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TO  HAVE AND HAVE NOT
sweetish^ cold, liquorice-tasting drink did not make
him feel any different.
'Give me something else,' he said to the bartender,
'Whatsa matter? You no like a ojen special?' the
proprietor asked, 'You no feel good?5
'No/
'You got be careful what you drink after him/
'Give me a straight whisky.'
The whisky warmed his tongue and the back of
his throat, but it did not change his ideas any, and
suddenly, looking at himself ia the mirror behind
the bar, he knew that drinking was never going to
do any good to him now. Whatever he had now he
had, and it was from now on, and if he drank himself
unconscious when he woke up it would be there.
A tall, very thin young man with a sparse stubble
of blond beard on his chin who was standing next to
him at the bar said, 'Aren't you Richard Gordon?'
'Yes.'
Tm Herbert Spellman, We met at a party in
Brooklyn one time, I believe*'
'Maybe,' said Richard Gordon.  'Why not?'
'I liked your last book very much,' said Spellman,
'I liked them all'
Tm glad/ said Richard Gordon, 'Have a drink?'
*Have one with me/ said Spellrnan* 'Have you
tried this ojen?"
clt's not doing me anv crood.'
'What's the .matter?*