Part 12 (1/2)
”I don't.”
”I don't think you have to.”
Roger ignored her meaning. ”So if you want another drink,” he said.
”Yes, thank you, I will have another drink,” she said.
”Waiter,” he called. The waiter came to the table. ”Another beer, and another whiskey sour,” Roger said.
”Light on the lemon,” Molly said.
”Light on the lemon,” Roger said to the waiter. He liked the way she told him what she wanted and not the waiter. Somehow, this was very flattering, and very pleasing, almost as if the waiter didn't exist at all. He watched as the waiter walked back to the bar and placed the order. He turned to Molly then and said, ”How's she doing out there? Doris.”
”Oh, fine. I heard from her only last week. I still haven't answered. She doesn't even know I'm here.”
”What do you mean?”
”Well, I decided very suddenly, and her letter arrived the day before I left, so I didn't get a chance to answer it. I've been so busy running around trying to find a job since I got here . . .”
”She's probably wondering why you haven't written.”
”It's only been a week,” Molly said. ”Since I'm here, is all.”
”Still. If she's a good friend . . .”
”Yes, she is.”
”You ought to let her know where you are.”
”I will. I'll write to her when I get back to the hotel tonight.” Molly smiled. ”You make me feel guilty.”
”I didn't mean to make you feel guilty,” Roger said. ”I just thought since Doris seemed to mean so much to you-”
”Yes, I understand, it's all right,” Molly said, and .smiled again.
The waiter brought their drinks, and left them alone once more. The crowd in the bar was thinning. No one paid them the slightest attention. They were strangers in a city as large as the universe.
”How much are you paying for your room?” Molly asked.
”What? Oh ... uh ... four dollars. A night.”
”That's really inexpensive,” Molly said.
”Yeah.” He nodded. ”Yeah, it is.”
”Is it a nice room?”
”It's okay.”
”Where's the loo? Down the hall?”
”The what?”
”The loo.” She looked at his puzzled expression. ”The toilet.”
”Oh. Yes. Down the hall.”
”That's not so bad. If it's a nice-sized room, I mean.”
”It's pretty fair-sized. A nice lady runs it, I've got to tell you, though . . .”
”Yes?”
”I saw a rat there.”
”Rats I can do without.”
”You and me both.”
”What'd you do?”
”I killed it,” Roger said flatly.
”I'm even afraid of mice,” Molly said. ”I could never find the courage to kill a rat.”
”Well, it was pretty horrible,” Roger said. ”This area's infested with them, though, you know. I wouldn't be surprised if there was more rats than people in this area.”
”Please,” she said, wincing. ”I won't be able to sleep tonight.”
”Oh, you very rarely see them,” he said. ”You might hear one of them, but you rarely see them. This one must have been an old guy, otherwise he wouldn't have been so slow. You should have been there. He got up on his hind legs when I backed him in the corner, and he-”
”Please,” she said. ”Don't.” And shuddered.
”I'm sorry. I didn't realize-”
”That's all right.” She picked up her drink and took a swallow. ”I'll never be able to sleep tonight,” she said, and very quickly added, ”Alone.”
Roger did not say anything.
”I'll be scared to death,” she said, and shuddered again, and again took a swallow of her drink. ”Aren't you ashamed of yourself, scaring a girl half to death?”
”I'm sorry,” Roger said.
”That's all right,” Molly answered, and finished her drink, and then giggled. ”How large is your room?” she asked.
”Fair-sized.”
”Well, how large is that?”