Empty Pockets Read Online Free PDF Page B

the children forward. Her hair was bleached, the roots showing dark. Her eyebrows were painted on, like those I had seen in photographs of Mexican whores in boxes outside Mexico City around the turn of the century.
    â€œC’mon, Paul,” she said, tugging at the boy. He resisted, apparently scared of me. His face was dirty and he wore thick spectacles, his eyes large and milky-blue behind the glass. The woman pushed him forward, then the little girl.
    â€œThis here’s a Washington boy,” Reeves said. “Picked him up outside Lassiter.”
    â€œPleased to meet you,” the woman said. She pushed the boy again, and I reached over and opened the back door.
    Reeves leaned over the seat and as the little girl got in he lifted her up over and stood her between us.
    The woman then the boy got in and I closed their door.
    â€œThis sure is good of you, Pat,” the woman said.
    â€œHow’s my ol’ Becca?” Reeves said. He laid his arm around the child’s waist. “Can you give your ol’ Uncle Pat a kiss? Hmmm? Can you?”
    The girl was looking at me, her head slightly above mine, her eyes clear child’s eyes. She was a beautiful little girl.
    Reeves put his hand on her leg.
    I shook my head at her.
    â€œThe bank closes at three, don’t it?” the woman asked.
    Reeves pulled Becca to him. She put her arm around his neck.
    â€œAin’t she somethin’,” he said.
    Becca gave him a kiss. Reeves moved his hand up under her dress. She kissed again and started to bounce up and down on the seat, the cushion gently moving beneath me.
    â€œWell, Pat,” I said, “I believe you. I think I’ll get out here if you don’t mind. I’d like to walk a bit.”
    â€œOut here?” Reeves said, looking over Becca’s shoulder. He had a perplexed look on his face.
    â€œRight,” I said. I opened the door and got out. In back the woman was looking in her purse. She looked up, startled.
    â€œSure,” Reeves said. He reached around Becca and closed the door.
    I stepped back.
    Becca didn’t look, watching Reeves as he took the wheel. Then the car moved off, bouncing as it hit the pavement, sun flashing sharply off its dusty flanks. The boy’s face appeared at the rear window, soon vanishing into shadow.
    I watched them for a moment and then turned around and walked over to the mailbox.
    Leona Pride, it read. “A widow woman,” Reeves had said. “Yes, sir, really honest to God in love, the both of us. No, she don’t know. She thinks it’s her I’m interested in.”

War Songs
    I ’ve been thinking of you and hope you have a Happy Birthday tomorrow. Hope the day is correct. I told Gloria how we used to have mental telepathy in Spokane, ha, ha.
    Hope Jay is well and I have wondered if you got over the ulcer trouble. Hope Dave is well and happy. Do they have children? Excuse the mistakes. My glasses need changing as I don’t see too good. I remember Martha’s daughter Lynn and what caused her to die so young? That must have been very hard on Martha and family.
    Mother and Melissa have been fine. Fred is about the same (bedridden), he is up a little each day. I told you about his broken neck and he never walked again. Donna gets pretty tired from the care. She had to train about like a nurse to care for him. Rena Jean lives in Tacoma. She has two girls. Diane lives at Skyway has two boys and one girl. Betty and Lora had some nerve trouble. Betty is fine but Lora isn’t too well yet. Think Tom is a lot to blame. David (their boy) just twenty-one eloped with a Japanese girl and the dad and other grandma disowned him. Lora and Tom bought a new model home at Bothell and Tom won’t let him bring her there at all. The rest of us will be kind to her if that’s what he wants. Lora is a Christian and will be good to her. I don’t approve of mixed marriages but will always be good to her. He