They both laughed. A waiter came and hovered near them. “Come on, have a beer,” the Jew said. “It’s from the ice here, and it’s swell.”
She said, “Just one, then, but I don’t usually drink with strangers.”
The Jew gave the order to the waiter. “You’re quite right,” he said. “A nice−lookin’ girl like you can’t be too careful.” He put his fingers into his vest pocket and took out a little white pill. He kept the pill between his first and second fingers. The girl didn’t notice anything.
When the waiter brought the drinks the Jew pointed suddenly behind the girl. “Who’s that guy?” he asked.
His hand hovered over her glass as she turned her head, and the pill slid into the liquid.
She shook her head. “I don’t know. Why?”
“I’ve seen him about a lot. Wondered who he was. Quite a guy, ain’t he?”
She turned back to the beer. It looked very inviting. He raised his glass. “Hey, beautiful,” he said with a flourish.
They both drank deeply. She shuddered when she put the glass down. “It’s horrid stuff,” she said.
He laughed. “Beer’s an acquired taste, baby; you’ll grow to love it.” He pushed back his chair. “Come on, let’s dance.”