I mean the kids the wives bring. It should be sad, seeing the kids there, but it isnt,they have ribbons in their hair and lots of shine on their shoes, youd think there wasgoing to be ice cream; and sometimes thats what its like in the visitors room, aparty. Anyway its not like the movies: you know, grim whisperings through a grille.
There isnt any grille, just a ter between you and them, and the kids standon it to be hugged; all you have to do to kiss somebody is lean across. What I likemost, theyre so happy to see each other, theyve saved up so much to talk about, itisnt possible to be dull, they keep laughing and holding hands. Its differentafterwards," she said. "I see them orain. They sit so quiet watg the rivergo by." She stretched a strand of hair to the er of her mouth and nibbled itthoughtfully. "Im keeping you awake. Go to sleep."
"Please. Im ied."
"I know you are. Thats why I want you to go to sleep. Because if I keep on, Illtell you about Sally. Im not sure that would be quite cricket." She chewed her hairsilently. "They old me not to tell anyone. In so many words. And it is funny.
Maybe you could put it in a story with different names and whatnot. Listen, Fred,"
she said, reag for another apple, "youve got to cross your heart and kiss yourelbow -- "
Perhaps tortionists kiss their elbow; she had to accept an approximation.
"Well," she said, with a mouthful of apple, "you may have read about him in thepapers. His name is Sally Tomato, and I speak Yiddish better than he speaks English;but hes a darling old man, terribly pious. Hed look like a monk if it werent for thegold teeth; he says he prays for me every night. Of course he was never my lover;as far as that goes, I never knew him until he was already in jail. But I adore himnow, after all Ive been going to see him every Thursday for seven months, and Ithink Id go even if he didnt pay me. This ones mushy," she said, and aimed therest of the apple out the window. "By the way, I did know Sally by sight. He used toe to Joe Bells bar, the one around the er: alked to anybody, juststand there, like the kind of man who lives in hotel rooms. But its funny toremember bad realize how closely he must have been watg me, becauseright after they sent him up (Joe Bell showed me his picture in the paper. Blad.
Mafia. All that mumbo jumbo: but they gave him five years) along came thistelegram from a lawyer. It said to tact him immediately for information to myadvantage."
"You thought somebody had left you a million?"
"Not at all. I figured Bergdorf was trying to collect. But I took the gamble ao see this lawyer (if he is a lawyer, which I doubt, since he doesohave an office, just an answering service, and he always wants to meet you inHamburg Heaven: thats because hes fat, he eat ten hamburgers and two bowlsof relish and a whole lemon meringue pie). He asked me how Id like to cheer up alonely old man, at the same time pick up a hundred a week. I told him look, darling,youve got the wrong Miss Golightly, Im not a hat does tricks on the side. Iwasnt impressed by the honorarium either; you do as well as that on trips to thepowder room: a with the slightest chic will give you fifty for the girls john,and I always ask for cab fare too, thats another fifty. But theold me his twas Sally Tomato. He said dear old Sally had long admired me à la distance, sowouldnt it be a good deed if I went to visit him once a week. Well, I couldnt: