lot of employees know what I do in the hotel； and they don't like me。 They don't like any of us girls； because of the money we make。 So if a maid saw me with the suitcase； she'd call the security office and say that I stole it from a guest or something。 Then； when I told the security officer the truth； he'd still check with you； and he'd find out that you didn't have any other luggage。 That could make some trouble for you。 What I think； when you left your wife； is that you took the wrong suitcase。 You took hers instead of your own。 Isn't that right？〃
〃Something like that。 That's interesting； Susan。 I didn't think you could figure out something that plicated。〃
〃I wasn't always a thoughtful person。 When I was in high school in Okeechobee； all I thought about was having a good time。 But at Miami…Dade； the teachers want us to use our minds。〃
〃Where's Okeechobee？〃
〃It's up by the lake； when you drive north to Disney World。〃
〃What lake？〃
〃Lake Okeechobee！〃 Susan laughed。 〃It's the biggest lake in the whole South。 Everybody gets their water down here from Lake Okeechobee。〃
〃I'm from California。 I don't know shit about Florida。〃
〃I don't know shit about California； either。 So I guess we're even。〃
〃Lake Tahoe's a pretty good…size lake in California。 Have you heard of Tahoe？〃
〃I've heard of it； but I don't know where it is。〃
〃Part of it's in Nevada； and the rest is in California。 On the Nevada side； you can gamble in the casinos。〃
〃You can't gamble in Florida； except on horses； race track and trotters； on dogs； and jai alai。 Oh； yes； you can gamble on cockfighting and dogfighting； too； if you know where to go。 But all other forms of gambling； the governor says； are immoral。〃
〃Is the governor a Jesuit？〃
〃That's a Catholic； isn't it？〃
〃An educated Catholic； the way it was explained to me。〃
〃No； he's a Protestant。 It would be a waste of money for a Catholic to run for office down here。〃
〃Tell me about Okeechobee； and tell me why you came to Miami。〃
〃It's a lot hotter up there than it is here； for one thing。 And it rains more； too； because of the lake。 It's a little town； not big like Miami； but there's lots to do； like bowling and going juking； or fishing and swimming。 If you don't like country； you wouldn't like Okeechobee。 If a girl doesn't get married； there isn't much future there； and nobody ever asked me to get married。 I did the cooking for my daddy and my brother； but that didn't stop me from getting pregnant。 That's why I came to Miami； really； to get me an abortion。 My father said it was a disgrace to get pregnant that way； and he told me not to e back…〃
〃The 〃Reader's Digest〃 said about forty percent of the girls who get pregnant aren't married。 What's he so uptight about？〃
〃My brother； Marty； had a big fight with him about that。 He told daddy it's the Lord's right to punish people； and that daddy didn't have any right to sit in judgment on me。 So the upshot of all that was that Marty had to go with me； and he was told not to e back either。 Daddy doesn't believe in much of anything； and Marty's really religious； you see。〃
〃So you both came down to Miami？〃
She nodded。 〃On the bus。 Marty and me are really close。 We were born only ten months apart； and he's always taken my side against daddy。〃
The waitress interrupted。 〃You want more tea； or d'you want to order now？〃
〃I'll have the Circe Salad；〃 Susan said。 〃I always get that。〃
〃Me； too；〃 Freddy said。
〃You'll like the Circe Salad。 Daddy gets mad； but he always gets over it。 I think we could go back now； and he wouldn't say a word。 But we've done so well down here； we're going to stay a long time。 We're saving our money； and when we've got enough saved Marty wants to go back to Okeechobee and get us a Burger King franchise。 He'll be the day manager； and I'll manage nights。 We'll build a house on the lake； get us a speedboat； and everything。〃
〃Marty has it all figured out。〃
Susan nodded。 〃That's why I'm going to Miami…Dade。 When I finish English and social science； I'm going to take business and management courses。〃
〃What about your mother？ What does she think about you two leaving？〃
〃I don't know where she is； and neither does daddy。 She was working the counter at the truck stop； and then one night； when I was only five； she ran off with a truck driver。 Daddy traced her as far as New Orleans； paying a private detective； and then the trail got cold。
〃But Marty and me are doing real good here。 He's got a job collecting money for the Hare Krishnas； and he gives at least a hundred dollars of it every day to me to put in the bank。 It's a hard life for Marty； pared to mine； because he's restricted to the camp at night； and he has to get up at four A。M。 every morning to pray。 But he doesn't mind working seven days a week at the airport； not when he makes a hundred dollars a day for us to save。〃
〃I think I saw one out at the airport today。 I don't understand this Hare Krishna business。 What are they； anyway？ It doesn't sound American。〃
〃They are now。 It's some kind of religious cult from India； a professional beggars' group； and now they're all over the United States。 They must be in California； too。〃
〃Maybe so。 I never heard of them before； that's all。〃
〃Well； Marty saw the advantages right away； because it's a way to beg legally。〃
Susan leaned forward and lowered her voice。
〃What he does； you see； is put a dollar in one pocket for the Krishnas； and a dollar in another pocket for us。 The Knshnas； being a religious organization； can beg at the airport； whereas if you were to go out there and beg； they'd put you in jail。〃
〃In other words； your brother's stealing the Krishnas blind。〃
〃I guess you can put it that way。 He said they'd kick him out if they ever found out。 But they aren't going to catch on。 I meet Marty every night by the mailbox outside the Airport Hotel； which is right inside the