Free They Don't Dance Much: A Novel by James Ross Page B

on River Road and Lover’s Lane. Special Accommodations for Tourists. Smut Milligan is experienced in the operation of Roadhouses, Etc., and promises a real treat for all visitors to his establishment. He has engaged competent help as follows: Mr. Jack McDonald, Cashier; Mr. Walter Honeycutt, Head Waiter; Dick Pittman, Curb Service; Matthew Rush and Sam Hall, Waiters; Rufus Jones and Johnny Lilly, Cooks. Your special attention is called to Rufus Jones, who will have charge of the kitchen. Rufus is known far and wide for his steaks. He has cooked for Alpha Beta at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.; the Washington Duke Hotel in Durham, N.C.; and for the Pullman Company. [They forgot to say anything about him cooking for the chain gang in Scotland County, but I guess some things are better forgot.] We are anxious to serve you.
    SPECIAL ATTENTION, TOURISTS! We have tourist cabins with lights, running water, soft mattresses, and all modern conveniences. TRY OUR CABINS!
    When I finished reading my paper, Smut was still deep in his. I looked up at Fletch Monroe. He looked like he was on needles and pins. He would lean his weight on one foot, then shift it to the other. His shoulders were twitching up and down and he was working the sides of his mouth like some woman that is itching to get in the conversation, but can’t. Finally Smut got through reading and said: ‘Well, it’s all right, Fletch. Let’s go get you a drink.’
    ‘Pal, I need one!’ Fletch said, and they went inside. In a minute I went in there too. But Astor LeGrand stayed where he was.
    There wasn’t anything much to do, so I just sat in there with Smut and Fletch and watched Fletch drink. Smut got him a pint of some sort of rye liquor and Fletch commenced drinking it out of the bottle. He took a drink of water after each swallow of liquor. The drinks he took were about the biggest ones I ever saw anybody take. He took three drinks in about thirty minutes’ time and the pint was all gone. It made him steady; he quit fumbling around with his hands, and his shoulders got still. Fletch talked to Smut about how he thought business was going to be, and things like that. I could see that Smut was tired of him. Now that the paper was out and it was all right about that, Smut wished Fletch would go on off. He turned on the radio pretty loud and would pretend not to hear the questions Fletch asked him. Pretty soon Fletch gave it up and just sat there talking to himself and smoking.
    After awhile Smut looked around at Fletch. He saw the pint bottle was empty and he went back and got another bottle. It was four fifths of a quart this time. He handed the bottle to Fletch.
    ‘You better go on home, Fletch,’ Smut said. ‘You might get drunk and sick out here, add no doctor handy. Astor’ll take you home.’
    Fletch put the bottle under his arm and mumbled something. His face looked like he was studying about something that happened a long time ago. He went outside, and in a minute I heard Astor start up the car. I wondered how come Astor LeGrand to bring Fletch out there in the first place. He was a big shot in Corinth, and wasn’t running any taxi.
    The next day was a hot one for October, and I thought that was a sign we’d maybe have a fair crowd out that night if it kept on like that. The warm weather would make the young folks restless and they’d have to go somewhere and do something. It being hot so late in the fall would make them more restless than hot weather in the summer-time, when it’s supposed to be hot and everybody takes off most of their clothes and sits around resigned to it. I thought they might as well come to the roadhouse as not.
    The main trouble was, there was a big football game over at Durham that afternoon. That always draws big from Corinth. Boys that don’t have but one shirt to their name will save up and go to Durham or Chapel Hill to take in a football game. Especially if it’s one of these intersectional games.