by Henry Roth
“Naa!” He drew away. “I don’t know ’em—de odder one.”
“Aw, balls!” Leo see-sawed between anger and ardor. “You ain’ game fer nutt’n, dat’s wot! C’mon, Le’s take anudder look. Maybe dat Est’er goil is in dere now.” He dragged David past the store again. No sign of her. There was only Aunt Bertha sitting behind the counter reading a newspaper. “Aw, Jesus, wot luck!”
“Yuh see, Est’er ain’ dere.” David felt that he could argue more boldly now. “An’ if we stay hea, de kids an’ ev’rybody’ll be watchin’ us.”
“Aw, de hell wit’ ’em! De street’s free, ain’ it? Who’s gonna stop me from walkin’ here, I’d like t’ know.” Nevertheless his lower lip drooped disappointedly. “She lives in de back, don’ she?”
“Yea,” he offered the information eagerly. “In de back o’ de staw. Yuh have t’ go troo w’ea my a’nt is sittin’, an’ yuh can’t do dat.”
But his advice, instead of convincing Leo of the futility of all further effort merely spurred him on. “I can’t, huh?” was his defiant answer. “Well, watch me! C’mon!” He stepped off the curb.
“Wotchuh gonna do?” He hung back in consternation.
“Jist don’t let dat fat dame see ye,” Leo took his arm confidingly, “An do wot I say, get me?” They stopped before the stoop of the next house west of the candy store. “Now w’en nobody’s lookin’, sneak over to dat cella’ and duck down. I’ll lay out, see?”
“Naaa!”
“G’wan! Be a nice guy.” He became even more confiding, “Yuh want dat ros’ry, dontcha? Well, you giz down—I comes after yuh. I’ll give it t’ye right dere.”
“Den wotcha gonna do?”
“Den we giz inta de yard.” His candor was painstaking. “An’ if she’s dere, all right, an’ if she ain’ dere all right—I gives it t’ye anyway. An’ we goes home.”
“An dat’s de last?”
“Honest t’ Gawd! Now g’wan, sneak over.”
With a scared glance about, David sidled to the cellar stairs beneath the store window.
“Duck!” Leo’s side-mouthed signal.
He slipped down the steps. A moment later, Leo followed, brushed past him toward the closed door.
“Hope t’ shit it opens.” He leaned against it. “Yea!” in subdued triumph as the door swung back.
The sudden draft through the cellar bore with it the familiar dank. At the opposite end of the corridor of the dark, the oblong of light was narrow—the door slightly ajar. “C’mon,” Leo whispered stealthily. “Don’ make no noise.”
“Yuh gonna gimme id now?” He wavered at the threshold.
“Sure! Soon as we gits in de yard.” He shut the door again as David stepped into the clinging dark. “Don’ make no noise, will ye? Wea’s de shit-house?”
“Over by dere.” The seamless dark swallowed the pointing hand. “Dere’s a daw. Waddayuh—”
“Sh! Folly me. Maybe she’s in it.”
“She don’ never comm down by huhself.”
“Let’s look anyways.”
He groped after … A bar of murk in a wall of gloom.
“Iz zat it?”
“Yea.”
A pause. “No one’s dere.”
“No.”
“Hey, hoddy ye say it again?” Leo’s breath was warm on his cheek. “Dem Jewish woids I ast yuh on de hitch?
“Wa?”
“Yuh know! Shine—shine?”
“Shine maidel,” grudgingly.
“Yea! Shine maidel! Shine maidel. An’ de udder. Took—tookis, ain’ it?”
“Yea.”
“Le’s go.”
They moved forward. Where the wedge of brightness pried the narrowly-opened door, Leo stopped, peered out into the yard. “She live up dere w’ea dem steps is?”
“Yea.”
“Hea take dis, will yuh—’faw we giz out.” A skate clicked faintly as he thrust the strap into David’s hands.
“W—waddayuh wan’ I shuh do?” David held it off as if it had become dangerous.
“Nutt’n. Don’ do nutt’n.” Leo urged reassuringly, “Jis’ come out wit me and make believe you takin’ it off—make a noise, see? If she’s in de back, jis’ say I’m yuh frien’ an I lets yuh use me skates an’ ev’yting. An’ nen I’ll talk to ’er.”
“An’ nen yuh’ll gimme it?”
“Didn’ I say I would? C’mon.” He glanced boldly around at the gaping windows. “Nobody’s watchin’.” And both climbed up into the brilliant yard.
“Now!” He whispered, dropping to one knee and dragging David down beside him. “Like yuh jis’ come—a lotta noise. G’wan!” He clashed his skate on the ground. “Yea! Gee!” His voice rose in loud, pretended bluster. “Can I beatchoo? Wow! Anytime! Two blocks? Wut’s two blocks. I’ll race yuh ten—Say sumpt’n fer Chris’ sake!”
“Yea! Yea!” David contributed quaveringly. “Ten blocks, yuh can’t. Yea! Yea!”
“G’wan I c’n too!” His bragging grew even louder. “Waddayuh wanna bet! A dolla’? Le’s see yer dough—” The click of the latch in the door. “Sure I c’n. Run ye ragged—”
Midway up in the widening groove of the doorway, two eyes peered out. A loose pigtail swung into sun. Esther, picture-magazine in hand, looked out startled and angry.
“You!” To David. “Waddayuh doin’ in my yod.”
“N-nutt’n, I—”
“Hello, Kid!” Leo pleasant and unfeazed.
“Shott op!” Indignantly. “I’ll tell my modder on—Ma—!”
“Hey!” Leo’s quick cry cut her short. “Wait a secon’ will ye?” And when she paused to pout. “Dis guy’s yuh cousin ain’ he?”
“So wadda you wan’?”
“Well,” in grieved surprise. “Can’t he come into yaw yard?”
“No, he can’t”. She thrust her head out emphatically. “W’y didn’t he come troo de front? Mama!”
“I’ll tell yuh.” Leo strove desperately to engage her. “Give us a chanct, will ye?”
“W’a’?” in contemptuous disbelief.
“It’s like dis,” Leo drew near the steps, lowered his voice confidentially. “He’s too bashful.”
“Wot’s he bashful about?”
“Yuh see,” he grinned up at her, winked. “He had to do sumpt’n, dat’s all—you know wot!”
“I don’ know wot.” Appeased somewhat, she was still emphatic.
“Dintcha Davy? Yuh had to go t’ de terlit.”
“Yea I had tuh.” David followed the lead. “I had tuh go.”
“Ye see?” Leo rested his case soberly. “Dat’s why.”
“So wyntcha comm beck to duh frond?” Suspicion still lingered in her face.
“Aw!” Leo flipped an admiring grin up at her. “He says he had a real good-looker fer a cousin. So I says I don’ believe it. So he says I’ll show ’er t’ye. Boy!” His confirmation was intense. “Oh boy!”
“Pooh!” Shut eyes and tossed pig-tails. “Smott alick.”
“Sure he did, dintcha, Davy?”
“Yea,” He grinned uneasily at the ground.
“See? So I says if she’s a real good-looker like you says I’ll let ’er use me skates.”
“So who wants yuh skates.”
“Yuh don’?” He swung an injured look at David, “Wadja say she did fer?”
“I—”
“He says to me,” his crestfallen voice blocked David’s. “He says she wants t’loin, so I says, awright—if she’s a real good-looker I’ll loin ’er. Cheez! Wot a guy! I t’oughtcha wuz me frien’.”
“Aaaa! Yuh a lodda hoss-cops!” Esther’s disbelief wavered—She smiled. “Yuh bedder ged oud, ’faw I tell my modder on ye.”
“Now I know w’y y’ast me t’come hea.” Leo still clung fast to his resentment at David. “Yuh jis’ wanned t’ lend me skates so’s yuh could come up hea easier, dat’s all. Yer a fine guy! I’m goin’!” He moved in no particular direction.
“Whose skates are dey?” She
took a step down the wooden stairs. “Yaw’s?”
“Sure dey’re mine. Ball-bearin’s’ n’ ev’yting. Go like lightnin’. Yuh wanna loin?”
“Wat’s yuh name?”
“Leo—uh—Leo Ginzboig.”
“You ain’ a Jew!”
“Who ain’!” In his vehemence he still had time to dart a triumphant glance at David, “Cantcha tell by me name?”
“Aaa, yuh a lia’,” she giggled.
“W’at d’ye wanna bet? Dontcha believe a guy?”
“Yea, g’wan!”
“I can’t talk so good ’cause we alw’ys lived over on de Wes’ side. But I c’n say sumpt’n. Wanna hea’ me?”
“Yea!” derisively.
“Shine maidel, dere! Dat’s wutchoo are. see? Tookis! Mm! Oh boy! Ain’ dat good.”
“Oooh! W’otchoo said!”
“Tookis. Wud of it?”
“Eee!” Her shrill squeal was more delighted than shocked.
“Hey, woddy yuh say.” Leo became earnest. “W’y d’ntcha come down into de yard an’ skate?”
“Naa, I can’t.”
“Dontcha wanna loin?”
“Naa!”
“Sure yuh do! I’ll loin yuh in one lesson. C’mon!”
“Naa, can’t skate hea.” She threw a glance over her shoulder. “My modder’ll call me.”
“Well, you c’n go up if she wants yuh,” Leo suggested generously. “Nobody’s gonna stop ye.”
“Yea,” her eyes sought the windows overhead. “Bot ev’ybody c’n look.”
“Oh, I see! Yea. Well w’y dontcha come outside, see? We’ll wait fer ye in de street—nobody’ll watch yuh.” And when he saw that she was wavering, he indicated David and himself arrogantly. “Us two is goin’ outside, see? We’ll wait fer ye acrosst de street. Waddayuh say?”
“Mmm!”
“Den we skates yuh aroun’ de block—w’ea nobody knows us. Wotchuh scared of? C’mon, ’faw he has t’ go t’ dat place.”
“W’a’ place?”
“You know—wadduh yuh call it, Davy?”
“Yuh mean cheder?”
“Yea.”
“Bot you don’ go dere!” she jeered.
“Well, he does.” Leo grinned. “So yuh better shoot! C’mon Davy!” Linking his arm into David’s, “We’ll be waitin’ fuh yuh outside across de street, don’ fergit!”
A coy giggle was the only response they got.
XIII
“CHEEZIS, kid!” Leo whispered excitedly as they plunged into the gloom. “We got’ er goin’—W’y’d’ntcha tell us she had tits on ’er?”
“Yuh gonna gimme it now?” In the reeling of his mind, only one thing held out hope of steadfastness.
“Aw take yer time, will ye!” Leo rebuffed him impetuously. “You’ll git it, watchuh worryin’ about? I don’ wanchuh backin’ out on me soon as yuh grabs it—Cheeziz!” he marveled. “You’re nuts, ye know? Dont’cha wanna give ’er a feel ’er nutt’n?”
“No!” The darkness hid the revulsion of his features if not of his voice.
“Oh, boy, watch me den!” He pulled the door back cautiously. “Wait’ll we gets ’er down—oh boy! Give us it now, will ye.” As they stepped out he snatched the skate from David’s slackening fingers. “And stay hea a secon’, see!—I’ll lay chickee.” He crept warily up the stairs. ‘,C’mon!” A peremptory hand curved upward.
David ran up the stairs, joined him as he sneaked away from the store. Together, they crossed the street.
“Wait fer ’er here.” He stepped under the shadow of an awning. “See ’er yet?” His head bobbed from side to side in his eagerness. “Jesus, if she don’ come out I’m gonna beat de piss outa— W’eas me skate key? Le’s walk past—Naw! Wonder w’en dat udder liddle—dat sister o’ hers ’ll come back? Better go dat way w’en she comes out—so’s we don’ run into— Hey!” His hand’s quick thrust jarred the inert David. “Dat’s her! She sees us! C’mon!”
Esther stood in the doorway. With a single sly wag of his head, Leo made for the west corner, went a short distance, turned abruptly and hurried across the street. David trailed him.
She approached with a casual, leisurely air.
“C’mon, kid!” He went to meet her. “Let’s git dese on.”
“I don’t think I wanna.” She tilted her nose indifferently.
“Sure yuh do.” He swamped her with enthusiasm, “Waid’ll yuh feel dat wind blowin’ aroun’ ye w’en’ yuh goin’ fas’—right up yer drawz.”
“Aaa, hee, hee!” she snickered, shaking off his ardor. “Shot up, you!”
“Sit down on dat stoop, will ye?” he drawled masterfully, at the same time pushing her against the steps behind her. “So’s a guy c’n put ’em on fer ye!”
“I don’ wanna!” she squealed, kicking her legs out in gratified protest. “Yuh gonna lemme fall—I know!”
“G’wan, who’s gonna letcha fall!” He throttled the coy jerking of her foot, rested it on his knee. “Hol’ still, will yuh! I gotta pull ’at skate in a liddle.” The skate-key dropped beside him to the pavement. “Wait a secon’!” Head cocked, facing Esther, he bent sideways almost to the ground, picked it up, dropped it again—
“Oooh!” she squealed reproachfully. “Stop dot!” Both hands snatched the curtain of her dress tight below her knees. “Yuh doidy!”
“Who me?” Leo straightened innocently. “I wuz jis’ lookin’ fer me skate-key.”
“Yuh wuz not—you!”
“Aw, hey! Cantcha b’lieve a guy—? Give us yer udder leg, will yuh, yer seein’ t’ings.” And as he tightened the clamps of the other skate. “Gonna lemme put me key in yer lock?”
“Wadje say?” She leaned forward.
“I says, d’ye care if I put me key in yer lock?”
Her eyes bulged. “Aw!” she shrieked, flinging herself back. “Watchoo said!” And giggled behind her palms and yanked her dress down again. “Shott up!”
“Wat’d I say?” unflinchingly.
“You know!” Her two pigtails rayed out from her vigorously wagging head. “Shame on you!”
“Aw! Hey, Davy,” he smirked significantly. “Wot’d I say?”
“I don’ know.” David returned his gaze apathetically.
“Dere y’are! I wuz jis’ talkin’ about me skate-key—Come on!” He scrambled to his feet. “Give us yer hands.”
“Eee!”
“Co-om o-on!” He lifted her to her feet, and—“Whoo!” as the skates slid under her. “Gotchuh w’ea I wantchuh.” He grabbed her below buttock and breast, steadying her. “Oh boy!”
“Leggo!” She thrust him back, lost balance and, “Eee!” held on to him. “Dey’ll see!”
“Awri’, don’ git leary!” Leo became the grave instructor. “Jis’ take Davy and me’s shoulder, see?” He pushed the unwilling David to the other side. “Dat’s it! Hol’ onna us!”
“Slow now!” she warned, “Or I won’t—”
“Yea! Yea! We’ll take it easy! C’mon, wake up, Davy! Giddap!” And as both began trotting. “Dat’s it! Atta baby! I’ll hol’ yuh if yer goin’ on yer—you know—oh boy! Gid otta de way, kid.” He brushed a boy from the path. “Liddle bassid can’t stop us, kin he! Atta kid! Aintchoo goin’ dough. Gittin’ any wind up der yet. Atta kid!” He plied her with short yelps of flattery and encouragement.
As they neared the corner, Esther’s shrieks grew shriller and shriller, Leo’s cries more ardent, his supporting arm lower and more lingering. To the left of them, David, aware she was hardly holding him, jogged on in silence, listening with dull apprehension to their jangled excited cries. At the corner, Leo halted them breathlessly—
“Ain’ dat fun?”
“Yea, ooh!”
“Yuh wanna go faster?”
“No-o!” provocatively.
“Sure ye do— Hey, Davy!” with sudden solicitude. “Yer all plugged out, aintcha?”
“Me? Uh—”
“Sure y’are!”
“He
ain’ so big like you.” Esther seconded him. “I can’t hold so good.”
“Yea.” Leo agreed, and solemnly, “Yuh better stay right hea, Davy, an’ wait fer us. I’ll pull her meself.”
“Awri’,” sullenly.
“Naa, let ’im comm too,” Esther repented her rashness.
“G’wan!” He grabbed her hand. “He don’ wanna! Whe-e-e!” He sirened like a fire-engine, pawed the ground. “Hol’ fast!” And before she could tear from his grasp he was off—Esther squalling rapturously after.
XIV
DAZED with a kind of listless desolation, he watched them speed toward the opposite corner, saw Esther whirled round and grabbed, and then both spin screeching out of sight. He slumped as though his own gathering foreboding dragged him down, slouched aimlessly to the curb and sat down.
—I know … I know … I know … (Like a heavy stone pried half out of its clinging socket of earth, sluggish thought stirred and settled again) I know … I know … They’re going to. So … Don’t care. I know.
Incurious eyes glided over the shallow glare of the street, caught on slight snags of significance, dwelled, returned, dwelled, shuttle-like. There were several boys across the street, playing for steel marbles which they rolled beside the curb. They played with the large ones, the twentiers, and paid each other off with small ones, as big as steel beads. He watched them awhile, and then his mind returned to its own misery.
—Getting scared …
—Wonder where they are? Could have gone all around the block already. Twice. Two blocks, even. Went away, maybe? Naa staying there. I know. Hope they never come— Will though …
—Getting scared …
—Shut up! I ain’t! So if he gets her—down there—what? What’ll I do? I’ll ask. Just ask, that’s all. I’ll say, give it to me, them lucky beads, c’mon! You said you would before. And now he’ll give it to me. Has to. Then what? Go someplace else. So I’ll go. And I’ll take them, yea. And I’ll look in and I’ll let them down slow, slow, that’s right— Gee! And if I get it so it’ll be all right. I’l do it all the time, so it will be all right.
—A twentier I’ll try to get—a twentier-light. It was bigger the first time, a quarter-big-light. But even if it’s a twentier, I’ll be glad. Even if it’s only a tenner-light, I’ll be glad. Could get it light. He said like his. In and out. Wonder how big his is. Didn’t ask. But never have to be scared even if it’s only a tenner-light. And have to watch out too—don’t lose them. Where’ll I put? Lots of places. Could hide them on roof. Top of chimney where no one looks. Yea—but! Fall in, maybe. Gee! And hee! Lady finds them in the stove. Look! Ooh! What! A cross! Oy! Gevalt, like my aunt says. Naa. Better in the house. Under the bed—no. Mama cleans. Then where then … behind looking—yea! Big looking glass on the floor. Every time I looked, yea, could remember—
