Henry Roth - Call It Sleep

“Wot’s he bashful about?”

“Yuh see,” he grinned up at her, winked. “He had to do sumpt’n, dat’s all — you know wot!”

“I don’ know wot.” Appeased somewhat, she was still emphatic.

“Dintcha Davy? Yuh had to go t’ de terlit.”

“Yea I had tuh.” David followed the lead. “I had tuh go.”

“Ye see?” Leo rested his case soberly. “Dat’s why.”

“So wyntcha comm beck to duh frond?” Suspicion still lingered in her face.

“Aw!” Leo flipped an admiring grin up at her. “He says he had a real good-looker fer a cousin. So I says I don’ believe it. So he says I’ll show ’er t’ye. Boy!” His confirmation was intense. “Oh boy!”

“Pooh!” Shut eyes and tossed pig-tails. “Smott alick.”

“Sure he did, dintcha, Davy?”

“Yea,” He grinned uneasily at the ground.

“See? So I says if she’s a real good-looker like you says I’ll let ’er use me skates.”

“So who wants yuh skates.”

“Yuh don’?” He swung an injured look at David, “Wadja say she did fer?”

“I—”

“He says to me,” his crestfallen voice blocked David’s. “He says she wants t’loin, so I says, awright — if she’s a real good-looker I’ll loin ’er. Cheez! Wot a guy! I t’oughtcha wuz me frien’.”

“Aaaa! Yuh a lodda hoss-cops!” Esther’s disbelief wavered — She smiled. “Yuh bedder ged oud, ’faw I tell my modder on ye.”

“Now I know w’y y’ast me t’come hea.” Leo still clung fast to his resentment at David. “Yuh jis’ wanned t’ lend me skates so’s yuh could come up hea easier, dat’s all. Yer a fine guy! I’m goin’!” He moved in no particular direction.

“Whose skates are dey?” She took a step down the wooden stairs. “Yaw’s?”

“Sure dey’re mine. Ball-bearin’s’ n’ ev’yting. Go like lightnin’. Yuh wanna loin?”

“Wat’s yuh name?”

“Leo — uh — Leo Ginzboig.”

“You ain’ a Jew!”

“Who ain’!” In his vehemence he still had time to dart a triumphant glance at David, “Cantcha tell by me name?”

“Aaa, yuh a lia’,” she giggled.

“W’at d’ye wanna bet? Dontcha believe a guy?”

“Yea, g’wan!”

“I can’t talk so good ’cause we alw’ys lived over on de Wes’ side. But I c’n say sumpt’n. Wanna hea’ me?”

“Yea!” derisively.

“Shine maidel, dere! Dat’s wutchoo are. see? Tookis! Mm! Oh boy! Ain’ dat good.”

“Oooh! W’otchoo said!”

“Tookis. Wud of it?”

“Eee!” Her shrill squeal was more delighted than shocked.

“Hey, woddy yuh say.” Leo became earnest. “W’y d’ntcha come down into de yard an’ skate?”

“Naa, I can’t.”

“Dontcha wanna loin?”

“Naa!”

“Sure yuh do! I’ll loin yuh in one lesson. C’mon!”

“Naa, can’t skate hea.” She threw a glance over her shoulder. “My modder’ll call me.”

“Well, you c’n go up if she wants yuh,” Leo suggested generously. “Nobody’s gonna stop ye.”

“Yea,” her eyes sought the windows overhead. “Bot ev’ybody c’n look.”

“Oh, I see! Yea. Well w’y dontcha come outside, see? We’ll wait fer ye in de street — nobody’ll watch yuh.” And when he saw that she was wavering, he indicated David and himself arrogantly. “Us two is goin’ outside, see? We’ll wait fer ye acrosst de street. Waddayuh say?”

“Mmm!”

“Den we skates yuh aroun’ de block — w’ea nobody knows us. Wotchuh scared of? C’mon, ’faw he has t’ go t’ dat place.”

“W’a’ place?”

“You know — wadduh yuh call it, Davy?”

“Yuh mean cheder?”

“Yea.”

“Bot you don’ go dere!” she jeered.

“Well, he does.” Leo grinned. “So yuh better shoot! C’mon Davy!” Linking his arm into David’s, “We’ll be waitin’ fuh yuh outside across de street, don’ fergit!”

A coy giggle was the only response they got.

XIII

“CHEEZIS, kid!” Leo whispered excitedly as they plunged into the gloom. “We got’ er goin’—W’y’d’ntcha tell us she had tits on ’er?”

“Yuh gonna gimme it now?” In the reeling of his mind, only one thing held out hope of steadfastness.

“Aw take yer time, will ye!” Leo rebuffed him impetuously. “You’ll git it, watchuh worryin’ about? I don’ wanchuh backin’ out on me soon as yuh grabs it — Cheeziz!” he marveled. “You’re nuts, ye know? Dont’cha wanna give ’er a feel ’er nutt’n?”

“No!” The darkness hid the revulsion of his features if not of his voice.

“Oh, boy, watch me den!” He pulled the door back cautiously. “Wait’ll we gets ’er down — oh boy! Give us it now, will ye.” As they stepped out he snatched the skate from David’s slackening fingers. “And stay hea a secon’, see! — I’ll lay chickee.” He crept warily up the stairs. ‘,C’mon!” A peremptory hand curved upward.

David ran up the stairs, joined him as he sneaked away from the store. Together, they crossed the street.

“Wait fer ’er here.” He stepped under the shadow of an awning. “See ’er yet?” His head bobbed from side to side in his eagerness. “Jesus, if she don’ come out I’m gonna beat de piss outa— W’eas me skate key? Le’s walk past — Naw! Wonder w’en dat udder liddle — dat sister o’ hers ’ll come back? Better go dat way w’en she comes out — so’s we don’ run into— Hey!” His hand’s quick thrust jarred the inert David. “Dat’s her! She sees us! C’mon!”

Esther stood in the doorway. With a single sly wag of his head, Leo made for the west corner, went a short distance, turned abruptly and hurried across the street. David trailed him.

She approached with a casual, leisurely air.

“C’mon, kid!” He went to meet her. “Let’s git dese on.”

“I don’t think I wanna.” She tilted her nose indifferently.

“Sure yuh do.” He swamped her with enthusiasm, “Waid’ll yuh feel dat wind blowin’ aroun’ ye w’en’ yuh goin’ fas’—right up yer drawz.”

“Aaa, hee, hee!” she snickered, shaking off his ardor. “Shot up, you!”

“Sit down on dat stoop, will ye?” he drawled masterfully, at the same time pushing her against the steps behind her. “So’s a guy c’n put ’em on fer ye!”

“I don’ wanna!” she squealed, kicking her legs out in gratified protest. “Yuh gonna lemme fall — I know!”

“G’wan, who’s gonna letcha fall!” He throttled the coy jerking of her foot, rested it on his knee. “Hol’ still, will yuh! I gotta pull ’at skate in a liddle.” The skate-key dropped beside him to the pavement. “Wait a secon’!” Head cocked, facing Esther, he bent sideways almost to the ground, picked it up, dropped it again—

“Oooh!” she squealed reproachfully. “Stop dot!” Both hands snatched the curtain of her dress tight below her knees. “Yuh doidy!”

“Who me?” Leo straightened innocently. “I wuz jis’ lookin’ fer me skate-key.”

“Yuh wuz not — you!”

“Aw, hey! Cantcha b’lieve a guy—? Give us yer udder leg, will yuh, yer seein’ t’ings.” And as he tightened the clamps of the other skate. “Gonna lemme put me key in yer lock?”

“Wadje say?” She leaned forward.

“I says, d’ye care if I put me key in yer lock?”

Her eyes bulged. “Aw!” she shrieked, flinging herself back. “Watchoo said!” And giggled behind her palms and yanked her dress down again. “Shott up!”

“Wat’d I say?” unflinchingly.

“ You know!” Her two pigtails rayed out from her vigorously wagging head. “Shame on you!”

“Aw! Hey, Davy,” he smirked significantly. “Wot’d I say?”