To Have And Have Not

HARRY MORGAN-WINTER
'Are there many Communists in the camp?'
'Only about forty/ the tall man said. 'Out of
wo thousand. It takes discipline and abnegation
o be a Communist; a rummy can't be a
jommunist.5
'Don't listen to him,' the red-headed Vet said.
He's just a goddamn radical.'
'Listen/ the other Vet who was drinking beer
/ith Richard Gordon said, let me tell you about in
he navy. Let me tell you, you goddamn radical.'
'Don't listen to him/ the red-headed one said.
When the fleet's in New York and you go ashore
here in the evening up under Riverside Drive
here's old guys with long beards come down and
ou can p— in their beards for a dollar. What do you
hink about that?'
Til buy you a drink/ said the tall man, 'and you
)rget that one. I don't like to hear that one.'
'I don't forget anything/ the red-headed one
iid, 'What's the matter with you, pal?'
'Is that true about the beards?' Richard Gordon
sked. He felt a little sick.
'I swear to God and my mother/ the red-headed
ne said. 'Hell, that ain't nothing.'
Up the bar a Vet was arguing with Freddy
bout the payment of a drink.
'That's what you had/ said Freddy.
Richard Gordon watched the Vet's face. He was
ery drunk, his eyes were bloodshot and he was
>oking for trouble,
203