Day CXXXVll

 Henry

     That was the end of that topic, and nobody mentioned it again. Then Ted asked:

     “Anybody know anyone wat needs a job!”

     “Nah!”

     “Nope!”

     “We need someone ta pump gas, Charles got drafted, an they be sending im ta Nam, we think!”

     “Oh shit!”

     “Yea, I na, his mum is so upset, man!”

     “Wada ya gonna do, uh. They wants ya, they come gits ya…so youse gotta go!”

    “So ya heas a anybody, let me na!”

     As fate would have it, a few days later on a Friday evening, the professor showed up clean, and looking like a magazine model.

     “Get da hell outa hea befo I gits me broom!” was Pats first reaction.

     “Wait a minute Pat, I’m clean, man. All I want's a bea!”

     “Yea, since when!”

     “I bin ina program fer a coupla monfs, got myself cleaned up, man. Watcha din’t miss me wound hea. I missed you, man.”

     “No can’t say as we have!”

     “Well, I missed y’all, ya be like me pop’s wat I neva had, man!”

       Pat looked at him up and down, noticed he had a clean shirt, pants, and a shine on his shoes. He was clean shaven, his hair was brushed, his eyes were bright, and wide open. On top of that he wasn’t oscillating, scratching his cheeks, nor begging for change.

     “Well, well well will miracles never cease, uh? So watcha  wants perfessor!”

     “Well, for starters, my name is Henry, and I’ll have a bea on tap, thank ya!”

     Pat shuffled himself over to the tap, grabbed a glass, poured Henry a beer, and said,

     “Congratualations, and diz uns ona house!”