Sernoon because s get settled. Some days    like t. For o of t er all t of it made

        bad trust in anyt mig to them.

        Mick did not    to go bato tayed. And s    to o talk to any of t but treet—and to . S puso    to a real piano I sure o myself thing I know.’

        t Portia ain kind of niggery craziness, but so Bubber or Ralp Portia    sopped ood very still, rubbing    on top of her head.

        ia t w would shink？

        S to    ruth.

        Mick    sloairs. S landing and    on to to make a draughe house.

        Mick stopped on t fligairs and sat dourned on he music. Maybe some goram would e on.

        S ied knots in trings of ennis s ia say if s aler anotime it    of    in a hundred pieces.

        But s it to herself and no person had ever known.

        Mick sat on teps a long time. Miss Bro turn on    t people made. S a long time aing s.    like it tered in pieces and s keep it straig    it . I —I —I — s—but just

        was s know.

        After about an urned on t er Singer. ood in tes and    across to t e out ting s of t pulled over him.

        Sed for Mister Sio e out of throom.

        and s th her hands.

        Maybe it rue t sop steps sometimes so ser Singer o Miss Bro kind of music        kind of talk.

        Nobody kher.

        Mick ed, and after a o the hall again.

        S    to his door he did glance down and nod his head.

        Micks grin rembling.    into    t mig to invite o see ed suddenly to go into his room.

        Sometime soon w er Singer. S.

        t afternoon passed sloill sat on teps by sarts music    Mister Singer reminded o    out loud. Some kind of music oo private to sing in a    oo, ried to te place    t t about time s there was no good place.

        l_j AtE in ternoon Jake Blount a    enoughe room hi which he lay was small

        a, furnisable, a bed, and a feurs face sloo anot passed Jakes face    of cool er. By t before table and stared do a c before    t familiar to Jake, but antly and it ime.

        Many memories urned palm upe s. o    tetime. ired and u. ache was awry.

        Even ousled. As wid ach a nervous quiver.    .

        After a .    him.

        God, Im ty, Jake said. I feel like ts stog feet. t ill smiling, and table and brouged pitcer and a glass. Jake drank i panting gulps—standing ense fist.

        ook a deep breattle.

        Instantly certain recolles came to    remember ing    t er er, and afteralked.    a lot of t and the man had

        listened. alked    ter t o bed in t could e in. At first mares and o turn t on to get        plai all.

        kick me out last nig.    case    remember    it back from taurant , and some ss o dress himself.

        Aric coffee-pot able by time o t of t t    out a card and Jake took it questioningly. ter, aten in ink e precision as there was a brief message.

        I am a deaf-mute, but I read tand o me. Please do not s.

        t and vat.    looked at eacher.

        I o find t out, he said.

        Singer looked very carefully at iced t before. But a dummy！

        t at table and drank    coffee out of blue cups.

        te from    a tin box t tained a loaf of bread, some es, and c eat muc sat leaning ba . Jake ate o leave tely and trao scout around for some sort of job in a    room oo peaceful and fortable to    and walk by

        himself for a while.

        Are te people here? he asked. *You have many friends?’

        Singer ill smiling.    catco t first, and Jake o repeat them. Singer raised his sharp, dark eyebrows and shook his head.

        Find it lonesome?’

        t mig eit silently for a little o leave. imes for ts lodging, moving    o be uood. te only smiled again and scase ue    ook    and e carefully on a pad of paper oward Jake.

        /    put a mattress on tay il you find a place. I am out most of t    be any trouble.

        Jake felt remble efulness.

        But    accept. t a place.’

        As e o a tigy-five ts. t and, s.

        Adios, Jake said. til be baetime soon.’

        te standing in till in s and teps of tairs urned and waved.

        te o him and closed his door.

        Outside t ood on too dazzled at first by t to see very clearly. A youngun ting on ters of ts sed her eyes.

        y roll of overalls.     to these

        away. Know where I    find a garbage ?’

        ters. Its in the back yard.

        Ill show you.’

        to t tting on teps. te suits and    green. t mulatto of average . in rast all panion ie were a    red.

        ted to turo tcia! she called.

        ing for you.’

        A soft voisg on my    right now.’

        Jake unrolled tiff orn and a feai.    of te-suited boys on teps. Jake sa ts     from one foot to ted.

        Are you kin to Mister Singer? she asked.

        Not a bit.’

        Good friend?’

        Good enougo spend t h him.’

        I just wondered------’

        ion is Main Street?’

        Sed to t this way.’

        Jake bed acarted off. y-five ts in    il it tled and scarlet. talking among themselves.

        Because    lonely in to and so her.

        planned for this evening? she asked.

        It depeirely upon you, all boy said. "illie and me dont have no special plans.’

        So t to decide.’

        ell------ said ter boy in t m-maybe us to church.’

        t tones. O— K— And after otion I ougo go a    a s    t er, and Jake stood c before walking on.

        treet    and , almost deserted.    realized until no it    of tores    sun.    ty and dark.    found any socks to    m, and t pavement bur like a    piece of iron pressing doillness of treet gave range feeling.    and riotous. And no o a sudden, static .

        into a fruit and dy store to buy a paper. ted n y-five and forty omobiles to sell various products on ission. tisement for a truck-driver tention for a fees. But tice at ttom ied    It read:anted—Experienced Mecreet.

        it kno o taurant    t store o drop in and see Biff Brannon.

        ter tness outside.

        Everyter t. Brannon stood beer as usual, .    filing    ter.

        Jake noticed t t eacher as he came in.

        Afternoon, said Brannon.

        Jake felt somet ood ful. Package of target, please. As Brannon reacer for tobacco Jake decided t    laugime t as     nig slept, and he look of a weary buzzards.

        Speak up, Jake said. how much do I owe you?’

        Brannon opened a dra on ter a public-scablet. Slocablet looked more like a private notebook t s. tracted, and little dra a certain page and Jake saten at t random across ttle round, seated cats ails. Jake stared. ttle cats le cats were Mrs. Brannon.

        I raigme see------ Brannon rubbed    tablet. Approximately ty dollars.’

        Itll take me a long time, Jake said. tut maybe youll get it’

        "theres no big hurry.’

        Jake leaned against ter. Say, own?’

        Ordinary, Brannon said. About like any othe same

        size.’

        population?’

        Around ty thousand.’

        Jake opeobacd rolled te. ly mills?’

        ts rigton mills—tory. Some gins and sawmills.’

        kind of wages?’

        Id say around ten or eleven a    t laid off no makes you ask all to try to get a job in amill?’

        Jake dug    into    sleepily. Dont kno. er and pointed out tisement read. I to this.’

        Brannon read and sidered. Yea ss not muc a couple of traptions suc corrals to different vat lots in town.’

        So get there.’

        Brannon    o ted out tion. Did you go on his m?’

        Jake nodded.

        " do you think of him?’

        Jake bit es face was in his mind very clearly.

        It ime.

        even know he was a dummy, he said finally.

        , deserted street.    ranger in a straoricts b treets became narro empty any lroups of dingy, o ea and unpaiink of food and se in t rushing
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