“Far,” Denny said with gravity, “fucking out.”
Lanya said: “If Bunny’s in your book, you should invite him to the party.”
“Yeah,” Kid said. “You want to come? Most of the guys in the nest are going up. So Pepper’ll probably be along.”
“Oh, I couldn’t!” Bunny’s head dropped, with a small shake. “I couldn’t possibly,” then looked up. “I’d just love to, I really would. But I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Principles.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well.” The space between Bunny’s nose and upper lip got longer. “That astronaut person, Captain Kamp, is going to be there, isn’t he?”
“He’s Calkins’ guest. I guess he will.”
“That’s why.”
Denny said, “Is that the guy you met who’s been on the moon?”
“Um-hm.” Kid nodded.
Lanya said: “I don’t understand, Bunny.”
“Were you there the night the Captain came to the bar?”
“I was,” Kid said.
“Then you know what happened. To me and George.”
“No,” Kid said, “I don’t.”
Bunny took a preparatory breath. “As soon as Teddy realized who that glorified fish-bait was—and don’t you know, someone had to tell her?—she came over to me and suggested that, considering the clientele that evening, it might be better if I didn’t dance!”
“No,” Lanya said. “You’re not serious, are you? Why?”
“He didn’t want to offend the tender sensibilities of our scotch-and-water-sipping national hero. They do not, presumably, have go-go boys on the moon. Teddy figured the shock might be too much.”
“When I came in,” Kid said, “everybody was sitting around having a chamber of commerce meeting.”
“That,” Bunny said, “had not begun when Teddy made his pronouncement to me. And when it did, George happened to be there. They were all sitting around asking questions, and George was very interested. So George asked some. One of them—I was watching from my cage—was whether or not Captain Kamp had ever been to George’s moon. Some people snickered. But George was serious. And I’ll say this for the Captain, he answered it perfectly seriously. I mean, considering the afternoon, it was pretty presumptuous to think any question was that silly. But after a couple more from George, Teddy went over and said something to him. A minute later, George shoved back his chair and walked out.”
“What did he say?” Denny asked.
“I couldn’t hear,” Bunny said. “But I certainly could see the effect. And I know what he said to me.”
“George had just left when I came in,” Kid said. “Tak told me.”
“That sounds so silly,” Lanya exclaimed. “Teddy was always a little…formal; but you make him sound like a member of the Rotary Club.”
“Daughter of the American Revolution! That naugahyde rimmer of rusty Chevrolet nineteen-fifty-two exhaust pipes! I hope the next time she sucks off a number she rips his foreskin in her bridge-work!”—which collapsed Denny on his back with hysterics. “There are two reasons—beside the free hooch—that anyone comes into that roach-infested, crab-breeding collapsed douche bag. One is George. The other is me…Oh, yes! A few have wandered by, hoping they might be lucky enough to get a look at the Kid. But don’t worry, just give that neo-Nazi time and he’ll start asking you to wear a tie next time you come. Mark mother’s wise, wise words.”
“That’s too silly,” Lanya said and made an ugly face.
“If I saw George,” Kid said, “I was going to invite him. I guess he won’t want to go now either?”
“Well,” Bunny said, “George is a slightly larger luminary in our local skies; he can, perhaps, afford to be more generous than I. I, I’m afraid, must guard my honor more jealously. After all, dear, it’s all I have.”
“Next time I saw Kamp,” Kid said “he was down at the blowout George gave for the Reverend Taylor in Jackson.”
“Bunny,” Lanya said, “you are being silly! About the party, I mean. Kid didn’t invite Teddy, he invited you. And for all you know, Kamp came down precisely to see you do your act; Teddy was being stupid and presumptuous. That shouldn’t stop you from having a good time.”
“I will not,” Bunny said, “go up there and perform for those people.”
“Nobody’s going to ask you to dance—”
“You don’t understand, dear heart.” Once more Bunny touched Kid’s knee. “As far as Calkins is concerned, or any of them up there: you, me, or anybody you know just going up to make an appearance, is putting on a performance. Calkins set up that bar, put Teddy in charge of it. The whole place exists only for his amusement or the amusement of his guests the once a month they should feel like coming down to slum. And while I don’t believe for an instant he gave Teddy orders that I wasn’t to be exhibited to his new young man from Mars or whatever, it’s an attitude inevitable in such a chain, whether there’s money involved or not. I simply cannot be a part of it. Negroes and homosexuals, dear! Negroes and homosexuals! Having been lumped together in so many cliches for so long, we are beginning to learn. With women and children—” Bunny nodded toward Lanya and Denny—“it’s taking a little longer. Well, you have a few more cliches to overcome. You mustn’t think I’m trying to throw a wet afghan over the festivities. You’ve written a beautiful book—though I didn’t understand a line—and you should go up there and have your party, and I hope it’s perfectly too fabulous. I really do. I shall just drool over the accounts in the society page next day. But I have to live with myself. You’re a dear, dear boy to ask me. And I’m just too crushed that I cannot accept.”
“You’re not going to dance at Teddy’s no more?” Denny asked.
“That—” Bunny’s hand refolded—“is another thing. No, I still dance there. Every night, three shows. Matinees on Saturdays and Sundays, as soon as brunch is cleared. Oh, we creative types must put up with so much just to do, as it were, our thing. Misery. Pure misery. Shame and humiliation.” Bunny regarded Kid. “Oh, you’re going to suffer so much it makes me want to weep. But that’s the price of having a poetic soul.”
“If Teddy is that big a bastard,” Denny asked, “why don’t you just stop dancing for him?”
Bunny raised an upturned palm. “If I don’t dance there, where else can I? I mean here, in Bellona? But we must stop all this. All I’m doing is making me feel sorry for myself. And you’re snickering. You said that Pepper was here…where—” Bunny’s voice dropped—“do you think I should look?”
“Come on,” Kid said. “I’ll give you the grand tour.”
“Oh, now, you don’t have to do—”
Kid pushed himself out between Lanya and Denny and dropped to the floor.
“—let me see, how do I get down from here? My, this is complicated; don’t you think a—oh dear!—ladder would be much easier than—there!”
“I’ll be back in a second,” Kid said to the two faces regarding him over the edge. He stepped around Raven, who glanced up from tinkering on the floor, and, followed by Bunny, went into the hall.
“You know,” Bunny came abreast of Kid. “I can’t tell you how relieved you’ve made me feel. Just to know he’s here and all right. What I see in him I’m sure I’ll never know. But sometimes he smiles, and I go all cream custard inside. Or calves-foot aspic. Yes, much more like calves-foot aspic. I mean it’s all clear and quivery and cool!”
“Not like an eclair?” Kid felt quieted and pensive from Bunny’s tale.