The Passenger (The Passenger, #1)(26)

It’s not the same guys. These are different guys.

He went to the closet and got his divebag out again and set it by the door. He swept up his shirts on their wire hangers from off the rod in the closet and piled them at the door and he got his grandfather’s scuffed gladstone bag down from the closet shelf and packed his socks and T-shirts in it and snapped it shut.

He took a canvas bag into the kitchen and filled it with canned goods and coffee and tea. A few dishes and kitchen utensils. He packed up his books in a duffelbag and he set these by the door as well. The little stereo and a box of tapes. He pulled the phone jack out of the wall and he pulled the covers off the bed together with the pillows and he walked through the place a final time. He picked up the catbox. He didnt own a lot but it already looked like too much. He unplugged the tablelamp and carried it to the door and then began to take everything out to the truck and load it in the cab or wedge it in front of the boom. Five trips and he was done. He knelt and crawled up under the bed talking to the cat until he could reach it. Come on, Billy Ray. Nothing’s forever.

It wasnt the sort of news that a cat likes to hear. He walked through the little apartment stroking the cat’s fur and then he went out and shut the door and went through the gate to the street and got into the truck and with the cat in his lap he drove down St Philip Street to the Seven Seas.

It was one oclock in the morning. He went in carrying the cat. Janice was tending bar and she looked up and smiled. Who’s your friend?

This is Billy Ray. Is there a room upstairs?

There’s Lurch’s room. I dont know how clean it is.

That’s all right. Can I have it?

I should ask Josie.

I’ll talk to her. Look, I’ve got everything I own in a truck outside. I dont want to go around looking for a motel this hour of the night. If she’s promised it to somebody I’ll move out.

What happened? You get evicted?

Something like that. His stuff is all out isnt it?

Yeah. I think so. They boxed everything up and sent it to his sister in Shreveport. I hope you’re not getting me in trouble.

You’ll be fine. Where’s the key?

She got the cigarbox from under the counter and took out the key and laid it on the bar. He picked it up and turned the brass fob in his palm. Number seven.

Lucky seven.

Wasnt so lucky was it?

Yeah. Well, you never know. It’s been pretty gray around here. As for the luck part you’d have to ask Lurch. Anyway it’s the last room down the hall on the left. I dont think there’s a number on the door. You sure you want to move in up there?

Why?

I dont know. The four years I’ve been here three people have moved out. Including Lurch. And they all went the same way Lurch did. You might want to think about that.

I will.

He carried his stuff in from the truck and out through the patio doors and up the stairs. The room was stripped save for an iron bedstead and a small wooden table and chair. A sink and a small refrigerator. A hotplate. No mattress on the bed. The place smelled of mold and gas. He brought everything in and piled it on the table or in the corner and shut the door. The cat was investigating the room. He wasnt too happy about any of it.

He spread his blankets and clothes and sleepingbag over the bedsprings and made up a sort of bed and he put the cat’s plastic box in the corner and filled it from the bag of chopped clay and then he went back downstairs and got a beer and stood at the far end of the bar.

You dont want to talk to me, Janice said.

He took the beer and walked up and sat on one of the stools.

How’s the room?

It’s okay. There’s no mattress on the bed.

You’re sleeping on the springs?

Yeah. Sort of.

I hate that. Especially if you’re with someone.

I hadnt thought about that.

You just come out all waffled. So how come you’re changing digs in the dead of the night?

I had a breakin. Among other things.

That’s a bummer. What’d they get?

I dont know. Not much. I dont have much to get.

Oiler says you live like a monk.

I guess I do.

Why dont you ask Paula out?

What?

Ask Paula out.

I dont think so.

Why not?

I dont want to get involved with anybody.

You know she’s got the hots for you.

No I dont.

Come on.

I dont think so.

Okay. What’s the other things.

Other things?

You said a breakin among other things.

Western tilted his head. Why?

Who else am I going to hassle?

I dont know. I’m going to bed.

Good night.



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When he came down in the morning it was ten oclock and there were people standing at the bar in their pajamas and slippers drinking Bloody Marys and reading the Sunday paper. Jimmy nodded to him from his table.

You’ve moved in.

You people dont have much of anything to talk about, do you?

It’ll probably come as a relief to you. To just get it over with.

You’re probably right.

We all saw it coming.

Western smiled and went out and walked up St Philip to where he’d parked the truck.



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