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〃Can you tell me what's going on？〃 he asked。
〃The traffic's tied up；〃 Luis said。
〃You're telling me it's tied up？〃 Block said； and he began chuckling； his layers of fat jiggling。 〃Say； what kind of answer is that？ It's tied up downtown and uptown and probably crosstown； too。 What's going on？ A parade？〃
〃There's a gunman in the apartment up there；〃 the sailor said suddenly。
〃A what？〃 Block wiped his brow。 〃A gunman； did you say？〃
〃Pepe Miranda；〃 Luis put in； nodding。
〃I never heard of him。 What'd he do； rob a bank？〃 Block said； and he began chuckling； the fat jiggling all over him again。 He didn't look at all like Santa Claus。
〃You live in this city？〃 Luis asked。
〃Sure； I live in this city。 Not around here； though。 I live in Calm's Point。 What is this Miranda； a celebrity？〃
〃He's a killer；〃 the sailor said quietly。
〃Yeah？〃 Block opened his eyes wide in appreciation。 〃Yeah？ A killer？〃
〃That's what he is；〃 Jeff said。
〃They going up there to get him？〃 Block said。
〃That's what it looks like。 You better go back to your car； mister。 There might be shooting around here。〃
〃No； no；〃 Block said； very interested now。 〃I want to watch this。 I want to see him die。〃
He shoved his way through the crowd； using his huge stomach like a battering ram。
〃Louise；〃 Jeff said； 〃what time is it？〃
〃I don't know。 Eleven…thirty； something like that。 Why？〃
〃I'm 。。。 I'm supposed to meet a girl here。 At noon。〃
〃Sailor； why don't you take your own advice？ Get out of here before you run into more trouble。 Take a walk over to the park； eh？ When the girl es； I'll tell her you're waiting there for her。 What's her name？〃
〃China。 That's a funny name； ain't it？〃
〃Not for a Spanish girl。 Only in Spanish； it's pronounced Chee…na。〃 Luis shrugged。 〃A lot of the girls today； they give it the English sound。 Or maybe people do it for them； and then they decide it's easier that way。〃 He paused。 〃Go。 Go to the park。 I'll tell her where you are。〃
〃I thought she was a whore when I first met her； Louise。 That's a damn rotten way to start off； isn't it？〃
〃Well； I know many men who have married prostitutes；〃 Luis said。 〃They make good wives。〃
〃Oh； she ain't！〃 Jeff said； almost shouting the words in his haste。 〃I didn't mean to give you that impression。 I mean； you can see that； once you know her。 She's got this 。。。 this real sweet face； you know？〃
Luis smiled。 〃Si。〃
〃Yeah； like a little girl； you know？〃 He grinned at Luis and then quickly said； 〃Not that she doesn't look womanly。 I mean； she certainly has all the 。。。 the 。。。 things a 。。。 woman has。〃
〃I have never seen an ironing board among Puerto Rican women；〃 Luis said。
〃Huh？〃
Luis curved his hand through the air； pantomiming a woman with unmonly pronounced curves。
〃Oh； yes；〃 Jeff said。 〃Sure。 But she doesn't look sloppy； you understand that； don't you？ I mean； she's not one of these。。。〃 He used his hands to indicate a woman whose upper portions were mountainous。。 Both men nodded in solemn agreement on the proper size of a bosom。 〃She talks nice； too；〃 Jeff said。 〃I like a girl with a good voice and 。。。 and eyes that look at you。 When she talks； I mean。 She looks at you。 That's good。 It makes you feel like 。。。 like you're important。〃
〃Si； a man must feel that he is important。〃
〃That's what I didn't like about Fletcher； Louise。 I just felt like anybody else there。 It's funny but； well； meeting her I feel like …1 don't know …1 feel like me！ That's pretty stupid； ain't it？ I mean； like who the hell else would I feel like？ And I hardly even know her。 I mean； she's just another girl； isn't she？〃
〃Sure；〃 Luis agreed； 〃she's just another girl。 You can find girls anywhere。〃
〃Well； now she's not exactly just another girl；〃 Jeff said hastily。 〃She's prettier than most； you know。〃
〃Pretty girls are easy to find； sailor。 The world is full of pretty girls。 And for every man in the world； there is one girl who is pretty。〃
〃Sure； sure。 But she's； well； I guess you could call her beautiful。 I guess you really could； Louise。〃 He paused。 〃Do you 。。。 do you think she'll e？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Luis said。 〃Perhaps。〃
〃I hope so。 Gee； Louise； I hope so。〃
From Zip's vantage place on the packing crate； he saw her at once； working her way through the crowd。 He waved to her instantly； and then shouted； 〃Elena！ Hey； Elena； over here！〃 He poked Sixto and said； 〃Hey； Sixto； it's Elena。〃
Softly； Sixto said； 〃I thought China wass your girl。〃
〃Variety； huh？〃 Zip said； grinning。 〃Hey； Elena！〃
The girl waved back。 She was sixteen years old； an attractive girl with dark hair and dark eyes； wearing a skirt and blouse。 The girl with her； slightly shorter than she； was wearing black tapered slacks and a boy's white shirt。 〃Hello； Zip；〃 Elena called； and then said to her friend； 〃Juana； it's Zip and the boys。〃
Flatly； Juana said； 〃He's a terrifying creep。〃
〃He's not so bad；〃 Elena said。 〃e on。〃
They walked over to the crate。 Zip offered his hand to Elena and pulled her up beside him。 Papa studied the chivalrous gesture； and then repeated it； offering his hand to Juana who took it with the disdain of a countess accepting aid from a doorman。
〃You ever see anything like this； Elena？〃 Zip asked excitedly。 〃He shot one of them。〃
〃Who shot one of them？〃 Elena asked。
〃Pepe Miranda！〃 Papa said。
〃Who？〃
〃Pepe Miranda；〃 Zip said。 〃He's got a whole arsenal in that apartment with him。 The cops can't figure how to get him out。 Man you shoulda seen him。 He e right up to the window and spit at the bastards！〃
〃Who's this？〃 Juana asked； turning her attention to Zip。
Papa； as if repeating a lesson he had learned； a lesson he had indeed learned earlier from Cooch； said； 〃He the grays thin' ever happen this neighborhood。〃
〃Yeah？〃 Juana said aloofly。 〃I never heard of him。〃
〃So that's what this is all about；〃 Elena said。 〃We were walking over on the next block and everybody was heading here like somebody hit the numbers for a million dollars。〃
〃There ain't no numbers on Sunday；〃 Juana said distantly。 She was not a very pretty girl； but she had learned somewhere that her eyes were very attractive and had further learned how to use make…up on them。 Her eyes were the focal point of her face； as green as jade and； bined with her jet…black hair； they created an instant impression of desirability which overshadowed the true facts of her plainness。
〃You came through the next block？〃 Zip asked Elena。
〃Sure。 Why not？〃
〃No reason。〃 He paused。 〃That's Royal Guardian territory。〃
〃So what？〃
〃Nothing。 Nothing。〃
〃Royal Guardians or not；〃 Elena said； 〃this is a free country。〃
〃We walk where we want to；〃 Juana added。
〃That's because you're a chick。 It ain't so easy when you're a guy；〃 Zip said。
〃Why not？〃 Juana asked。
〃Because it ain't； that's all。 You can't go messing in another club's territory。〃
〃That's nuts。 Haven't you got anything better to do than play war？ That's kid stuff。〃
〃There's nothing kid stuff about it；〃 Zip said。 〃You just don't know。〃
〃I know plenty；〃 Juana said。 〃You haven't got anything better to do； that's all。 That's why you've got these territories and these street bops and。。。〃
〃I got plenty to do；〃 Zip said。 〃We always got plenty to do； ain't we； Sixto？〃
〃Sure； he's got plenty to do；〃 Elena said。 〃He's got China to chase after。〃
〃Hey； listen；〃 Zip said； grinning。 〃How about a hug； Elena？〃
〃If you had things to do；〃 Juana persisted； 〃you wouldn't get involved in this childish nonsense。 What you are is an acting…out neurotic。〃
〃A what？〃 Zip said。
〃An acting…out neurotic；〃 Juana said professorially。
〃How e you're so smart； huh？ Where'd you get your medical degree； huh？〃
〃I read an article in the newspapers；〃 Juana said smugly。
〃Dig the big reader！〃 Zip said； and he burst out laughing。 Dismissing her； he turned to Elena； 〃Hey； e on； no hug for me？〃
〃Go hug China；〃 Elena said coldly。
〃e on； e on；〃 Zip said； still grinning。 But his grin seemed to have no effect on Elena。 Deliberately she turned to Sixto。
〃Who's your cute friend？〃 she asked archly。
〃Huh？〃 Zip said。
〃What're you？〃 she asked Sixto。 〃The strong silent type？〃
〃Me？〃 Sixto asked； bewildered by her sudden attention。
〃What's your name？〃 she asked； moving closer to him； smiling the way she had once seen Jane Russell smile in a movie。
〃Sixto；〃 he answered。
〃The article said you're insecure；〃 Juana said to Zip。
〃Don't give me any bull you read in the newspapers；〃 he said； turning on her angrily； miffed by Elena's behavior。 〃I don't believe nothing I read。〃
〃You probably don't even know how to read；〃 Juana said。
The thing that was happening on the packing crate was rather odd。 Because despite Juana's protests that Zip was a terrifying creep； an acting…out neurotic； and insecure to boot； her conversational efforts had all been directed at him。 And even though her approach took the form of an attack； it was clear that she was bidding for Zip's attention and no one else's。 Elena； meanwhile； was doing exactly the same thing； even though she seemed to be addressing Sixto。 A none…too…subtle tug of war was taking place on that crate。 Whatever Zip's flaws； he was obviously recognized by the girls as the most desirable of the three boys。 And； thanks to either his indifference or his stupidity； he hadn't the faintest idea of what was happening。
〃So how e you're so quiet？〃 Elena said to Sixto。 〃Aren't you excited about your friend Pepe Miranda？〃
〃He's no' my frien'；〃 Sixto said。 〃Pepe's no damn good！〃
The girl caught the accent。 She looked at Sixto for a moment and then said； 〃Hey； what are you？ A tiger or something？〃
〃I no tiger。〃
〃You sound like one。 Can't you speak English？〃
Papa had been thinking over Sixto's ment； and had finally fathomed the meaning of it。 〃What you minn； he's no good？〃 he asked now。 〃Hey； Zeep！ Sixto； he say Pepe's no good。〃
Zip turned from Juana。 〃What？ Did you say that？〃
〃I dinn say nothin'；〃 Sixto said。
And now Elena； anxious to recapture Zip's attention； quickly leaped in。 〃That's what he said； Zip。 That's what the Marine Tiger said； all right。〃
〃I no tiger。 I speak English good！〃
〃He speaks a well English；〃 Zip said； chuckling。
〃He said Pepe's no good；〃 Elena repeated。
〃Is that what you said？〃 Zip asked； and he shoved out at Sixto。 〃Is that what you said； huh？〃 and he shoved again。 〃Huh？〃 and again he shoved； pushing Sixto closer to the edge of the crate。 〃Is that what you said； Sixto？〃 and he pushed hard this time； sending Sixto over the edge of the crate； reeling backward into the gutter。 Zip burst out laughing。 Papa and Elena joined him。 Juana seemed undecided for a moment； as if her natural instinct was to climb down and help Sixto to his feet。 The indecision passed。 She tittered nervously； and then burst into laughter with the rest of them。 Zip put his arm around Elena。
〃What's wrong with you； anyway？〃 he asked。
〃Nothing。〃
〃So how e the big freeze？〃
〃What's with you and China？〃
〃That？〃
〃That。〃
〃Nothing。〃 He shrugged。
〃The word says you're after Alfie。〃
〃Well； like he's got it ing； you know？〃
〃Why？ Because of something with China？〃
〃What're you worried about China for； huh？〃
〃Is there going to be trouble？〃
〃With Alfie？〃
〃Yes；〃 Elena said。
〃Naw； no trouble；〃 Zip answered。 〃Don't worry； huh？〃
〃Have you got a thing on with China？〃
〃Me？〃 Zip began laughing again。 〃Hey； you're jealous； ain't you？ I'll be damned。〃
〃She's old enough to be your mother；〃 Elena said sullenly。 〃She must be nineteen； maybe even twenty。〃
〃That don't make her old； only experienced。 What's the matter； honey； huh？〃 he said sweetly。 〃You jealous； baby； huh？〃
〃No。〃
〃You worried about poor little Alfie？〃
〃I don't care what you do to Alfie。 Just answer me one question。〃
〃Sure； what's that？〃
〃You got eyes for China or not？〃
〃Like； you know； doll； your interest gasses me； but don't start strong…arming me。 I'll bust you right in the mouth； you know？〃
Juana turned to him suddenly。 〃It takes a big man； don't it； to hit a girl？〃
〃Oh； get lost； zombie；〃 he said to her。 He wrapped his arms around Elena。 〃e on； where's my hug？〃
〃Zip； cut it out；〃 she said。 〃There's people watching。〃
〃So let them；