I won.
Ackie began to get in beside me. “You get in the back… that’s why we tossed,” I said. “You see she doesn’t fall over.”
“And I called you a pal of mine,” Ackie said. He stood hesitating, then he finally made up his mind. He opened the door and got in. “Now be a good girl,” he said to Blondie.
I engaged the gear and rolled the car down the drive.
Ackie said after a while: “She’s sitting as quiet as quiet. I guess I could come on in the front.”
“You stay right there.”
“Listen, Bud, if I’ve gotta stay here I’ve got to have a drink. There’s a pint just by your hand… pass it over.”
I groped around in the dashboard cupboard and found a bottle. I passed it over to him.
“You ain’t got much gas,” I said, looking at the gauge. “That’s careless of you, Mo. I shall have to stop and get some.”
Ackie didn’t say anything for a minute… I guessed he was giving himself a shot. Then he said: “That’s your funeral, Bud, me an’ the girl friend’ll leave all that to you.”