To sleep in box cars?
Why would I come with you?
Tell me that.”
I couldn’t say anything.
I thought about my $250, but what good was it telling her that I had some money yesterday, but today I lost it playing one ball in the side?
“You’re no good.
I know that.
You’re just no good.
Then why don’t you go away and let me alone instead of coming back here again?
Why don’t you leave me be?”
“Listen.
Stall him on this kid stuff just a little while.
Stall him, and we’ll see if we can’t figure something out.
I’m not much good, but I love you, Cora.
I swear it.”
“You swear it, and what do you do?
He’s taking me to Santa Barbara, so I’ll say I’ll have the child, and you — you’re going right along with us.
You’re going to stay at the same hotel with us!
You’re going right along in the car.
You’re—”
She stopped, and we stood there looking at each other.
The three of us in the car, we knew what that meant.
Little by little we were nearer, until we were touching.
“Oh, my God, Frank, isn’t there any other way out for us than that?”
“Well.
You were going to stick a knife in him just now.”
“No.
That was for me, Frank.
Not him.”
“Cora, it’s in the cards.
We’ve tried every other way out.”
“I can’t have no greasy Greek child, Frank.
I can’t, that’s all.
The only one I can have a child by is you.
I wish you were some good.
You’re smart, but you’re no good.”
“I’m no good, but I love you.”
“Yes, and I love you.”
“Stall him.
Just this one night.”
“All right, Frank.
Just this one night.”
Chapter 7
“There’s a long, long trail a-winding Into the land of my dreams, Where the nightingale is singing And the white moon beams.
“There’s a long, long night of waiting Until my dreams all come true,
Till the day when I’ll be going down That long, long trail with you.”
“Feeling good, ain’t they?”
“Too good to suit me.”
“So you don’t let them get hold of that wheel, Miss.
They’ll be all right.”