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〃What the hell are you talking about； you meatball？〃
〃I say it pretty plain； Zip。〃
〃You know me an' Cooch are heeled？ You know we can blast you all over the sidewalk？〃
〃Si； we know；〃 Sixto said。 〃Go ahead。 Blast us all ov' the sidewalk。〃
〃What do you。。。？〃 Zip stopped and looked into Sixto's eyes。 Slightly unnerved； he said； 〃What do you … mean？〃
〃Be careful； Zip；〃 Cooch said quickly。 〃They got something up their sleeves。 I can see it。 They're too 。。。 they're too sure of themselves。〃
〃Sixto's got them buffaloed；〃 Zip said quickly。 He turned his attention to Papa。 〃You're on the wrong side； Papa。 You stick with Sixto； and it's like siding with the ones who killed Pepe。 You'd be。。。〃
〃Pepe brings disgrace to the barrio〃 Papa said。
〃All right； that's enough pictures；〃 Byrnes shouted。 〃Let's get him out of here； huh？〃
Two patrolmen reached down and rolled Miranda onto a stretcher。 Another patrolman threw a blanket over him。 Gingerly； they stepped around the pool of blood in the gutter and began moving toward the luncheonette。
〃The doors！〃 Zip shouted。 〃Close the doors for him！〃
But no one moved toward the doors。 Instead； the people in the street watched the body as it passed by； and slowly； one by one； they turned their backs to it； so that the body； as the cops carried it toward the luncheonette； was presented with a solid wall of denial。
〃The doors！〃 Zip shouted again。 〃We should close the doors！〃
But no one moved。 One by one； they denied the body of Miranda； and then … silently； so silently … they began moving off the street。 What had been a milling； shouting mob not ten minutes ago was suddenly a dispersing group of whispering people； and then not even a group any more； simply a few stragglers； people in twos and threes； and then the street barricades were carted away； and the squad cars revved their engines； and the street seemed to settle down into its Sunday niche again； quiet； peaceful。 It almost seemed as if nothing had happened on that street that day。
Zip stood before the opened doors and watched the body of Miranda shoved into the ambulance； and then he whirled toward Sixto and shouted； 〃You think you're gonna get away with this？〃
〃Move aside； Zip；〃 Sixto said calmly。 〃We wann to get through now。〃
〃You won't be able to walk the street no more！〃 Zip shouted。 〃You think you。。。〃
〃We'll see；〃 Sixto said； and the three boys stepped away from the luncheonette； and walked past Zip and Cooch who did not move to stop them。
〃You're making a mistake！〃 Zip yelled after them。 〃You're making a big mistake！〃 But he did not run after them； and he did not try to stop them。 〃Why didn't you help me； Cooch？〃 he said suddenly； angrily。 〃For Christ's sake； we just let them walk away； for Christ's sake！〃
〃They're 。。。 they're too strong； Zip；〃 Cooch said in a whisper。
〃We're the ones with the guns！〃 Zip protested。
〃Yeah； but 。。。 they 。。。 they were strong；〃 Cooch said； and his voice fell。
〃Aw…〃 Zip made a meaningless little gesture with his right hand。 〃Aw…〃 He stared off down the street。 The squad cars had pulled away now。 Patrolmen were still lingering on the block； but most of the police were gone。 The street stretched ahead in sticky blackness washed with hot sunshine。 On the avenue； the traffic had started up again。 〃Jesus； what a 。。。 what a miserable day this turned out to be；〃 Zip said； and he looked at Cooch with troubled eyes。
〃Yeah；〃 Cooch said softly。
Zip looked back at the street； and then he sighed heavily。 〃Well 。。。 what do you want to do the 。。。 the rest of the afternoon； Cooch？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Cooch said。
〃Ain't you 。。。 ain't you got no ideas？〃
〃We could go to the flicks； I guess。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Zip said emptily。
〃Or play some stickball； maybe。〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃Maybe go for a swim at the pool。〃
〃Yeah。 Yeah； maybe we could do that。〃 He turned his head suddenly and jerkily because he did not want Cooch to see the tears that had sprung into his eyes。 Nor did he know why he was crying。 It was just that； all at once； in the heart of one of the biggest cities in the world； Zip had felt all alone； utterly alone； and the enormity of the city and the inconsequence of himself had … had suddenly frightened him。
〃I guess … I guess we'll find something；〃 he said； and he thrust his hands into his pockets； and the two boys walked up the sun…drenched street； their heads bent。
Andy Parker passed them on his way to the luncheonette。 He glanced at them； shrugged； and went in to say hello to his friend Luis。
〃You still sore at me； Luis？〃 he asked； as if this had been troubling him all along； as if it were important for him to know that Luis was not angry。
〃No； Andy；〃 Luis said。
〃Everybody's sore at me；〃 Parker said blankly。 He paused。 〃Why's everybody sore at me？〃 He paused again。 〃I do my job。〃 He looked up at Luis。 〃I'm sorry I yelled at you； Luis。〃
〃It doesn't matter。〃
〃Well； I'm sorry。〃
He stared at Luis。 And because Luis was a human being； and because apologies are never sincere unless they are tested； unless someone hurls into the face of 〃I'm sorry；〃 the unforgiving reply； 〃who cares whether you're sorry or not？ Go drop dead in a corner！〃 and gets one or two further responses。 Gets； 〃In any case； I really am sorry；〃 or gets； 〃Well if that's the way you feel； go to hell！〃 and knows by these further responses whether the apology was real to begin with； being human； Luis tested the apology。
〃You should have thought of that before you spoke；〃 he said； and his eyes narrowed； and he waited for Parker's answer。
Parker nodded。 〃I should have；〃 Parker agreed。 〃I'm sorry。〃
The men stared at each other。 There was nothing further to say for now。 Perhaps there was nothing further to say ever。
〃Well； I 。。。 I better get back to the squad；〃 Parker said。
〃Si。〃
Parker waved； seemed to bee embarrassed in the middle of the gesture； and let his hand drop。 Slowly； he shuffled off up the street。
A reporter walked into the luncheonette and took a stool。 〃Well； everything quiet again； huh？〃 he said。 〃Let me have a cup of coffee； huh？〃
〃St'； everything quiet；〃 Luis answered。
〃Just like the island； huh？〃 the reporter said。
Instantly； Luis answered； 〃No； not just like the island；〃 and then he paused； and then he looked at the reporter； and then he said； 〃But maybe not so bad anyway； eh？ Maybe not so bad。〃
Down the street； the church bells began tolling。
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