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〃Si〃
〃Who told you this？〃
〃The boys。〃
〃Which boys？〃
〃Mama； this is not for you；〃 Alfredo said plaintively。 〃This is somethin'。。。〃
〃Why？ Why will they hurt you？〃
Alfredo would not answer。 He stared at his mother； but he remained silent。
〃Why； Alfredo？〃
The tears came suddenly。 He felt them welling into his eyes； and he turned from her quickly so that she would not see him crying。 He threw himself onto the bed again； his face buried in the pillow； his shoulders heaving as he sobbed。 His mother touched his shoulder。
〃Cry；〃 she said。
〃Mama； I am asha…〃
〃It is good to cry。 Your father used to cry sometimes。 It is not a sin for a man to cry。〃
〃Mama； Mama； please； you don't understan'。。。〃
〃I understand that you are my son；〃 Mrs。 Gomez said with simple logic。 〃I understand that you are good； and that those who wish to harm you are bad。 It is not for the bad ones to rule the streets； Alfredo。 You say you must go to eleven o'clock mass； the way you always do。 You say you must go； even though they will hurt you。 This I do not understand。〃
He sat up again； and the words sprang from his lips like a scream。
〃I cann turkey out！〃
〃You can't 。。。 turkey out？〃 she asked； puzzled。
〃I cann be afray； Mama。 I cann be turkey。 You don' understan'。 This is not somethin' you understan'。 Please。 Let me do what I got to do。〃
His mother stood by the bed； staring at him；'staring at her son as if somehow she did not know him any longer； as if somehow the infant she had held to her breast； the infant who had sucked of her milk was no longer someone she knew。 His face； his language； even his eyes seemed distant and strange。 She studied him as if trying to force the reconstruction of an earlier bond through the power of her eyes alone。
At last she said； 〃I have gone to the police。〃
〃What！〃 he shouted。
〃Si。〃
〃Why did you do that？ You think the police will care abou' me？ About Alfredo Gomez？ The police are no good。 Don' you know the police here in this neighborhood？〃
〃There are good police and bad police。 I have gone to Frankie Hernandez。〃
〃He iss the same as dee ress。 Mama； why did you do this？ Why cann you stay out of this？〃
〃Frankie will help you。 He is from the barrio〃
〃But he's a cop now； a detective。 He。。。〃
〃He grew up here in these streets。 He is Spanish； and he helps his people。 He will help you。〃
〃You shoul* not have gone；〃 Alfredo said； shaking his head。
〃I have never been inside a police station in my life；〃 Mrs。 Gomez said。 〃Today is the first time。 My son is in danger； and I went for help。〃 She paused。 〃He said he would e。
I gave him the address。 He said he would e to talk to you。〃
〃I will tell him nothing；〃 Alfredo said softly。
〃You will tell him all that is necessary to tell him。〃
〃Wha〃 time is it？〃 he asked suddenly。
〃You have time yet。〃
〃I got to dress for church。〃
〃Not until you talk to Frankie Hernandez。 He will know what to do。〃
〃He will know what to do；〃 Alfredo said。 〃Sure； he will know what to do；〃 and the mockery in his voice was tinged with bitterness and inescapable sorrow。
〃He will know what to do；〃 Mrs。 Gomez said confidently。
4
The sailor's name was Jeff Talbot； and the rosy glow of the alcohol was beginning to wear off； and as he surveyed the street outside the luncheonette； he wondered how he could ever have said it looked like a nice neighborhood。 Somehow； even the sunlight did not help the look of the street outside。 It helped only in the way a powerful spotlight helps to illuminate a garbage dump。 He blinked at the sunshine； and he blinked at the street outside； and he suddenly said； 〃I'm sober；〃 and just as suddenly realized that he was。 〃Good；〃 Luis said。 〃How does the world look？〃 〃Miserable。〃 He swung his stool back toward the counter。 〃I'm getting a headache。 This is a pretty rotten neighborhood； ain't it？〃
〃It depends how you look at it；〃 Zip said。 〃I happen to like it。〃
〃You do？〃
〃It's where I live。 When I'm here； that sidewalk sings。〃 〃What does it sing？〃 Jeff asked。 His head was beginning to pound。 He wondered why he was talking with a stranger； wondered why he'd drunk so much the night before。
〃With him；〃 Luis said； 〃it sings Rock and Roll。〃
〃The old man is very hip； sailor。 He knows all the proper。。。〃
Zip stopped talking。 He tensed suddenly on the stool； his eyes fastened to the street outside。
〃What's the matter？〃 Jeff asked。
〃The Law；〃 Zip said quietly。
The Law to which he had referred was the law as personified by Detective Andy Parker who walked up the street with a sort of slumped； indifferent swagger； a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth； looking for all the world like a penniless bum who had just e from sleeping one off in a doorway。 His bright Hawaiian shirt was rumpled and soiled with coffee stains。 He scratched his chest indolently； his eyes flicking the street as he walked。
〃The only law I got to worry about is the Shore Patrol；〃 Jeff said； dismissing him。 He shoved his empty cup across the counter。 〃Can I get another cup of joe？〃 He grinned and then winced in pain。 〃Oh； man； but that head hurts when I smile。〃
Outside the luncheonette； Andy Parker waved at Luis and said； 〃Que pasa； maricon？〃
〃Hello； Andy；〃 Luis said； smiling。 〃Some coffee？〃
〃I can use a cup；〃 Parker answered。 〃Hot。〃 He walked into the luncheonette and took the stool next to Jeffs。 He studied Zip for a moment and then asked； 〃When did you start catering to the punk trade； Luis？〃
〃I'm having a cup of coffee；〃 Zip answered。 〃Anything wrong with that； Lieutenant？〃
〃I ain't a lieutenant； and don't get smart。〃
〃I thought you'd at least be a captain by now。 After all the drunks you pulled in from Grover Park。〃
〃Look； kid。。。〃
〃This is Detective Andy Parker； sailor；〃 Zip said。 〃He's what is known as a tough cop。 Fearless。 For two cents； he'd arrest his own grandmother。〃 He grinned almost immediately； and Jeff recognized the pattern suddenly。 It was as if someone had advised the boy that a grin would take him a long way； especially a grin posed of such sparkling white teeth； a grin that never failed to generate a warm response in its recipient。 Even Parker； faced with the sudden dazzling brilliance of the grin； smiled。
〃For two cents；〃 he answered； 〃I'd kick your ass all over the sidewalk。〃 But there was no menace in his words。 The threat； disarmed by the grin； was a hollow one。
〃See？〃 Zip said； still grinning。 〃I'll bet he can lick any sixteen…year…old kid on the block。〃
〃Go ahead；〃 Parker said； 〃push me another inch； kid。〃 But again the threat was not real； the smile had stolen all its power。 He turned his attention to the sailor； studied him for a moment and then said； 〃What are you doing around here； sailor？〃
〃Same thing as the kid here；〃 Jeff answered。 〃Having a cup of coffee。〃
〃Let's try it again；〃 Parker said tiredly。 〃What are you doing around here？〃
〃I heard you the first time；〃 Jeff said。
〃Then give me a straight answer。〃
〃Is this neighborhood off limits？〃
〃No； it ain't off limits； but it sure as hell。。。〃
〃Then leave me alone。〃
Parker studied him silently for a moment。 Then he said； 〃Pretty salty； huh？〃
〃Yeah； pr