Getting Higher by Robert T. Jeschonek Read Free Book Online Page B

you, man."
    "Not on purpose, I don't." Crank looked at Joe, then, straight in the eyes, and his face came as close to a serious expression as Joe had ever seen it. "Joey, you know what else Benny does? He fucks dogs."
    Joe stared at Crank in disbelief. "Aw, man, come on. No way. Benny?"
    Crank nodded, his doughy face still strangely grave.
    "Aw, no way, man. Uh-uh."
    "Yeah, Joey, he does. Take my word for it. I seen it once, a long time ago. It was sick, man, really sick."
    Joe slowly shook his head. "Shit, I heard'a guys doin' that, you know, but I didn't think Benny...well, the dude's real tough and everything...and big, man. It's hard to picture. No way." He laughed.
    "He done it, man, lots. Why you think I don't run around with him anymore? I think he's a faggot, too. I called him that once, to his face, and he started poundin' on me. You remember, it was that last time we were over at his place."
    "Holy shit, you mean that's what started it? Damn, I didn't even know."
    "Now you do. That fucker's got all kinds'a perverted ideas, man. He is bad news."
    "He don't look like no faggot."
    "He is, believe me. I found out the hard way." Crank turned away, and Joe stopped smiling.
    "Holy hell," he whispered. "That sonnuva' bitch."
    Crank nodded. "Like I said, Benny is trouble. He is bad news." Crank leaned back and stared up at the wall.
    "Then why'd you go back there tonight?"
    "I told you, I ,just did. No reason, I just did it."
    There was a crushed beer can on the ground beside Joe; he picked it up and began turning it in his hands. "1 still don't believe that baseball bat shit. Man, it's weird. What is this, everybody's got a thing for fuckin' baseball bats, now?"
    "No, fuckin' dogs," said Crank, and they both laughed.
    After a while, the two fell silent again. Crank kept staring at the wall, and Joe played with the beer can. Then, suddenly, Joe jumped, as if he had been bitten by something. He leaped to his feet and started looking frantically around the alley.
    "Shit, I almost forgot!" he yelled. "We gotta' drop that money off by midnight! Where's the bag? I bet you dropped that bag, man! Where is it?"
    "Cool it, Joey. No problem." Crank lifted his hand, with the shopping bag full of cash dangling loosely from his stubby fingers.
    Joe blew out his breath with relief. "Man, I don't believe you still got it! That's all we need, to have us lose that damn money! How in hell'd you hold onto it?"
    Slowly, Crank pulled himself to his feet, and dusted some of the dirt from his slacks. "Joey, there are two things in this world that I do not drop: one, a good joint, and two...," he smiled knowingly, "...a bag of money. C'mon, man, let's go see what time it is."
    It was eleven forty-five when Joe and Crank left the alley. They walked two blocks, to an old gas station that was closed and boarded up, then waited for ten minutes. At five minutes till midnight, a rusty blue Mustang pulled up, and someone rolled down the window on the passenger side. Joe and Crank ambled over, handed their bag to a man who called himself Freddie, and left. They returned to Crank's place and went to sleep, Crank in his spattered sleeping bag, Joe on the gritty floor.

    *****

    Chapter Nine
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    The next day, Thursday, Joe and Crank woke up at noon. Since neither of them had been drunk or stoned the night before, the morning was not as tough as it usually was; there was no hacking or throwing up, and for once, both started the day without splitting headaches.
    Since it was Thursday, they had to go to the unemployment office and sign up to get their checks. Every week, the two men, and many other people in Brownstown, had to go to the office and register their incomes; if anyone receiving government checks did not register, they would not get their money in the mail the next week. Since the steel mills had closed, the unemployment office was usually pretty crowded.
    At around one o'clock, Joe and Crank left the apartment and headed for the office, which was