One evening he was sittinglooking up words from the newspaper in Aretha's Webster's. The doorbell didn't ring cause it wasn't connected. But he knew the sound of it not ringing real good. It was only a little click but there weren't nothing wrong with Waldo's ears.
He was shocked when he opened the door and found Saifon outside stabbing at the bell, trying to get a ring out of it.
"Saifon. Son of a gun."
"Hiya, Waldo." If he hadn't been blocking up the doorway she would of went inside. The guy with the lips was standing out in the hall. He had a habit of kind of mashing them old lips together and drooling. It scared a lot of people. "You gonna let me in?"
"Sure …sure." But he wasn't. Sure, I mean. Waldo didn't get many visitors carrying a suitcase. He rolled out of the way and she went in. She was wearing heels, and a skirt so short he could see what she had for breakfast. They stood looking at each other. She hadn't put her suitcase down. Waldo coughed.
"How'd you find me?"
"Asked some guy on the bus. He knew you."
"The bus? What happened to your car?"
"Sold it. That's why I'm dressed like a hooker."
"It is?"
"You'd be surprised how much more guys pay for a piece of shit on wheels if they think they might get some tail."
"How much you get for the Chevy?"
"Eight hundred bucks."
"Jees. What'ja tell the guy?" They was still standing facing each other like gunfighters.
"That I needed the money for a down payment on an apartment in the area. I might of give him the idea he could come calling after I moved in. He took me to the bus depot to pick up my suitcase. I guess he's still waiting."
"You wanna put that down?"
"Yeah. Thanks. Roundly's sure looks a lot flatter'n I remember it." She sat down on the sofa.
"They thought I did it." He sat on the easy chair. "The cops called me in for questioning. But preacher Le Saux told 'em I was in the chapel."
"You wouldn't do nothing like that, Waldo. You're the world's last nice guy. You should be in a museum." He did one of them burnt sienna guy blushes, and she laughed. "It's true. You're the only person I can remember who's been nice to me without wanting nothing back." He didn't like hearing about himself too much.
"Give it a rest, girl. What you come back here for anyway?"
"Two things really. First thing is that Desire owes me two week's pay." Waldo grinned.
"Saifon, you got more likelihood of getting pigs out of a mamma cow's rear end. She ain't paying no one."
"She'll pay me."
"Admire your confidence, but I seen bigger things than you try to get money out'a that woman."
"She'll pay me."
"Good luck. What's the other reason?"
"For coming back?"
"Yup."
She looked down at his rug.
"I want you to be my daddy, Waldo."