Irwin Shaw - Rich Man, Poor Man

Rudolph was sitting on the tattered couch, a glass of beer in his hand.

‘Oh,’ Gretchen said.

Rudolph stood up. ‘Hello, Gretchen,’ he said. He put down his glass and kissed her cheek, over the bag full of beer bottles and Willie’s suit

‘Rudy,’ she said, getting rid of the bag and dropping the suit over the back of a chair, ‘what’re you doing here?’

‘I rang the bell,’ Rudolph said, ‘and your friend let me in.’

“Your friend is getting dressed,’ Willie called from the next room. He often sat around in his bathrobe all day. The apartment was so small that you hear everything that was said in either of the rooms. A little kitchenette was concealed by a screen from the livingroom. ‘Ill be right out,’ Willie said from the bedroom. ‘I blow you a kiss.’

I’m so glad to see you.’ Gretchen took off her coat and hugged Rudolph hard. She stepped back to look at him. When she had been seeing him every day she hadn’t realised how handsome he was, dark, straight, a button-down blue shirt and the blazer she had given him for his birthday. Those sad, clear, greenish eyes.

‘Is it possible you’ve grown? In just a couple of months?’

‘Almost six months,’ he said. Was there an accusation?

‘Come on,’ she said, ‘Sit down.* She pulled him down on the couch next to her. There was a little leather overnight bag near the door. It didn’t belong to Willie or her, but she had a feeling that she had seen it someplace before.

‘Tell me about everything,’ she said, ‘What’s happening at home? Oh, God, it’s good to see you, Rudy.’ Still, her voice

didn’t sound completely natural to her. If she had known he was coming she’d have warned him about Willie. After all, he was only seventeen, Rudolph, and just to come barging in innocently and discover that his sister was living with a man … Abbott-Jordache.

‘Nothing much is happening at home,’ Rudolph said. If he was embarrassed, he didn’t show it. She could take lessons in control from Rudy. He sipped at his beer. ‘I am bearing the brunt of everybody’s love, now that I’m the only one left.’

Gretchen laughed. It was silly to worry. She hadn’t realised how grownup he was.

‘How’s Mom?’ Gretchen asked.

‘Still reading Gone With the Wind.’ Rudolph said. ‘She’s. been sick. She says the doctor says it’s phlebitis.’

Messages of cheer and comfort from the family hearth. Gretchen thought. ‘Who takes care of the store?’ she asked.

‘A Mrs Cudahy,’ Rudolph said. ‘A widow. She costs thirty dollars a week.’

‘Pa must love that,’ Gretchen said,

‘He isn’t too happy.’

‘How is he?’

To tell the truth,’ Rudolph said, ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s actually sicker than Ma. He. hasn’t been out in the yard to hit the bag in months and I don’t think he’s been out on the river since you left’

‘What is it?’ Gretchen was surprised to find out that she was really concerned.

‘I don’t know,’ Rudolph said. ‘He just moves mat way. You know Pa. He never says anything.’

‘Do they talk about me?’ Gretchen asked carefully.

‘Not a word,’

‘And Thomas?’

‘Gone and forgotten,’ Rudolph said. ‘I never did find out what happened. He never writes, of course.’

‘Our family,’ Gretchen said. They sat in silence, honouring the clan Jordache for a moment ‘Well …’ Gretchen shook herself. ‘How do you like our place?’ She gestured to indicate the apartment, which she and Willie had rented furnished. The furniture looked as though it had come out of somebody’s attic, but Gretchen had bought some plants and tacked some prints and travel posters on the walls. An Indian in a sombrero in front of a pueblo. ‘Visit New Mexico.

‘It’s very nice,’ Rudolph said gravely.

‘It’s awfully tacky,’ Gretchen said ‘But it has one supreme advantage. It’s not Port Philip.’

‘I understand what you mean,’ Rudolph said. She wished he didn’t look so serious. She wondered what had brought him down to see her.

‘How’s that pretty girl,’ she asked. Her voice was falsely bright ‘Julie?’ ‘Julie,’ Rudolph said. ‘We have our ups and downs.’ Willie came into the room combing his hair. He wasn’t wearing a jacket. She had seen him only five hours earlier, but if they had been alone she would have enfolded him as if they were meeting again after an absence of years. Willie kissed Gretchen quickly, leaning over the couch. Rudolph stood up politely. ‘Sit down, sit down, Rudy,’ Willie said. ‘I’m not your superior officer.’ Briefly, Gretchen regretted Willie was so short. ‘Ah,’ Willie said, seeing the beer and the pressed suit, ‘I told her the day I saw her for the first time that she would make some man a good wife and mother. Is it cold?’ ‘Uhuh.’

Willie busied himself opening a bottle. ‘Rudy?’ This will do me for a while,’ Rudolph said, sitting down again.

Willie poured the beer in a glass that had been used and still had a rim of foam around it. He drank a lot of beer, Willie. ‘We can speak frankly,’ Willie said, grinning. ‘I have explained everything to Rudy. I have told him that we are only technically living in sin. I’ve told him I have asked for your hand in marriage and that you’ve rejected me, although hot for long.’

This was true. He had asked her to marry him again and again. Quite often she was sure that he meant it

‘Did you tell him you were married?’ She asked. She was anxious to have Rudy leave with no questions unanswered. ‘I did,’ Willie said. ‘I hide nothing from brothers of women I love. My marriage was a whim of youth, a passing cloud, no bigger than a man’s hand. Rudy is an intelligent young man. He understands. He will go far. He will dance at our wedding. He will support us in our old age.’

For once, Willie’s jokes made her uneasy. Although she had told him about Rudolph and Thomas and her parents, this was the first time he had had to cope with the actual presence of her family and she was worried that it was setting his nerves on edge. Rudolph said nothing.

“What’re you doing in New York, Rudy?’ she said, to cover up for Willie.

‘I got a ride down,’ Rudolph said. Plainly, he had something to say to her and he didn’t feel like saying it in front of Willie. ‘It’s a half holiday at school.’

‘How’s it going at school?’ After she had said it she was afraid it Sounded condescending, the sort of thing you say to other people’s children because you don’t know what else to talk about

‘Okay.’ Rudolph dismissed school.

‘Rudy,’ Willie said, ‘what would you think of me as a brother-in-law?’

Rudolph looked at him soberly. Considering green eyes. ‘I don’t know you,’ he said.

That’s it, Rudy, don’t give anything away. That’s my big trouble. I’m too open. I wear my heart on my tongue.’ Willie poured himself some more beer. He couldn’t stay in one place. By contrast, Rudy seemed settled, sure of himself, judging. ‘I told Rudy I’d take him to see your show tonight’ Willie said. The toast of New York.’

‘It’s a silly show,’ Gretchen said. She didn’t like the idea of her brother watching her practically nude in front of a thousand people. ‘Wait till I play St Joan.’

‘I’m busy anyway,’ Rudolph said.

‘I invited him to supper after the show, too,’ Willie said. ‘He pleads a prior engagement. See what you can do with him. I like him. I am tied to him by profound bonds.’

‘Some other night thank you,’ Rudolph said. ‘Gretchen, there’s something for you in that bag.’ He indicated the little overnight bag. ‘I was asked to deliver it to you.’

‘What is it?’ Gretchen asked. ‘Who’s it from?’