Candy;

by White, Robb, 1909-1990

  CHAPTER

  6

  Miami looked a little ragged after the hurricane, but it had not been hit so hard as the coast to the north so there wasn't much real damage.

  It was hot, and muggy, and rain clouds were stacking up to the southwest as Candy and her father drove down Biscayne Boulevard and then on into the business district.

  Her father slowed down. ''The boy I saw was over on that comer."

  "I'll get out and look for him."

  'Til be through by eleven, Candy. And I've got to get back home. So be sure to meet me at the parking lot then, will you?"

  'Til be there, Dad."

  She took Tony's cane off the back seat and got out when the car stopped at a red light. As she walked back down the block she looked around for Tony, but didn't see him.

  Candy leaned against a building and watched the people going by. For half an hour she waited, but when Tony didn't show up, she started to wander along.

  She would have passed him without noticing him, if the man he was talking to hadn't raised his voice angrily and said, "You can't beg outside my store."

  Candy stopped. It was Tony all right. He had a piece of pasteboard with the word ''blind" on it hanging from a string around his neck.

  "I'm not begging, mister/' Tony said. 'Tve got pencils and shoelaces to sell."

  "I can't help that. You can't squat in front of my store. It keeps the customers away. They won't come in if they have to go past you first."

  '1 don't bother them," Tony said.

  ''Let's don't argue about it, son. Just beat it now."

  The man went back into his store and Tony turned and walked away. His feet dragged a little as he guided himself along with a stick of wood. People looked at him and went way around him.

  Candy didn't know why she didn't go up and say something to him but, instead, she followed him, walking quietly along.

  He found another store and sat down on the pavement, leaning back against the glass front. He let his head fall back and then took a deep, tired breath.

  Candy went over to a trash can opposite him and pretended to be putting trash in it as she watched him. His face was drawn and hungry looking, his lips pressed hard together. His face and hands weren't very clean, and he had buttoned up his shirt wrong so that it was bunched up one side.

  A man in a sports shirt with big red flamingoes on it went past, then came back. He dropped a dime into the tin can Tony had in his lap.

  'Thank you," Tony said. "Do you want a pencil or some shoelaces?"

  "Keep 'em, buddy."

  "You paid," Tony said. "You must take one of them."

  "Don't want 'em. The transaction's closed."

  Tony felt around in the cup and got the dime. "Then I can't take your money," he said, holding the dime out. "I'm not begging."

  The man walked away.

  Tony didn't know that as he said 'Tlease take your money back if you don't want to buy anything."

  The man had gone around the corner and there was no one there except Candy.

  "Mister/' Tony said. "Mister?'^

  Vhen no one answered, Tony felt the dime with his fingers and his face got sullen. Suddenly he threw the dime away. It hit the trash can and rolled into the gutter. Candy picked it up and went over to him.

  "Hello, Tony/' she said.

  He turned his face toward her. Slowly he said, "Hello, Candy."

  "Here's your walking stick." She held it against his hand and he took it.

  "Thanks. How's the boat?"

  "Fine. I've got the mast fixed and I sailed her all day yesterday."

  He hesitated a moment and then asked, "What are you doing in Miami?"

  "I came to find you," Candy told him.

  His face changed. "Why?"

  He was going to get angry, so Candy thought fast. "I just wanted to give you back your walking stick."

  "Oh."

  A man came out of the store and looked down at Tony. "Here's a buck, kid, if you'll go across the street," he said.

  Tony started to get up, and spilled his pencils, which went rolling across the sidewalk. He felt for them and Candy helped him pick them up. When he had them all, he walked away.

  "Hey, here's your buck, kid."

  Tony didn't answer as he began to walk as fast as he could, swinging the cane right and left in front of him. Candy caught up with him. "How about coming with me while I get something to eat, Tony? I'm starving."

  He thought it over and finally nodded. 'T\ just sit with you for a while. Vm not doing much business today/'

  Candy led him into a restaurant. Her father had given her a dollar, and she studied the menu as a waitress brought them glasses of water.

  '1 can't eat by myself," Candy said. "It makes me nervous. Do you want something, Tony?"

  ''They'll bring you some bread. I'll eat that."

  The menu had ham and eggs for ninety cents. ''I want some ham and eggs. You have some, too."

  ''How much are they?"

  Candy laughed. "I've got a lot of money. Dad gave me a pocketful."

  "All right," he said.

  When the waitress came over, Candy said, "We want two orders of ham and eggs, please." At the same time she held up one finger and then pointed at Tony. The waitress didn't understand, so she made a "one" with her lips and pointed at Tony again. Finally Candy got the dollar and showed that to her. At last she understood and went away.

  The waitress brought the food and put it down in front of Tony. Candy was surprised to see him feel it all with his fingers before he felt around for the knife and fork.

  "This tastes good," Candy said, hitting the butter dish with her knife.

  "Um," Tony said. He was eating as though he hadn't had a bite for days. He used his fingers a lot to find the food and get it on the fork.

  After he had eaten some and slowed down, Candy asked, "Tony, have you ever been to a good doctor about your eyes?"

  He nodded.

  "A really good one?"

  "I don't know how good he was. He said I was blind and was going to stay blind."

  'There's a really good one here. Let's go around to see him, Tony/'

  ''What for? He'll just say I'm blind. I already know that."

  "Well, let's go see him anyway."

  He shrugged. ''Doesn't make any difference to me." Then he added, "But who's going to pay him?"

  "He can't charge anything for just looking at you."

  "I hope not."

  Candy gave the waitress the dollar and she and Tony went out. It was only five blocks to the doctor's address which Dr. Daniels had given her, so they walked along. Tony wouldn't let her hold his arm but walked beside her, just touching her every now and then. When they came to a curb, she would say, "Step up, Tony," or "Step dovm," and he would only stumble a little.

  In the doctor's office the girl at the desk wanted to know if they had an appointment, and Candy told her no, but that they had to see the doctor right away. It was an emergency, she said.

  When the doctor came and saw Tony, he didn't look very pleased. Candy told him who she was and asked him to examine Tony, please.

  They went into another room and stayed a long time. Candy waited, watching the door or looking at the girl at the desk who was cleaning her fingernails.

  Finally the door opened and the doctor came out by himself. He was frowning as he came and sat down beside her. "I'm afraid that there's nothing I can do," he said. "To operate would be very dangerous and—well, there's only one surgeon in America who could do it with any sort of chance for success. Unfortunately, he isn't operating any more. He's ill and may even be dead by now."

  "Isn't there another doctor who could tr?" Candy asked.

  "Not yet, and there won't be another surgeon like him for a long, long time."

  Tony came out then, feeling his way slowly along with the cane. His tone was bitter as he said, ''Well, Tm blind/'

  The doctor patted him lightly on the back and left the room.

&n
bsp; Candy felt sunk as she got up and went over beside Tony. ''Don't give up, Tony/' she said, almost whispering. "We'll go somewhere else."

  The girl at the desk said, "To whom shall I send the statement?"

  "Statement?" Candy asked, turning around.

  "Yes. The bill. The charge is twenty-five dollars."

  Candy's mouth dropped open. "But he didn't do anything."

  "An examination is twenty-five dollars," the girl said.

  "Just for looking at him?"

  "I'm sorry, but that is the charge. Now to whom shall I send the bill?"

  Slowly Candy gave her father's name and address. When she got through, Tony held out his pencils and shoelaces. "Give her these. They're worth eighty-five cents."

  "I'm sorry, but we can't accept things like that in payment," the girl said.

  "Oh, let's get out of here, Tony," Candy said, taking his arm.

  They didn't say anything as they rode down in the elevator. Candy was worried about what her father was going to do when he got the bill.

  Out on the street she said, "Don't worry, Tony. I can get twenty-five dollars easy." But inside something heav^ as an anchor began to sink.

  "I make a little selling pencils," Tony said. "I'll give vou that."

  "Where do you live, Tony?"

  "Oh, around," he said.

  She glanced at him. "Don't you want me to know?"

  "No, I don't."

  "Why not, Tony?"

  He was suddenly angry. "You always want to help me. You

  want to make mc cat and take me to the doctor and everything. I don't want any help—from anybody." Then more quietlv he said, '*I want you to go away and leave me alone."

  What he said hurt her so that, suddenly, she got mad. ''All right, if that's the way you feel about it, Tony."

  ''I just want to be left alone," he said, and sounded as though he was going to cry.

  ''All right, Tony. Good-by," Candy said.

  "Good-by."

  Candy walked away and left him. As she turned the corner going toward the parking lot, it began to rain. She stopped, thinking of him standing there in the rain, but then went on as a clock somewhere began to strike eleven.

  Her father was waiting for her. "Find him?"

  Candy suddenly burst into tears. 'Tes. And he just wants to be left alone. He thinks Vm just trying to help him and he doesn't want me to."

  He patted her on the shoulder. 'Toor Tony," he said. 'Tm afraid we're going to have to help him whether he wants us to or not."

  Candy dried her eyes and stopped sniffling. "How, Dad?"

  "He ought to be in that place in St. Augustine, Candy. Up there they would take good care of him, and they would teach him how to do something so he could get a job and support himself. He ought to be there."

  "He'd hate it. I know that."

  "At first perhaps. But he'd get over that."

  "Drive around this way. Dad," she asked, pointing.

  It was raining hard now. As the car went down the street, she saw Tony. Everyone else had gone in out of the rain, but he was walking slowly along, his cane out in front of him.

  "You jump in the back. Candy, and he won't know you're in here. I'll give him a hft."

  As Candy scrambled over into the back seat, her father pulled up alongside Tony and said, "Want a ride?"

  Tony felt his way over to the car.

  ''W^ere you heading?" her father asked.

  "I'd Hke to go to Beachton."

  Her father laughed. 'Tou're lucky. That's exactly where I'm going."

  Tony felt his way around the car and got in. As they drove along they talked about the rain and the hurricane and finally Candy's father asked, ''Have you ever heard of that home they have for the blind in St. Augustine?"

  Candy could see Tony's shoulders stiffen.

  'Tve heard of it," he said slowly.

  ''Wouldn't you like to go up there? They'd teach you how to get a job. You know blind people make wonderful workers —after someone teaches them how."

  "I'm not any good," Tony said. "Nobody could teach me how to do anything."

  "Sure they could. I tell you what, I'll see to it that they take you in up there. And, when you've learned how to work, I'll give you a job when you get out."

  "No. Thanks," Tony said. "I'm not going to any institution."

  "What do your parents think about it?"

  "Haven't got any."

  "You must have somebody looking out for you."

  "No. And I don't want any."

  "Where do you live?"

  "Beachton."

  "What's your address up there?"

  "Are you going to try to make me go to St. Augustine?" Tony asked.

  "No, I'm not," her father said slowly. "I just wanted to know your address. I might be able to help you sometime—get you a job, or something like that."

  "I live at 502 Maxwell Street."

  "That's not far from where I live—on Beach Street."

  "What's your name?" Tony asked.

  "Pritehard."

  There was a long silence. At last Tony asked, "Have you got a daughter named Candy?"

  "Yes."

  "I know her."

  "Do you?"

  "She s all right," Tony said.

  "I think so, too. Well, we're in Beachton. Where would you like to get out?"

  "If you're going by the post office, that would be good."

  Her father stopped the car and Tony got out. "Thanks for the ride," he said. "And will you tell Candy that I said 'hello'?"

  "Sure will, Tony. Good-by."

  Candy climbed back into the front seat as the car moved awav. "You see. Dad? He doesn't want anvbody to help him at ail."

  "Poor kid. He's too proud and too hurt and ashamed. But we've got to help him anyway. Candy."

  "Don't make him go to St. Augustine, Dad."

  "Not the way he feels now. He'd run away the first chance he got. No. I'll see if I can't find some sort of job for him."

  "Let's drive by and see where he lives."

  The address Tony had given turned out to be a laundry. Mr. Pritchard stopped and looked at the building. Then he got out and went inside. When he came back, he sat for a moment before starting the car. "The man in there has never even seen a bhnd boy anywhere around here."

  "Quick, let's go back to the post office."

  Tony wasn't there. For half an hour they searched the streets, but he had disappeared.

  CHAPTER

  7

  After supper Candy went around to Dotty Travis's house. Dotty T. was her best friend, although she didn't Hke boats very much. She was almost a year older than Candy and not at all like her. Dotty T. was blond and fragile and would not, for the world, Candy knew, dress like the bobby soxers in blue jeans and boys' shirts.

  Together they went down to the beach to see Candy's new boat. Dotty T. inspected it and said, "It's beautiful. What can it do that other boats can't?"

  Candy laughed. She had discovered in the first five minutes that Dotty was having one of her spells of acting very ladylike. There wasn't much you could do about that, so Candy helped her down off the wharf to the sandy beach.

  ''Ah," Dotty T. said, holding her arms out toward the ocean, ''the shimmering sea, the translucent stars, the wind that has come all the way from the Indies."

  "All the way from Tallahassee maybe."

  Dotty T. paid no attention to her. "The crystal sands, the pearly nautilus."

  "You going to be a writer?" Candy asked.

  "Certainly not. A poetess, that's what." She found a curv^ed driftwood log that looked like gray velvet in the dim light from

  the street behind them. Before sitting dowTi on it, Dotty T. took a filmy little handkerchief and waved it around the driftwood.

  *'Ah, night, beautiful night. What have you been doing lately, Candy? I haven't seen you for two or three days."

  Candy told her what had happened on Mr. Jenkins's place, leaving out the part about Dr. Daniels.
<
br />   '*Why, that slimy, slimy rascal," Dotty T. exclaimed at the part about Mr. Jenkins saying he'd sue if Candy scarred the grass.

  Candy then told her about Tony.

  ''Oh, that's dreadful. Somebody ought to help the poor thing."

  "He won't let you."

  Dotty T. suddenly grabbed Candy around the neck. ''Look! Look!" she gasped. 'Tirates."

  Candy had seen the rowboat coming for a long time. She struggled to get loose, but for all Dotty T.'s fragility her arms were strong.

  There were two boys in the rowboat, and when they got into the light from the wharf Candy recognized Ryan and Chuck Magruder.

  "It's only the Magruder boys. Let go."

  The boys pulled the rowboat up on the beach and came over. "Hi, Candy," Ryan, the older one, said. Then he leaned down and peered into Dotty T.'s face. "Don't tell me it's D. T."

  Chuck peered, too. "D. D. T.," he said.

  Dotty T. said coldly, "What do you mean, D. D. T.?"

  "Drop dead twice."

  Dotty T. sat up very primly. Turning to Candy, she said, "Let us leave these rude ruEans."

  Ryan looked all around. "I don't see any ruffians. How would you ladies like a bottle of pop?"

  "Wonderful," Dotty T. said. "Thank you so much, Ryan."

  He just stood there with his hand held out toward her.

  ''What's that horrible object?" she asked.

  ^'That's for a nickel."

  ''There certainly isn't a flower left on knighthood/' Dotty T. remarked as she got a nickel and gave it to Ryan.

  "I don't want any/' Candy said.

  "No dough?" Ryan asked.

  "That's right."

  'Til advance you the sum of five cents/' Ryan said.

  Candy shook her head. 'Tm too far in debt now."

  Chuck ran up to the street and came back vAth cokes. He held one out to Candy.

  "I said I didn't want any, Chuck/'

  'Tm Sandy Claws."

  "Thanks." Candy drank some and then looked at Ryan. "How am I going to earn twenty-five dollars?" she asked.

  His knees began to wobble and he fell down on the sand, holding his bottle up so none would spill. "How much did she say?"

  "I said twenty-five dollars."

  "Well, you look healthy. Maybe you'll live long enough to make that mucli."