Norwood Read Online Free PDF Page A

the seat. There was some crushed ice in a milk shake carton. Norwood held the paper cups and Grady poured.
    â€œThis is a nice car,” said Norwood.
    â€œYes, I’m doing right well,” said Grady. “How many tubes do you think that radio has?”
    â€œI don’t know. It looks like a good one.”
    â€œTwenty-four. There’s not another one like it in this part of the country. Listen to that tone. It’s like FM.”
    Norwood listened. “That tone is good.”
    â€œWhat happened to your thumb?”
    â€œNothing. I mashed it.”
    â€œYou better put something on it when you get home.”
    â€œI already did.”
    â€œUnguentine is good for something like that.”
    â€œI put some shaving cream on it.”
    â€œUnguentine is a lot better. It has special healing ingredients that shaving cream doesn’t have. It goes to work on that soreness.”
    â€œWas that what you wanted to tell me?”
    â€œNo,” said Grady, and he took off his hat and arranged himself sideways on the seat in the attitude of a man getting down to business. “No, it’s something else. You’re a big strong boy, Norwood. I’ve got a place for you, I think. Here’s the deal: We buy these bad debts from stores and filling stations at twelve cents on the dollar. Then we go out and collect what we can. A topnotch, hustling, aggressive agent can make good on forty per cent of that paper. He can make those profligate bastards cough up. And anybody, with my training, can make good on twenty-five per cent of it. I’ll train you and buy you a suit and some Florsheim shoes and furnish you with one of my late model demonstrator cars and we split halves on everything above the line. Everything above my twelve per cent investment. What do you think?”
    â€œI don’t think I would be much good at that.”
    â€œYou’re not interested in making money.”
    â€œNaw, I didn’t say that. I said I didn’t think I would be much good at it. I got a debt of my own I can’t collect. Another thing is, I don’t have much education. For that kind of job. Wearing a suit.”
    â€œEducation requirements are minimal. Let me be the judge of that.”
    â€œWell, naw, I don’t think so.”
    â€œHmmm,” said Grady, and he poured some more of the Forester. “Tell me this, how would you like a trip to California?”
    â€œI been to California.”
    â€œThat doesn’t mean you can’t go again.”
    â€œIt’s too far.”
    â€œHow about a trip to Chicago? . . . New York? . . . Atlanta?”
    â€œNew York?”
    â€œThat’s right, New York City. A wonderful trip, all expenses paid. Plus—and get this—fifty dollars clear for you, found money, right off the top.”
    â€œThis is not some kind of contest.”
    â€œNo, no, this is a straightforward job offer. Are you a good driver?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œGood enough. You see, Tilmon and I ship off some of our surplus cars, our good ones, to other parts of the country, where we can get a better price for them. It’s the drivers who have all the fun. Speeding across the country in a late model car, seeing all the sights.”
    â€œI would take one to New York.”
    â€œThat’s it.”
    â€œHow long would it take?”
    â€œYou’ll be back in a week after a wonderful paid-for trip. Many of your friends will envy—”
    â€œHow would I get back?”
    â€œYou drive back. That’s part of the deal. You take one up and bring one back.”
    â€œI don’t get that.”
    â€œWhat is it you don’t get?”
    â€œWell, if I take one up and bring another one back, you’re right back where you started. I don’t see how that would put you ahead much.”
    â€œThat’s because you don’t understand the market. Some cars are worth more up there and some are worth more