xenia did not seem either surprised or particularly interested when yancey told her about yolanda’s disppearance.
“so does that mean you can start full time right now?” was all she said.
“yes.”
“can you start on the midnight shift tomorrow? and that will be your regular shift? you can replace hortense. that will be - every night except tuesday and thursday. how is that?’”
“sure, i will take anything.”
“that is the attitude i like. you understand - the days start at midnight. wednesday means - after tuesday might, before wednesday morning.”
“i know that.”
“you would be surprised how many people don’t. all right, then.” they were talking in the kitchen and xenia turned to head back to the front room, but yancey stopped her.
“can i ask you something?”
“what?”
“do you know of anyplace i could rent a room? i won’t be able to afford what yolanda was paying.”
xenia looked slightly annoyed. “no, i do not. you could ask some of the other guys. renting - that’s a flipping swamp, bro, not something i want to get involved in. even giving somebody advice. any little thing, people go running to the revolution. not something i need.”
“all right,” yancey reassured her. “ i just thought you might know somebody. i’ll ask around.”
“you do that. and i will see you tomorrow night, if i don’t talk to you tonight.”
“you wlll be here at midnight?”
“yes, i usually stay until one or two.” and with that, xenia took her leave.
betty the cook was waiting for yancey.
“do you think you can handle a special project?”
“sure.”
*
later that night, when things were slow, conrad the dishwasher said to yancey,
“you know, i heard you ask xenia about renting a room.”
“oh?’ yancey had been leaning against a sink half asleep but looked up.
“so you have this place where you were living with your mom and now she’s gone, is that right?”
“yeah.”
“so, you have what, an extra bedroom?”
“actually two, one is the size of a dresser drawer.”
“two! dude, you’re in business. just find somebody - two or three somebodies - to move in and pay you and there you go.”
yancey hesitated. “but will the rental agency go along? wouldn’t they have to approve anybody?”
“no, just don’t tell them. you think if you found a room the folks you rent from would report it?”
?
“but couldn’t i end up on easter island? or on the floor?”
“no, man, if you get caught, which you probably won’t, just tell them you didn’t understand the rules.”
“they could still send me away.”
“they could, but they won’t. they only send away infidels and people spreading counterrevolutionary filth, and all that. if you are just trying to pick up a few extra dinero they just slap you on the wrist. trust me, i been there and i know.”
yancey remembered lucy loo’s skepticism that morning and her warnings about making the rent . he looked around the kitchen. betty was busy at the other end, writing something, and xenia was not in sight, and neither was anybody else.
“so, uh, is it you yourself who wants to take this room?
“no, man, i’m just being helpful.”
“you are not getting anything out of it?”
“well, since you ask, if you come to an agreement, the persons i sent your way might take my helpfulness into consideration, you know?’
“all right” yancey said. “if you find somebody, that would be great. i really appreciate it.”
“so give me your number, and i will pass it on.”
“no - you get their numbers and pass them on to me.”
conrad laughed. “i see you are not quite as innocent as you seem, my friend.”
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