44

 

       DOUG

 

    Whose deal?

    Ah, John's I think.

    Yeah, right, it's mine.

    The cards begin to flickflick to the table almost in time with the hammering above us.  I lean back and yawn, extending my arms above my head.  The sockets of my shoulders twinge and roll.  I rest the meaty part against my ears and intertwine my fingers.  I can hear the muscle and bone grate.  He leans back against the counter, his butt creased by the metal edging.  God, that boy's getting tall.  I drop my arms and rest them on the table.  Eric?

    He jumps, shaken from the daydream he lives in.  What?

    What's your Daddy doing?

    He's up on the roof.

    John and I smile.  I know that.  What's he doing up there?

    I don't know.  You'll have to ask him.

    Don't anybody know what the hell's going on around here?  Huh?  Ask him!  That's all I ever get.  Don't anybody know what he's doing but him?  Don't he tell you anything?  For that matter, does he know what he's doing?

    I don't know

    I know, I know; I'll have to ask him.  Well, I ain't asking him nothing.  If he don't want to

    Doug.  You playing or not?

    I turn to John ready to tell him to bug off, but I don't; he rolls his eyes at Grandpa.  The old man is studying his cards, acting like he's not listening, but we know different.

    Yeah, yeah, I'm playing.  Who dealt this mess?

    I did.

    Figures.  Don't you ever deal a decent hand?

    Uh huh.  Your bid.

    Pass.  Well, he better get down soon; it's getting dark.

    Twenty one.

    Twenty two.

    The old man studies some more and absently runs his tongue up under his upper lip.  Makes him look like a chimp.  His glasses slide so far down on his nose that I get nervous watching them; I always feel like I'll have to reach out and catch them.  Eric is watching them too, his face tense and squinched up waiting for them to fall.  Three, the old man says.  He pushes the glasses back with his twisted old fingers.  He leaves a half a dozen smudges on the lenses.

    You want it that bad, you can have it.  He flips the widow over for the old man.  I could have used the king, he says.

    The hammering keeps up.  Sporadic.  There's no longer any rhythm to it.  Sounds like he's almost done, I look to Eric, but he's watching Grandpa arranging his new cards in his hand.  Sounds like your Daddy is finishing up with whatever it is he's doing.

    He shrugs, his shoulders drawn into his neck like a baby bird's wings.  He folds his arms across his chest and keeps his eyes on the table.  It bothers him that he's got no better idea of what his old man's doing than we do.  Maybe you ought to go out and help him down; steady the ladder. 

    Doug, why don't you let the boy alone?

    And why don't you mind your own business?  He makes me nervous standing there.  Never wants to play; just stands there and watches.

    I don't like to play.  I never win.

    No, and I don't expect he ever will.  He just ain't the winning kind.  Like his daddy          No, that don't seem right anymore.  When my  daddy used to say that it rang true, but now, now it don't seem right.  I guess you just can't never tell about somebody.  But I still can't see this little bird taking the world by storm.  Just like that dog with the hairless ass, this boy'll make you smile and shake your head, but he'll never make you sit up and take notice.  I just don't have the meanness in me to keep after him.  It's not him anyway.  And you never will, I say, if you don't try to learn the game right.  Here, sit down over here and watch me.

    I thought I made you nervous.

    That's only when you're standing over there.  Now, just sit down and watch a master at work.  Now, what's trump?

    That's right Eric.  See how the master's right on top of things, John jokes.  Same thing that was trump five minutes ago.  Spades.  You have any meld?

    Two, four          ah, fourteen.  Wait.  I got the nine.  Make that fifteen.

    Okay.  Clare?

    Six.

    Grandpa, you bid twenty-three and you only have six meld? 

    He just gives me a look and rattles his teeth.  Radio needs batteries.

    It wouldn't if you wouldn't let it play while you're sleeping.

    Who played the queen?  If you were awake enough to shut it off, you wouldn't have to, would you Clare?  John nudges him and grins.

    You did.

    Oh.

    Talk about being on top of things.

    Missed the ball game last night.

    Why didn't you call then?

    Baltimore won.  They're going to give them Yankees a run for it yet.

    Never happen.  I'll get your batteries.

    Didn't want to be a bother.

    I just can't stand that Jackson.  Something about him just rubs me the wrong way.

    Maybe it's that he wins.  I get a dirty look.

    There ain't even any fuzz.

    I said I'd get your goddamned batteries. You want me to go get them this minute?  I'll bring them up tomorrow morning and then you can get all the fuzz you want.  You wouldn't let me get you one that plugs in for Christmas, would you?  No, you wouldn't hear of it.

    Ah oh, somebody's trumping hearts.  John winks at the old man. 

    We can do without the play by play, John.

    Couldn't take it outside

    And when do you go outside by yourself?  And you don't have to plug it in; it just save the batteries inside. 

    Nothing wrong with that radio.

    I give up.

    John takes advantage of the momentary silence to get nosey.  I thought I saw the Toyota over here last week, but then I looked later and it was gone.  Susan and Wes down from Bridgeport?

    I shrug and play my last trump card, a ten.  Couldn't prove it by me.  I didn't see her.  Neither did Eric, did you?

    John looks at him.  He really hates for you to look at him.  He gulps and pulls his hands from the table.  I wasn't around.  I went for a ride on my bike and when I got back

    Didn't even wait to see her own brother!

    I was gone a long time.  Grandpa saw her.  She was here to see him.

    Are we playing cards or what?  The old man growls and flails his hand at me to lay a card.

    I lead and lean back in my chair, Yeah, she took some of her valuable time to see her grandfather.    

    What's with you?  Eric sounds defensive.  You're the one who's always defending her.  It's usually me that's saying she's done something and you saying she's perfect.

    Nobody said she was perfect.  But he's right; it's not her either.  It ain't either one of them, but I got to take it out on somebody.  Grandpa smooths the ace of spades out on to the table with a flourish.  He grins if you can call it that.  The old bastard.  Your deal, he says.

    I can hear them out on what used to be the front porch.  Aunt Lorraine laughs, and Mom says something in a hushed, out-of-breath voice.  The two of them laugh together.  It's like listening to a lark and a crow at the same time; you don't really hear either one.  I shuffle and start to circle the table with the cards calling, Hey out there!  How's about something to drink?  You want to quit that cackling and see what you can do about something to drink in here?  I grin at John and Eric.  Grandpa is arranging his cards already.

    There's apiece of silence and then Aunt Lorraine yells back, Get it yourself!

    We exchange glances and grin.  I don't know of anybody that don't like to see her get all riled up.  I don't know if we can, I call back.  We all worked hard all day.  Eric laughs out loud.

    And we didn't?

    Twenty one.

    I don't know, did you?  That ought to do it.

    Oh, yeah, ah          twenty two.

    There is the sound of metal legs in the concrete slab.  Like fingernails on a blackboard.  I can almost see a body hoisting itself from the webbing of the lawn chair.  I guess I ought to get them something to drink.  It is pretty warm in there.  You want anything while I'm up?

    Elvira, you just leave them get their own drinks.  They're as able as anybody.  Now you just sit down there.

    I don't mind.

    I was just kidding, Mom.  We can take care of ourselves.  You just stay out there.

    I can get it, I'm already up.  I don't mind.

    Mom, I said I was just kidding.  It was just a joke.

    She comes through the screen door and whisked through the old living room to the kitchen.  What can I get for you boys?

    Mom, I said it was a just a joke.

    Doug, are you playing or not?

    Yes Grandpa, I'm playing.  Mom, I mean it; I

    Well then, shit or get off the pot!

    She just stares at him, and Eric tries not to snicker.  I glance at my cards again quick.  Twenty three.

    You can have it.

    Lemonade?  I can make up some lemonade.