Apparently not very much…I can't believe that guy...what was his name…Kloppman…yea that was it. Gave me that direction speech…first door to the right my ass…it's the only door here. Glad he saved me from bein lost seein as how it was complicated and all…that old man has really got to retire soon I think he's lost it.

I lazily put my hand on the knob to open the door. Great it's stuck. Wit one large swing of the hips I got it open. I was about to give myself a pat on the back when I realized how hard I pushed it. It did two discomforting things. One it gave a swing of air in my direction that made a large breeze go in my face. This may seem harmless because you have no idea about the smell to this joint. It reminded me of this one time when I was about twelve and I snuck into one of those large monument/tomb things that rich people use for their dead. Seemed like a good idea at the time until you take a big whiff. Didn't smell like death…they had incense burning all the time. No it smelled like old wood, body odor and heat. Yes heat has a smell and trust me it is not good.

The second reason is that the door hit the opposite wall wit such a bang that even the rats were lookin in my direction. I stand there for a minuet just starin at the opposite wall hopein they would lose interest…I was wrong. They just stayed quiet…lookin at me like I was the first bum they ever saw. I figured that life was too short to stand in that doorway forever. I did pay the nickel like everybody else…and I was so lookin forward to that bed. With that final thought I walk right up to this short, greasy lookin Italian kid (I figure I might as well stick with my own). He had a cigar practically hanging out of his mouth and he was givin me a look over... like I was about to raid his pocket or somethin.

"Da guy at da front desk told me ta ask which bed was free" man a bed…pillow here I come

He gave me a nod as if approvin and pointed to a bed on the other side of the room by the window.

"You can have da bed above mine sweet face" well at least he didn't call me doll

I give him a nod and walk deliberately to my bed. See people are still lookin at me and the last thing I need to seem is desperate. I stuff my knapsack in-between the mattress and the frame….I'll go through it later. While I was still crouching (tryin to stick it all the way back so that no body could steal it while I was sleepin) I feel this tap on my shoulder. I turn around to find that same kid wit the cigar hanging over me offerin me his hand. Yea right like I am goin ta take that. I push myself off the ground and meet him at eye level. He may be short but bein on 5'1…he still had a few inches on me.

"Can I help ya"

He pulled out his hand…spit in it and began, "my name is Higgins…uh Racetrack Higgins" wow your mother must have had a sense of humor

"that's nice" what else am I suppose ta say…I don't want to give him my name…that's way too personal…go doesn't he have a life…can't he go play wit his friend or sumptin.

It seemed like forever but he still didn't put his hand down and leave so again I ask, "can I help ya?"

"Well yea…aren't ya goin ta shake my hand?" no

I just stand there lookin at him for a few minuets and in the mean time he hand been consecutively lookin at his drawn hand then back at me until a light seemed to come on in his head.

"did it disgust ya…da spit I mean…sorry I ain't around broads too often…"he keeps rambling on like that for a while and I let him. It doesn't disgust me you stupid ginny…I've probably been on the street longer then you have! But everybody knows that you only spit shake wit a friend…someone you have known for awhile…not some smuck who just a moment before pointed out a bed and called me "sweet face" ugh…I figure I'll play along wit dis damsel crap…anything that gets me closer to that bed!

" it's ok…if you don't mind I'm rather tired at the present moment and I would like to acquire some rest before tomorrow…"…haha hows that for lady-like…I kill myself…

"uh yea sure sorry to disturb ya."

He walked away….hows that for ya he walked away…and he even took his hat off and bowed…I should do that more often…if I can stomach it…