hr.thecarpetbaggers-第88节

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　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Wagner　got　up　from　behind　the　desk　and　walked　away。　David　began　to　fill　out　the　form。　Behind　him；　he　heard　the　passenger…elevator　doors　open　and　close。　Several　men　walked　by。　They　glanced　at　him　furtively　as　they　walked　over　to　their　packing　tables　and　began　to　get　out　equipment。　David　turned　back　to　the　form。
　At　eight　o'clock；　a　bell　rang　and　a　faint　hum　of　activity　began　to　permeate　the　building。　The　day　had　begun。
　When　Wagner　came　back；　David　held　out　the　application。　Wagner　looked　it　over　carelessly。　〃Good；〃　he　said　vaguely；　and　dropping　it　back　on　his　desk；　walked　away　again。
　David　watched　him　as　he　talked　to　the　man　at　the　first　packing　table。　They　turned　their　backs　and　David　was　sure　they　were　discussing　him。　He　began　to　feel　nervous　and　lit　a　cigarette。　Wagner　looked　over　at　him　and　the　worried　look　on　his　face　deepened。
　〃You　can't　smoke　in　here；〃　he　called　to　David。　〃Can't　you　read　the　signs？〃
　〃Oh；　I'm　sorry；〃　David　answered；　looking　around　for　an　ash　tray。　There　wasn't　any。　Suddenly；　he　was　aware　that　work　had　stopped　and　everyone　was　looking　at　him。　He　felt　the　nervous　perspiration　breaking　out　on　his　forehead。
　〃You　can　smoke　in　the　can；〃　Wagner　called；　pointing　to　the　back　of　the　warehouse。　David　walked　down　the　aisle　to　the　back；　until　he　found　the　men's　room。　Suddenly　he　felt　a　need　to　relieve　himself　and　stepped　up　to　a　urinal。
　The　door　behind　him　opened　and　he　sensed　a　man　standing　beside　him。　〃Khop　tsech　tu；〃　he　said。
　David　stared　at　him。　The　man　grinned　back；　exposing　a　mouth　filled　with　gold　teeth。　〃You're　Chaim　Woolf's　boy；〃　he　said　in　Yiddish。
　David　nodded。
　〃I'm　the　Sheriff。　Yitzchak　Margolis。　From　the　Prushnitzer　Society；　the　same　as　your　father。〃
　No　wonder　the　word　had　got　around　so　quickly。　〃You　work　here？〃　David　asked　curiously。
　〃Of　course。　You　think　I　e　this　far　uptown　just　to　piss？〃　He　lowered　his　voice　to　a　confidential　whisper。　〃I　think　it's　very　smart　of　your　uncle　to　put　you　in　here。〃
　〃Smart？〃
　The　Sheriff　nodded　his　bald　head。　〃Smart；〃　he　repeated　in　the　same　stage　whisper。　〃Now　they　got　something　to　worry　about。　Too　long　they　been　getting　way　with　murder。　All　you　got　to　do　is　look　at　the　tickets。〃
　〃Tickets？〃　David　asked。
　〃Yeah；　the　shipping　tickets。　I　pack　three　times　in　a　day　what　it　takes　any　of　them　a　week。　Me；　I　don't　have　to　worry。　But　the　loafers；　let　them　worry　about　their　jobs。〃
　For　the　first　time；　David　began　to　understand。　The　men　were　afraid　of　him；　afraid　for　their　jobs。　〃But　they　don't　have　to　worry；〃　he　burst　out。　〃I'm　not　going　to　take　their　jobs。〃
　〃You're　not？〃　Margolis　asked；　a　puzzled　look　in　his　eyes。
　〃No。　I'm　here　because　I　need　the　job　myself。〃
　A　disappointed　look　came　over　the　Sheriff's　face。　Suddenly　a　shrewd　look　came　into　his　eyes。　〃Smart；〃　he　said。　〃A　smart　boy。　Of　course　you　won't　take　away　anybody's　job。　I'll　tell　'em。〃
　He　started　out。　At　the　door；　he　stopped　and　looked　back　at　David。　〃You　remind　me　of　your　uncle；〃　he　said。　〃The　old　fart　never　lets　his　left　hand　know　what　his　right　hand　is　doing。〃
　The　door　closed　behind　him　and　David　flipped　his　cigarette　into　the　urinal。　He　was　half　way　down　the　aisle　when　he　met　Wagner。
　〃You　know　how　to　work　a　fork　lift？〃
　〃The　kind　they　use　to　lift　bales？〃
　The　foreman　nodded。　〃That's　the　kind　I　mean。〃
　〃Sure；〃　David　answered。
　The　anxious　look　left　Wagner's　eyes　for　a　moment。　〃Good；〃　he　said。　〃There's　a　shipment　of　five　hundred　thousand　heralds　downstairs　on　the　platform。　Bring　it　up。〃
　
　5
　
　THE　ELEVATOR　JARRED　TO　A　STOP　AT　THE　GROUND　FLOOR　and　the　heavy　doors　opened　on　the　busy　loading　platform。　Several　trucks　were　backed　up　to　the　platform　and　men　were　scurrying　back　and　forth；　loading　and　unloading。　Along　the　back　wall　of　the　platform　were　stacks　of　cartons　and　materials。
　David　turned　to　the　elevator　operator。　〃Which　is　the　stuff　I'm　supposed　to　bring　up？〃
　The　man　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃Ask　the　platform　boss。　I　jus'　run　the　elevator。〃
　〃Which　is　the　platform　boss？〃
　The　elevator　operator　pointed　at　a　heavy…set　man　in　an　undershirt。　Thick　black　hair　spilled　out　from　his　chest　and　sprouted　furiously　from　his　forearms。　His　features　were　coarse　and　heavy　and　his　skin　had　the　red　flush　of　a　heavy　drinker。　David　walked　over　to　him。
　〃What　d'yuh　want？〃　he　asked。
　〃Mr。　Wagner　sent　me　to　pick　up　the　heralds。〃
　The　platform　boss　squinted　at　him。　〃Wagner；　huh？　Where's　Sam？〃
　David　stared　at　him。　〃Sam？〃
　〃Sam　the　receiving　clerk；　yuh　dope。〃
　〃How　the　hell　do　I　know？〃　David　asked。　He　was　beginning　to　get　angry。
　The　platform　boss　looked　over　his　head　at　the　elevator　operator。　〃They　didn't　can　Sam　to　give　this　jerk　a　job；　did　they？〃　he　yelled。
　〃Naw。　I　seen　him　workin'　upstairs　at　one　of　the　packing　tables。〃
　The　platform　boss　turned　back　to　David。　〃Over　there。〃　He　pointed。　〃Against　the　wall。〃
　The　heralds　were　stacked　on　wooden　racks　in　bundles　of　a　thousand。　There　were　four　racks；　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　bundles　on　each。　David　rolled　the　fork　lift　over　to　one　and　set　the　two　prongs　under　it。　He　threw　his　weight　back　against　the　handles；　but　his　one　hundred　and　thirty　pounds　wasn't　enough　to　raise　the　rack　off　the　floor。
　David　turned　around。　The　platform　boss　was　grinning。　〃Can't　you　give　me　a　lift　with　this？〃
　The　man　laughed。　〃I　got　my　own　work　to　do；〃　he　said　derisively。　〃Tell　ol'　man　Norman　he　hired　a　boy　to　do　a　man's　job。〃
　David　was　suddenly　aware　of　the　silence　that　had　e　over　the　platform。　He　looked　around。　The　elevator　operator　had　a　peculiar　smirk　on　his　face；　even　the　truck　drivers　were　grinning。　Angrily　he　felt　the　red　flush　creep　up　into　his　face。　They　were　all　in　on　it。　They　were　waiting　for　the　boss's　nephew　to　fall　flat　on　his　face。　He　pulled　a　cigarette　absently　from　his　pocket　and　started　to　light　it。
　〃No　smoking　on　the　platform；〃　the　boss　said。　〃Down　in　the　street　if　yuh　want　to　smoke。〃
　David　looked　at　him　a　moment；　then　silently　walked　down　the　ramp　to　the　street。　He　heard　a　burst　of　laughter　behind　him。　The　platform　boss's　voice　carried。　〃I　guess　we　showed　the　little　Jew　bastard　where　to　get　off！〃
　He　walked　around　the　side　of　the　building　and　lit　his　cigarette。　He　wondered　if　they　were　all　in　on　it。　Even　the　foreman　upstairs；　Wagner；　hadn't　been　exactly　happy　to　see　him。　He　must　have　given　him　the　job　knowing　he　didn't　have　the　weight　to　swing　a　fork　lift。
　He　looked　across　the　street。　There　was　a　garage　directly　opposite　and　it　gave　him　an　idea。
　Fifty　cents　to　the　mechanic　and　he　came　back；　pushing　the　big　hydraulic　jack　the　garage　used　for　trucks。　Silence　came　over　the　platform　again　as　he　jockeyed　the　jack　under　the　wooden　rack。　Quickly　he　pumped　the　handle　and　the　rack　lifted　into　the　air。
　In　less　than　five　minutes；　David　had　the　four　racks　loaded　on　the　elevator。　〃O。K。；〃　he　said　to　the　operator。　〃Let's　take　her　up。〃　He　was　smiling　as　the　doors　clanged　shut　on　the　scowling　face　of　the　platform　boss。
　The　men　looked　up　from　their　packing　tables　as　the　elevator　door　swung　open。　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　he　said　to　the　elevator　operator。　〃I'll　go　ask　Wagner　where　he　wants　these。〃
　He　walked　down　the　aisle　to　the　foreman's　empty　desk。　He　turned　and　saw　the　men　watching　from　their　tables。　〃Where's　Wagner？〃
　They　looked　at　each　other　awkwardly　for　a　moment。　Finally；　the　Sheriff　answered　him。　〃He's　in　the　can；　sneaking　a　smoke。〃
　David　thanked　him　and　walked　down　the　back　aisle　to　the　washroom。　The　foreman　was　talking　to　another　man；　a　cigarette　in　his　hand。　David　came　up　behind　him。　〃Mr。　Wagner？〃
　Wagner　jumped。　He　turned　around；　a　strange　expression　on　his　face。　〃What's　the　matter；　David？〃　he　asked　angrily。　〃Can't　you　get　those　heralds　up？〃
　David　stared　at　him。　The　foreman　was　in　on　it；　all　right。　They　were　all　in　on　it。　He　laughed　bitterly　to　himself。　And　Uncle　Bernie　had　said　it　was　going　to　be　a　secret。
　〃Well；〃　the　foreman　said　irritably；　〃if　you　can't　do　it；　let　me　know。〃
　〃They're　up　here　now。　I　just　want　to　know　where　to　put　them。〃
　〃You　got　them　up　here　already？〃　Wagner　said。　His　voice　lost　the　faint　note　of　sureness　it　had　contained　a　moment　before。
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Wagner　threw　his　cigarette　in　the　urinal。　〃Good；〃　he　said；　a　faintly　puzzled　look　on　his　face。　〃They　go　over　on　Aisle　Five。　I'll　show　you　which　bins。〃
　It　was　almost　ten　thirty　by　the　time　David　had　the　racks　empty　and　the　bins　filled。　He　pushed　the　last　package　of　heralds　into　place　and　straightened　up。　He　felt　the　sweat　streaming　through　his　shirt　and　looked　down　at　himself。　The　clean　white　shirt　that　his　mother　had　made　him　wear　was　grimy　with　dust。　He　wiped　his　forehead　on　his　sleeve　and　walked　down　to　the　foreman's　desk。　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do　next？〃
　〃Were　there　five　hundred　bundles？〃　the　foreman　asked。
　David　nodded。
　The　foreman　pushed　a　sheet　of　paper　toward　him。　〃Initial　the　receipt　slip；　then。〃
　David　looked　over　the　paper　as　he　picked　up　a　pencil。　It　was　the　bill　for　the　heralds：　〃500　M　Heralds　@　1。00　per　M…500。00。〃　Expensive　paper；　he　thought；　as　he　scribbled　his　initials　across　the　bottom。
　The　telephone　on　the　desk　rang　and　the　foreman　picked　it　up。　〃Warehouse。〃
　David　could　hear　a　voice　crackling　at　the　other　end；　though　he　could　not　distinguish　the　wor