— Up ahead there, the other teachers it’s a conference or something, she said seated now, smoothing the skirt toward her knee with long fingers, — why they couldn’t spare anyone to help with this field trip I think it’s something to do with the union…
— No I’m not with them no, no I’m not with anybody… he came down beside her and peaked his trousers at the knee as though to rouse some memory of a crease there — in fact I’m, I mean after what happened yesterday I guess I’m not really even with the school anymore, if you…
— That? Her profile broke with a smile turned full on him, — why it was just a silly accident Mister Bast, who could…
— No I know it but, well I mean some people might think I did it on purp…
— I’m sure no one would dream of it and I haven’t even thanked you have I, for picking it all up it was only three pennies short.
— Oh the, that money yes is that what you…
— It’s for this trip today and I do appreciate your help…
— I’m glad to… he came to slow rest against her unyielding thigh, — I’m just going in for…
— Boys sit down up there! If you’d just sit up there behind those two boys, I don’t know what they’re up to but to keep anything from starting.
— Oh. You mean now?
— Yes just to keep, oh! Never mind I’ll get it… the shuddering glide of the train drew her hand after the lipstick rolling under the seat ahead.
— Hey quick look.
— What.
— I saw one again, watch when she’s bending down…
— So what you, oh hi Mister Bast? You going in with us?
— No.
— Where you going.
— I’m just going in.
— How come.
— Some business I have to take care of.
— What kind of business.
— Just my own business now turn around and face the front.
— No but I just wanted to ask you, what does maneuver mean? It’s m, a, n…
— It means to, to do something in a certain way to get something done. Now turn around.
— Oh, J R muttered, sinking back so that all of him evident over the seat was a pencil stub digging at the rough tag of hair lapping his collar. — He doesn’t know either… and the complex of legs, feet tapping, twisting, wedged into seat hinges, hands scratching, picking, resumed as the train slipped forward.
— Where does it say it.
— Brilliantly executed K’ung-p’a maneuvers require no bodily contact, and yet K’ung-p’a can be deadly, crippling…
— That’s a lot of crap.
— Oh yeah? Then look, you pay nothing if you can’t disarm one hoodlum, send another flying through the air, and slam a third into the ground, all in a split second of…
— Well, maybe…
— Because K’ung-p’a is deadly beyond imagination, and since attack as well as defense is taught, only a small limited edition has been printed for serious students who must vow never to use it as an aggressor but only as self-defense to protect himself, his friends and his family. We don’t ever want a criminal or hoodlum to be able to buy it because of its deadly power…
— Okay, what do you want for it.
— What’ll you give me.
— This? Yes I want to learn the piano without hours of okay then this, look. Millions of dollars have been paid for rare coins, now you can learn the rare dates and how to identify the rare coins in your possession by obtaining our catalogue, okay?
— Okay. That and what else.
— Rush full information plus three free cosmetic samples, no obligation. Okay?
— Okay.
— Okay, if you give me Scientific method builds powerful muscles hey wait wait, look at that!
— What. That tit?
— No, down here. Original factory-packed new thirty caliber fifteen shot wait no it must be this government surplus crap…
— You want it?
— No I already sent for it, I got it here. It’s mostly crap… and the two heads submerged together over the papers massed on the seat between them, knees rising, feet twisting, fingers gone from picking and scratching to dig through envelopes marked Personal, Here is the Information You Requested, Bonus Offer Inside; flyers headed Immediate Cash Commissions Paid on Every Sale, Prospects and Customers Everywhere, How to Make Big Profits Overseas; letters opening Dear Friend, Dear Sir, Is You Future Worth Five Minutes? Take a Good Look in the Mirror, closing Cordially, Yours for Success, — this one?
— Let’s see.
— Let’s see.
— See? Defense Surplus Sales Office, Fleet Station San Diego, it’s mostly crap. Like what I wanted was this here surplus tank, so they send me this and you look up where it says tank it just says Tank, tip, fuel, four fifty gal, aluminum, aircraft, repairs required. It’s just this lousy used airplane gas tank, see?
— Let’s see, what’s all that stuff.
— That’s these old shoes. Shoes, service, Field, leather, composition soles and heels, natural and dark brown, sizes nine C to fifteen FF a thousand seven hundred eighty-seven pairs see it’s all just crap look, cable, telephone, eighteen hundred conductors nine hundred pair solid twenty-two AWG or like here, Mise hardware consisting of an estimated two thousand pieces including cups, casters, washers, screws, nuts, clamps, latches, snap hooks, rings, they just have all this crap to get rid of see? What’ll you give me for it.
— Nothing.
— I got more of them too.
— Who wants them. What’s this.
— Crap.
— … many Jews in the Holy Land should have to refuse to enter hospitals for necessary treatment because they fear that if they die their bodies will be mutilated! Furthermore, what did you want to send for this for?
— Who sent for it. It just came by itself.
— I know, I got this other one just like it only this it’s about cutting up these here animals…
The train hung poised on a hum of escaping power, shuddered and lurched backward to a halt that jolted Bast’s elbow from the sill where he had pressed it in an apparent attempt to cushion his head against the dirty pane and doze.
— Dear Future Investigator. Thank you for your inquiry in regards to the investigation profession. By responding to our advertisement, you have shown the initiative necessary to better your earning capacity and social standing. With the increasing crime rate…
— What are you going to put where it says are you married? if you have an automobile? What part of the world would you like to work in?
— I can put something and look. A Gold Sealed Diploma, suitable for framing…
— How much do they want.
— I know, that’s what I’m looking for.
— What’s that one.
— Never before has a career in art offered so many exciting opportunities for success and high income. Original hand painted pictures are being sought today by more and more interior decorators, homeowners, and…
— Boy, what crap. That’s all you’ve got is crap. What’s this.
— It’s this club you can join if I recommend you.
— What kind of a club.
— It’s this club, see? You step inside and suddenly excitement surrounds you! You enter a world highlighted by the soft, flickering glow of opep-hearth fireplaces… the attentive rustle of beautiful Bunnies, the bright colors of original…
— Bunnies? What kind of a club is that.
— and a heady houseparty atmosphere that seems to prevail…
— What, these are bunnies? these girls with their ass sticking in this guy’s face? Where do you join it.
— Dear Friend. If you are now a Playboy Club keyholder or if this is your second invitation to join the Playboy Club, please accept our apologies. In each area where Playboy Clubs are being placed in operation there exists a certain select group of individuals…