Bang the Drum Slowly by Mark Harris

Author:Mark Harris [Harris, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Bang The Drum Slowly

99

Chapter 10

“Arthur,” said Bruce to me, “how do I change my beneficiary?”

“Who do you wish to change it to?” said I.

“To Katie,” said he. “She is going to marry me at last.”

“When?” said I. “When you change your beneficiary?”

“Arthur,” said he, “you got no right to tell me who I can and who I can not change my beneficiary to.”

“Why did she not marry you last year?” said I. “Or the year before?”

“She never loved me before.”

“Before what?” said I.

“Before now,” he said.

“How is now different?” said I.

“Will you change it for me,” said he, “or not?”

“I will write away to Arcturus,” I said.

“When?”

“Tuesday.”

“Why not now?” said he.

“Because it is time to go to the park,” I said.

“You have time,” he said. “I seen you dash off many a letter in the cab or standing against the wall.”

“This is a matter of $50,000,” said I. “Such a large figure must be handled sitting down with plenty of time to wet your pencil.”

“Very well,” said he, “but do not forget and do it Tuesday.”

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Holly hit town that night, her belly button all punched out and 600

Dollars kicking up a fuss. “He is practicing slides,” said I.

“This is nothing,” she said. “You should feel him when he is swinging 3

bats before taking his swipes.”

“He will be no hitter,” said I.

“Sid sure been hitting,” said she.

“He is neck and neck with Babe Ruth,” said I.

“But something is wrong,” said she, “for you should of long since shook Washington.”

It was good having her there. It was good talking to somebody that knew the truth, for it was heavy carrying it around alone. We shoved the beds together, her in Bruce’s bed, though the linen new. Bruce was up at Katie’s all night. “I think Katie knows,” I said, and I asked her did I have the right to swindle him out of a change of beneficiary, and she said I did, and she laid for a long time tapping her teeth with her finger like she does, and she said, “I am just now elected the new Change of Beneficiary Department of the Arcturus Company.”

“That is a pretty damn smart idea,” said I, “even if I do say so myself.”

“I am thinking for 2,” she said.

“I personally been doing the same for some months now,” I said. “It is keeping me hopping. It is a strain.”

“Where do you stow your official Arcturus paper?” she said.

“In the flat desk in the little bedroom,” I said.

“It is no longer there,” she said. “There is a crib there now.”

“Where is the flat desk?” I said.

“In the play-room,” said she.

“Whatwhat?” I said. “In the what?”

“In the play-room, which was formerly your ex-workroom,” she said.

“Where is my work-room?” said I.

“In the kitchen,” she said.

“Why not the living-room by the fire?” said I.

“It is too near the baby’s room,” she said. “You are libel to keep him awake swearing.”

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“I never swear,” said I. “Or if I do I must of picked it up somewheres.

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