I’m telling you this so you’ll know why if Don acts a bit queer, and not jump on him. He must be hard hit. He’s her only kid.

ROCKY

Nods—then thoughtfully.

Why ain’t he out dere stickin’ by her?

LARRY

Frowns.

Don’t ask questions. Maybe there’s a good reason.

ROCKY

Stares at him—understandingly.

Sure. I get it.

Then wonderingly.

But den what kind of a sap is he to hang on to his right name?

LARRY

Irritably.

I’m telling you I don’t know anything and I don’t want to know. To hell with the Movement and all connected with it! I’m out of it, and everything else, and damned glad to be.

ROCKY

Shrugs his shoulders—indifferently.

Well, don’t tink I’m interested in dis Parritt guy. He’s nuttin’ to me.

JOE

Me neider. If dere’s one ting more’n anudder I cares nuttin’ about, it’s de sucker game you and Hugo call de Movement.

He chuckles—reminiscently.

Reminds me of damn fool argument me and Mose Porter has de udder night. He’s drunk and I’m drunker. He says, “Socialist and Anarchist, we ought to shoot dem dead. Dey’s all no-good sons of bitches.” I says, “Hold on, you talk’s if Anarchists and Socialists was de same.” “Dey is,” he says. “Dey’s both no-good bastards.” “ No, dey ain’t,” I says. “I’ll explain the difference. De Anarchist he never works. He drinks but he never buys, and if he do ever get a nickel, he blows it in on bombs, and he wouldn’t give you nothin’. So go ahead and shoot him. But de Socialist, sometimes, he’s got a job, and if he gets ten bucks, he’s bound by his religion to split fifty-fifty wid you. You say—how about my cut, Comrade? And you gets de five. So you don’t shoot no Socialists while I’m around. Dat is, not if dey got anything. Of course, if dey’s broke, den dey’s no-good bastards, too.”

He laughs, immensely tickled.

LARRY

Grins with sardonic appreciation.

Be God, Joe, you’ve got all the beauty of human nature and the practical wisdom of the world in that little parable.

ROCKY

Winks at JOE.

Sure, Larry ain’t de on’y wise guy in dis dump, hey, Joe?

At a sound from the hall he turns as DON PARRITT appears in the doorway. rocky speaks to larry out of the side of his mouth.

Here’s your guy.

PARRITT comes forward. He is eighteen, tall and broad-shouldered but thin, gangling and awkward. His face is good-looking, with blond curly hair and large regular features, but his personality is unpleasant. There is a shifting defiance and ingratiation in his light-blue eyes and an irritating aggressiveness in his manner. His clothes and shoes are new, comparatively expensive, sporty in style. He looks as though he belonged in a pool room patronized by would-be sports. He glances around defensively, sees larry and comes forward.

PARRITT

Hello, LARRY.

He nods to rocky and JOE.

Hello.

They nod and size him up with expressionless eyes.

LARRY

Without cordiality.

What’s up? I thought you’d be asleep.

PARRITT

Couldn’t make it. I got sick of lying awake. Thought I might as well see if you were around.

LARRY

Indicates the chair on the right of table.

Sit down and join the bums then.

PARRITT sits down.