Another Country Read Online Free PDF

else.”
    Rufus and Vivaldo looked at each other a moment. Then Vivaldo grinned. “How about it, Rufus. You going to get your ass up out of that bed?”
    Rufus threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. He raised his arms high and yawned and stretched.
    “You’re giving quite a show this afternoon,” Vivaldo said, and threw him a pair of shorts.
    Rufus put on the shorts and an old pair of gray slacks and a faded green sport shirt. “You should have made it to that party,” he said, “after all. There was some pot on the scene that wouldn’t wait.”
    “Well. I had my troubles last night.”
    “You and Jane? As usual?”
    “Oh, she got drunk and pulled some shit. You know. She’s sick, she can’t help it.”
    “I know she’s sick. But what’s wrong with you?”
    “I guess I just like to get beaten over the head.” They walked to the table. “This your first time in the Village, Leona?”
    “No, I’ve walked around here some. But you don’t really know a place unless you know some of the people.”
    “You know us now,” said Vivaldo, “and between us we must know everybody else. We’ll show you around.”
    Something in the way Vivaldo said this irritated Rufus. His buoyancy evaporated; sour suspicions filled him. He stole a look at Vivaldo, who was sipping his beer and watching Leona with an impenetrable smile— impenetrable exactly because it seemed so open and good-natured. He looked at Leona, who, this afternoon anyway, drowning in his bathrobe, her hair piled on top of her head and her face innocent of make-up, couldn’t really be called a pretty girl. Perhaps Vivaldo was contemptuous of her because she was so plain— which meant that Vivaldo was contemptuous of him . Or perhaps he was flirting with her because she seemed so simple and available: the proof of her availability being her presence in Rufus’ house.
    Then Leona looked across the table and smiled at him. His heart and his bowels shook; he remembered their violence and their tenderness together; and he thought, To hell with Vivaldo. He had something Vivaldo would never be able to touch.
    He leaned across the table and kissed her.
    “Can I have some more beer?” asked Vivaldo, smiling.
    “You know where it is,” Rufus said.
    Leona took his glass and went to the kitchen. Rufus stuck out his tongue at Vivaldo, who was watching him with a faintly quizzical frown.
    Leona returned and set a fresh beer before Vivaldo and said, “You boys finish up now, I’m going to get dressed.” She gathered her clothes together and vanished into the bathroom.
    There was silence at the table for a moment.
    “She going to stay here with you?” Vivaldo asked.
    “I don’t know yet. Nothing’s been decided yet. But I think she wants to—”
    “Oh, that’s obvious. But isn’t this place a little small for two?”
    “Maybe we’ll find a bigger place. Anyway— you know— I’m not home a hell of a lot.”
    Vivaldo seemed to consider this. Then, “I hope you know what you’re doing, baby. I know it’s none of my business, but—”
    Rufus looked at him. “Don’t you like her?”
    “Sure, I like her. She’s a sweet girl.” He took a swallow of his beer. “The question is— how much do you like her?”
    “Can’t you tell?” And Rufus grinned.
    “Well, no, frankly— I can’t. I mean, sure you like her. But— oh, I don’t know.”
    There was silence again. Vivaldo dropped his eyes.
    “There’s nothing to worry about,” said Rufus. “I’m a big boy, you know.”
    Vivaldo raised his eyes and said, “It’s a pretty big world, too, baby. I hope you’ve thought of that.”
    “I’ve thought of that.”
    “Trouble is, I feel too paternal towards you, you son of a bitch.”
    “That’s the trouble with all you white bastards.”
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    They encountered the big world when they went out into the Sunday streets. It stared unsympathetically out at them from the eyes of the passing people; and Rufus realized that he had not