“Well, that isn’t going to get us any bonus.”
“I know. She wasn’t in.”
“Well, what the hell have you been doing?”
I said, “I’ve been out to see the other people. Then I went to see this party. She was out. I dropped in to a casino while I was waiting, and played the slot machine.”
“Did what?” Bertha screamed over the telephone.
“Played the slot machine.”
“What did you do that for?”
“Because this party that I’m looking for is supposed to hang around the slot machines in that joint.”
“Now you listen to me, Donald Lam,” Bertha yelled. “You don’t have to play slot machines in order to find a woman. The trouble with you—” Suddenly her voice changed. “How much did you play?”
“Nineteen nickels without even getting a smell. I didn’t even—”