"Gad, George! you black devil you, why don't you watch out what you're doing?"
"But, suh, I—"
"None of your black back-talk."
"Jerry!" She was shivering, and a veil of tears formed over her hot, mortified eyes. "Gee! what are you made of? You seen he couldn't help it when that taxi turned into us so sudden."
He relaxed against her. "Aw, did I scare the little Peachy? That's the way they gotta be handled. I ain't ready by a long shot to let a black devil spill my brains."
"'Shh-h. He couldn't—"
"Sure he could, if he watched. He's a bargain I picked up cheap, anyways, 'cause he's lame and can't hold down heavy work. And bargains don't always pay. But I'll break his black back for him if—Aw, now, now, did I scare the little peach? Gee! I couldn't do nothing but kill you with kindness if you was driving for me. I'd just let you run me right off this road into the Hudson Ocean if you was driving for me."
They were out toward the frayed edge of the city, where great stretches of sign-plastered vacant lots began to yawn between isolated patches of buildings and the river ran close enough alongside of them to reflect their leftward lights. She smiled, but as if her lips were bruised.
"It ain't none of my put-in, but he couldn't help it, and I hate for you to yell at anybody like that, Jerry."
"Aw, aw, did I scare the little Peachy? Watch me show the little Tootsie how nice I can be when I want to—Aw—aw!"