City of Spades - By Colin MacInnes Page 0,47

at a party taking place this evening, which is an exhibition by some boys from Haiti that I know of their special voodoo practices. So if your luck’s not all you’ve been aspiring to, you’ve only to come and ask them for their kind assistance to alternate your fate.’

While I said yes, that I’d accept this invitation, Ronson Lighter called to me from the public house. ‘This seaman’s here,’ he shouted out. ‘This Laddy Boy.’

He was a muscle man, this individual, his arms like legs, his legs like elephants’, and with a lot of rings and gold teeth and a happy look about him that these strong men have, especially when they’re loaded up with loot, as merchant seamen always seem to be. He gave me the note from Peach, which, when I opened it, said this to me:

Macdonald, what is this we hear? Bad news has reached us, by boys returning home, that you have engaged yourself with evil company, and thrown away money that Dad gave you, and broken the sequence of your serious studies. Dad says, ‘He’ll find his feet.’ But I do not believe this, nor does Mum, and she will send you the fare home (paid to care of the travel company, not in cash to you), if you agree that is what’s sensible to do, which our brother Christmas also thinks it is. Be wise, Johnny, and return among your own people for all our sakes that love you as you know we do.

I tell you, your younger sister Peach is worried. And if you do not return home before New Year, let me tell you of my intentions. They are to come out to England there, to train as nurse, which full enquiries prove can be arranged. And if I do, you know you will have me watching you each second I am not on duty, which will make you ashamed of yourself before the other men.

But come back freely, Johnny. It would be so much better for us all.

Dad says he thank you for what you discover of those Macpherson people. He has done what he can and will do no more at all.

Mum adds: a cable, and you have the fare home in a fortnight.

Your sister, and you have no other,

Peach.

‘You saw my sister?’ I asked Laddy Boy.

‘Your family entertained me very kindly, Johnny, at your home.’

‘They’re all of them well back there?’

‘They’re well, man, but a little worrying about you. You know why. Is not my business, countryman, but you know why … You take a drink?’

‘I’m barred inside that pub.’

‘Not with me, you’re not, man, no. You’re not barred in any public house that I go into.’

He took me inside, and there was no more reference to my recent wild behaviour. While I sipped my drink, I thought quite deeply. Yes, home would be beautiful again, but surely my duty was to try to rescue myself by my own efforts before seeking family aid?

In the nearby bar, I saw Montgomery talking with Larry the GI. This gave me a new idea of how to raise some loot quickly in a last attempt, before throwing in my sponge and going back to Lagos tail between the legs.

I went to the phone box and asked for the radio corporation of the BBC, and for Miss Theodora Pace. After some secretaries, her voice came clear over the line towards me.

‘Miss Theodora, this is Johnny Fortune.’

‘Oh. One minute, please.’ I heard some mutter, and a door close. ‘Yes, how are you? What can I do for you?’

‘You remember those radio talks we spoke about, Miss Theodora? With me as possible performer in them?’

‘Yes … Why’ve you not contacted me again?’

‘Oh, there have been things, you know, so many. But this is to say I’m willing now, though there is one stipulation I should like to ask about.’

‘Yes?’

‘Would your officials consider a small payment in advance? Of twenty pounds?’

I knew, of course, that this was asking Theodora for the loot, but it seemed a way of doing so that could satisfy both our dignities.

‘When do you want it?’

‘Today. The soonest would be the best.’

There was quite a pause here before she said: ‘I dare say that could be arranged. Come to the building, and ask for me at Reception, please.’

The Sphere was now closing for the afternoon, and the Spades were scattering all over town on their various errands, from this their daily joint collecting-point. I went off myself quite quietly, without telling Montgomery

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