Read Online Cities of the Plain by Cormac McCarthy - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cormac McCarthy
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bills.
Thirtysix dollars.
The man held out his hand. Give it to me.
John Grady handed him the money. He wadded it into his shirtpocket without even looking at
it. The White Lake, he said. Then he shut the door and was gone. They couldnt even hear
his footsteps going back up the alley. The driver turned in his seat.
You want to go to the White Lake?
I dont have any more money.
The driver drummed his fingers on the back of the seat. You dont have no monies?
No.
The driver shook his head. No monies, he said. Okay. You want to go back to the Avenida?
I cant pay you.
Is okay.
He started the engine and backed down the alley toward the street. You pay me next time.
Okay?
Okay.
Okay.
WHEN H E PASSED Billy's room the light was on and he stopped and pushed open the canvas
and looked in. Billy was lying in bed. He lowered the book he was reading and looked over
the top of it and then laid it down.
What are you readin?
Destry. Where you been?
You ever been to a place called the White Lake?
Yes I have. One time.
Is it real expensive?
It's real expensive. Why?
I was just wonderin about it. See you in the mornin.
He let the canvas fall and turned and went on down the bay to his room.
You better stay out of the White Lake, son, Billy called.
John Grady pushed open the curtain and felt for the lightchain.
It aint no place for a cowboy.
He found the chain and pulled the light on.
You hear me?
HE LIMPED DOWN the hallway after breakfast with his hat in his hand. Mr Mac? he called.
McGovern came to the door of his office. He had some papers in his hand and some more
wedged under his elbow. Come on in, son, he said.
John Grady stood in the door. Mac was at his desk. Come on in, he said. What do you need
that I aint got?
He looked up from his papers. John Grady was still standing in the doorway.
I wonder if I could draw some on next month's pay.
Mac reached for his billfold. How much did you need.
Well. I'd like to get a hundred if I could.
Mac looked at him. You can have it if you want, he said. What did you aim to do next month?
I'll make out.
He opened the billfold and counted out five twenties. Well, he said. I guess you're big
enough to handle your own affairs. It aint none of my business, is it?
I just needed it for somethin.
All right.
He shuffled the bills together and leaned and laid them on the desk. John Grady came in
and picked them up and folded them and stuck them in his shirtpocket.
Thank you, he said.
That's all right. How's your foot?
It's doin good.
You're still favorin it I see.
It's all right.
You still intend to trade for that horse?
Yessir. I do.
How did you know Wolfenbarger's filly had a bad hoof?
I could see it.
She didnt walk lame.
No sir. It was her ear.
Her ear?
Yessir. Ever time that foot hit the ground one ear would move a little. I just kept
watchin her.
Sort of like a poker tell.
Yessir. Sort of.
You didnt want to go off horsetradin with the old man though.
No sir. Is he a friend of yours?
I know him. Why?
Nothin.
What were you goin to say?
That's all right.
You can say it. Go ahead.
Well. I guess I was goin to say that I didnt think I could keep him out of trouble on no
part time basis.
Like it would be a full time job?
I didnt say that.
Mac shook his head. Get your butt out of here, he said.
Yessir.
You didnt tell him that did you?
No sir. I aint talked to him.
Well. That's a shame.
Yessir.
He put on his hat and turned but stopped again at the door.
Thank you sir.
Go on. It's your money.
When he came in that evening Socorro had already left the kitchen and there was no one at
the table except the old man. He was smoking a homerolled cigarette and listening to the
news on the radio. John Grady got his plate and his coffee and set them on the table and
pulled back the chair and sat.
Evenin Mr Johnson, he said.
Evenin son.
What's the news?
The old man shook his head. He leaned across the table to
Thirtysix dollars.
The man held out his hand. Give it to me.
John Grady handed him the money. He wadded it into his shirtpocket without even looking at
it. The White Lake, he said. Then he shut the door and was gone. They couldnt even hear
his footsteps going back up the alley. The driver turned in his seat.
You want to go to the White Lake?
I dont have any more money.
The driver drummed his fingers on the back of the seat. You dont have no monies?
No.
The driver shook his head. No monies, he said. Okay. You want to go back to the Avenida?
I cant pay you.
Is okay.
He started the engine and backed down the alley toward the street. You pay me next time.
Okay?
Okay.
Okay.
WHEN H E PASSED Billy's room the light was on and he stopped and pushed open the canvas
and looked in. Billy was lying in bed. He lowered the book he was reading and looked over
the top of it and then laid it down.
What are you readin?
Destry. Where you been?
You ever been to a place called the White Lake?
Yes I have. One time.
Is it real expensive?
It's real expensive. Why?
I was just wonderin about it. See you in the mornin.
He let the canvas fall and turned and went on down the bay to his room.
You better stay out of the White Lake, son, Billy called.
John Grady pushed open the curtain and felt for the lightchain.
It aint no place for a cowboy.
He found the chain and pulled the light on.
You hear me?
HE LIMPED DOWN the hallway after breakfast with his hat in his hand. Mr Mac? he called.
McGovern came to the door of his office. He had some papers in his hand and some more
wedged under his elbow. Come on in, son, he said.
John Grady stood in the door. Mac was at his desk. Come on in, he said. What do you need
that I aint got?
He looked up from his papers. John Grady was still standing in the doorway.
I wonder if I could draw some on next month's pay.
Mac reached for his billfold. How much did you need.
Well. I'd like to get a hundred if I could.
Mac looked at him. You can have it if you want, he said. What did you aim to do next month?
I'll make out.
He opened the billfold and counted out five twenties. Well, he said. I guess you're big
enough to handle your own affairs. It aint none of my business, is it?
I just needed it for somethin.
All right.
He shuffled the bills together and leaned and laid them on the desk. John Grady came in
and picked them up and folded them and stuck them in his shirtpocket.
Thank you, he said.
That's all right. How's your foot?
It's doin good.
You're still favorin it I see.
It's all right.
You still intend to trade for that horse?
Yessir. I do.
How did you know Wolfenbarger's filly had a bad hoof?
I could see it.
She didnt walk lame.
No sir. It was her ear.
Her ear?
Yessir. Ever time that foot hit the ground one ear would move a little. I just kept
watchin her.
Sort of like a poker tell.
Yessir. Sort of.
You didnt want to go off horsetradin with the old man though.
No sir. Is he a friend of yours?
I know him. Why?
Nothin.
What were you goin to say?
That's all right.
You can say it. Go ahead.
Well. I guess I was goin to say that I didnt think I could keep him out of trouble on no
part time basis.
Like it would be a full time job?
I didnt say that.
Mac shook his head. Get your butt out of here, he said.
Yessir.
You didnt tell him that did you?
No sir. I aint talked to him.
Well. That's a shame.
Yessir.
He put on his hat and turned but stopped again at the door.
Thank you sir.
Go on. It's your money.
When he came in that evening Socorro had already left the kitchen and there was no one at
the table except the old man. He was smoking a homerolled cigarette and listening to the
news on the radio. John Grady got his plate and his coffee and set them on the table and
pulled back the chair and sat.
Evenin Mr Johnson, he said.
Evenin son.
What's the news?
The old man shook his head. He leaned across the table to
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