I got the kid to a bench. The liquor was working in him all of a sudden. He simmered down after a while and asked: "Doc, should I've given Miz Rorty some money? I asked her afterward and she said she'd admire to have something to remember me by, so I gave her my lighter. She seem' to be real pleased with it. But I was wondering if maybe I embarrassed her by asking her right out. Like I tol' you, back in Covington, Kentucky, we don't have places like that. Or maybe we did and I just didn't know about them. But what do you think I should've done about Miz Rorty?" "Just what you did," I told him. "If they want money, they ask you for it first. Where you staying?" "Y.M.C.A.," he said, almost asleep. "Back in Covington, Kentucky, I was a member of the Y and I kept up my membership. They have to let me in because I'm a member. Spacers have all kinds of trouble, Doc. Woman trouble. Hotel trouble. Fam'ly trouble. Religious trouble. I was raised a Southern Baptist, but wheah's Heaven, anyway? I ask' Doctor Chitwood las' time home before the redlines got so thick--Doc, you aren't a minister of the Gospel, are you? I hope I di'n' say anything to offend you." "No offense, son," I said. "No offense." I walked him to the avenue and waited for a fleet cab. It was almost five minutes. The independents that roll drunks dent the fenders of fleet cabs if they show up in Skid Row and then the fleet drivers have to make reports on their own time to the company. It keeps them away. But I got one and dumped the kid in. "The Y Hotel," I told the driver. "Here's five. Help him in when you get there." * * * * * When I walked through Screwball Square again, some college kids were yelling "wheah's your redlines" at old Charlie, the last of the Wobblies. Old Charlie kept roaring: "The hell with your breadlines! I'm talking about atomic bombs. _Right--up--there!_" And he pointed at the Moon. It was a nice night, but the liquor was dying in me. There was a joint around the corner, so I went in and had a drink to carry me to the club; I had a bottle there. I got into the first cab that came. "Athletic Club," I said. "Inna dawghouse, harh?" the driver said, and he gave me a big personality smile. I didn't say anything and he started the car. He was right, of course. I was in everybody's doghouse. Some day I'd scare hell out of Tom and Lise by going home and showing them what their daddy looked like. Down at the Institute, I was in the doghouse.