Mr. Hooligan Read Online Free PDF Page B

said, “Wait wait wait. What are you saying, Patricia? This man isn’t an upstanding, law-abiding citizen, he’s part of the criminal element. Or am I living on some other planet? Did the standards of responsible civil behavior change and no one informed me?”
    “But that’s not my point. He has changed. In the eyes of the law, he is law abiding. And over the years, if you must know, he’s pulled away from the Monsantos, little by little. As a repayment for them saving his skin, he started taking a reduced payment from them. It has become an unspoken agreement. Then after his son was born, he cut back on the number of jobs he did for them, started saving, bought that bar, he and a friend, remodeled it. Now he seldom makes runs for the Monsantos. They resented it at first but they’ve come around, slowly, accepted that they’d go separate ways one day. Last month he told them that his next run would be his last. Didn’t go over too well with Carlo, but Israel, the boss, gave it his blessing. As Riley says, ‘I can’t keep paying them back for the rest of my life.’ ”
    Roger said, “So what’s the concern?”
    “Will they be true to their word? That’s the concern. Not pressure him into taking on another job? He wants no more of that life, he says, and he plans to marry again, start afresh.”
    “Ahh, this idea—the New Beginning. Such a common delusion.”
    “You’re a cynic. One must always try, or else slit your wrists now, why don’t you?”
    “True, we’ve got to practice hopefulness. Question I have, and I assume you know Riley better than most, has he really changed? Does he have the discipline to live by the strength of his convictions, live a normal, one might say, boring existence compared to the one he’s led before?”
    “I believe he does.”
    A nurse entered the room with blankets slung over a forearm. “Mr. Hunter, you’re getting another roommate. Fellow came in here this morning for an emergency appendectomy.” She went over to a bed on the far side of the room, laid the blankets on it and peeled back the sheet.
    Roger said, “That’s fine. I need some company. Not that yours isn’t exceptional, Patricia. You know, you’re quite comely with makeup. When we were an item you hated makeup.”
    Patricia glanced at the nurse, who was adjusting the bed height, wheeling a side table out of the way. “Are you trying to flirt with me?”
    Roger smiled, downright pleased with himself. “Know what else? That story was really something. Since when did you become such a raconteur?”
    “For goodness’ sake, Roger, don’t pretend we don’t know nearly everything about each other.” Glancing at the nurse again, she said, “Private matters for instance. Like that very dark asymmetrical mole on the left tip of your penis.”
    Roger’s eyes bulged and he fell into a fit of coughing. Patricia jumped up, wearing a little smile, and filled his cup with water and handed it to him. The nurse finished up hastily and hustled out.
    Roger drank noisily while Patricia patted his back. He lowered the cup and said, “Woman, you’re rude.”
    She laughed and retook her seat. They passed a few minutes in silence, enjoying the light breeze that had started flowing through the room, hearing the voices outside and the waves lapping against the seawall.
    He said, “So you truly think he can change? Think he can become a new man?”
    “I do, Roger. I do. I worry about him, he’s like a son to me, but Riley has matured. Sometimes he’s—dare I say—introspective. He’s become a surprisingly thoughtful and cautious man. I want him to change, but to change he might need to leave here to get away from his old influences, and I don’t want to lose him. He’s ready to change, but some people might resent that, and it could be dangerous for him.”
    The fan clicked-clicked and blew a warm breeze over her face.
    “I don’t want to lose any more of my friends,” she said.
    Roger smiled sadly,