Document text
ioaldus Riohmond
Writers' ,edon Files
DATrAUG 23 1940
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ONL IN A.N. WO, OUT
In the long barroom, misty and oorl oven in midsummer, two men sat in
one of the low -backed booths. Galli, the stonecutter, had the heavy red
face, thick bull neck and massive shoulders of an old time bruiser. Re
might have been broken.down pugilist, a bouncer in some saloon. His
square body bulged the blue suit he were and he looked a trifle unoomfort.
able in it. he was unemployed because the shed in which he worked had
just burred down. Lissotti, the ex.stoneoutter, was trim and slender, at
ease in his well -made clothes. his features were sharply cut, almost
handsomesand the dark hair rumpled over his forehead gave him a boyish
appearanee. he was permanently out of the granite business from °hate..
All around them swirled blue smoke and the talk of war, baseball,
local and major league; horse -racing at Rockingham; ribald jaws and laughter;
gossip, politics, business, gambling, crops, weather, and women.
"So you're taking pictures now, huh?" Galli's hoarse vole* rasped
into a laugh. "Ain't that a hell of a my for a man to make a living though?
But you always was too soft for the stone business."
"What the hell you talking about?" demanded Lissotti„ laughing too.
"I was a good man and you loww it. I was too smart to stay in it, that's
all. Too smart, not too soft. I was in it ten years. Than one day I
decided to get the hell out and I did. I never even vent back after my
tools. The only time I been near the sheds since was to take pictures of them.
That's close enough for me, I seen too muoh of what it done to others. I
seen them go up on the hill to the IMA• I decided to go the other way. I
ain't sorry I did either."
"Aw, it's all ri-ht with them new suctions."
"lbyte, nayte it is. but net for this boy. Ps satisfied taking
pictures. I'm doing all right, Galli. I ain't got the business location
or the equipment the other studios got be, but I take good pictures.
Everybody likes ny work, that's the main thing. If I had more capitel
I'd run this. other bastards out of business. But I ain't kicking. And
I wish you could see some of the hot stuff I get to develop tram some of
these girls in summer camps In the raw. Sone of those pictures you
wouldn't believe. Supposed to be nioe girls from nice families, too. I
keep the prints. One Christmas I put some out on Christmas cards and sent
them around to all the boys. If some of those girls' folks ever run scrota,
them I bet there'd be hell to pay all right."
"You always was a woman-ohaser, Iistotti. A goddann floosie.ehaser.
Me,I'd rather sit here and drink ale."
Lissotti laughed. "You should've seen the one I had the other night.
I never got hold of anything like her. Stayed with her all night. Then
you know what she says to net she sem 'Oh, you better go hone and eat spinach
'pineal:A'
*B&W exploded Galli, "You're a hell of a serried wan. Your wife
ought to take the cleaver to you. Bey, did you see that fire the other
night? That was one sonofabitch of a fire."
"I saw it. I got some swell pictures of it. They came out better'n
I thought. They got 'em down in Finkler's window. We* you seen 'en
there."
"What the hell I want to see pictures of it for? It I seen the whole
thing. Take two sheds like that it makes some fire. It lighted way up the
sky. It looked like that stole end of town was ring to o. Them sparks
flying. I didn't feel very good looking at it, I tell you. Think of the
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goddamn loss the sheds, machinery, tools, and the granite gone to
hell. And work for about seventy-five men.
"They' was nice people to work for, by od. Never worked no better
place. They alweys treat you good. It allays happens to them kind of
people. They always get the bad luck. Take some other lousy guy has a
shed. You build the biggest fire in the world under it, it won't borni
"I'm going to work right off in Barre. I only lose two -three days.
They know me pretty good in Aarre. I worked there about fifteen year.
In ilentpelier I work tenetwelve years, I guess. I lose track. I earned a
lot of money dutting stone, but I ain't saved any of it. Didn't save before
I got married. how the wife and kids help to spend it. What the hell can
you do? Ito fun saving it anyway, even if you could.
"You know iony the iurk got hurt, day before the fire. A block fell
and caught his leg. biot square but bad enough. Cut that leg, from ass to
ankle. he's in the hospital. he won't walk for quite a while. he was
swearing when they took him out. Said the ()bristly lumpers didn't know how
to bitch a block, it must've hurt like a bitch all right. lhem things
happen. They get it in the sheds same as in the quarries. But you don't
get that taking pictures, huh Liszottir
"I don't want it," grinned the other. "Is a an a sissy, for ohrisake,
because he don't try to get himself killed?"
Galli's hoarse lau h rolled out, his big red fist pounded tie board.
"Two more horst What kinda service you got? When you see empty glasses
in front of as you wants. fill Ica up.
"They was illood people to work for. ihey won't build again. Ihere's
plenty old sheds not -used they can move into. You think a shed like that
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costs 75,0001 Put some more on top or that fAiybe you'll 040AO right. It's
the nwscHmachinery costs. The insuranci won't cover it i bet you. They lose
plenty. And lots of man don't get work right oft neither. Some of 'elm
maybe sever get back in. not unless business picks up. And to pick up
business you got to do, I don't L.noW... Another war, I guess maybe. I feel
bad though, they was such nice people.
wThwy lot you alone to do your work. Lot like some of those places.
One day I went to work in a shed. At noon I was eating sy lunch. 4' fellow
comes up and sayis Mow you like it hors?' I says: don't like this god-
damn ratholet' And he sots the boss? One of the bosses. They had so many
you couldn't tell. I didn't know it. At four o'clook I got my check. I
was done. I didn't give a good goddamn, I could get a job all right. They
was all French there. I was glad to got out. I don't work with French
bastards?
"That shed had bosses watching all time to see how muoh you do. tO1
ohrisake? The boss watch you you watch him. /Wither one of you do anything.
Ain't it true? You just watch each other, not work. They leave me alone
I do a day's work. Always I did that, and I alwoys will. I do my day's work
but I don't like no bastard on igif back all time. I don't stand that stuff.
But most of the places are pretty good. They lave you alons to do your work.
Hell of a lot bottor that way, an4 fell of a lot more work done.
"I'm a letter -cutter now. No fancy carving. I do finishing too.
COY4 from the mountains in north Italy. Mussolini, I don't like, and Hitler
I don't Ake. Both crazy for •lover. „Aft Mussolini give credit for two things.
Le made a bio man out of a little man, a big country out of a small one. but
when he declared war on iranoe 1 was ashamed. Franco was already licked ty
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Hitler. I some as a kid with my old man. My mother vas dead. four of us
kids come. I don't remember much about the trip, we vas sick. And in km
York seared and crying. All vent into the granite business, all scattered
to hell now, The old Aftla out stone in the old country; he had a shed here
when he died. My brother, the oldest, took it when the old man died, but
he lost it. Pio head on him like the old man. liot me neither. Just a couple
stoneouttere, good for nothing else. What part Italy you acme fro*, Lissottir
"I vas lorn in this country." Lissotti told him.
"vmybe then," said 4111 with his mighty laugh, "Mat is the matter with
you."
"Go on hack to Italy if you like it so yell," iissotti saideNgo on beak
and they'll give you a ,:un and a handful or bombs. Go back and be a brave
soldier for ii.ussolini."
Galli shook his head. "I like it O.K. right here."