To Have And Have Not

HARRY MORGAN-SPRING
'You're goddamn right you wouldn't/ I told
him. Tin not going to carry you. That's all.'
'Well, what did you have to hit me for?'
'So you'd believe it.'
'What do you want me to do? Stay here and
starve?'
'Starve, hell,5 I said. 'You can get back on the
ferry. You can work your way back.'
'You aren't treating me square,' he said.
'Who did you ever treat square, you rummy?'
I told him. 'You'd double-cross your own
mother.'
That was true, too. But I felt bad about hitting
him. You know how you feel when you hit a drunk.
But I wouldn't carry him the way things were now;
not even if I wanted to.
He started to walk off down the dock looking
longer than a day without breakfast. Then he
turned and came back.
'How's to let me take a couple of dollars, Harry?'
I gave him a five-dollar bill of the Chink's.
'I always knew you were my pal, Harry, why
don't you carry me?'
'You're bad luck.'
'You're just plugged,' he said. 'Never "mind, old
pal. You'll be glad to see me yet.3
Now he had money he went off a good deal
faster, but I tell you it was poison to see him walk,
even. He walked just like his joints were back-
wards.
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