26

less and picked up another hustler. You don’t last
too long with them fancy johns—especially if you
come from the wrong side of the track.

“I only robbed one guy though. We’d agreed on
fifteen bucks, but he only offered ten. I pulled out a
switchblade and got his cuff links and a gold watch.

“You meet some funny Joes. One fat man liked to
get dressed up in women’s clothes. All I had to do
was sit on the bed naked and watch him while he
danced a strip tease. I was supposed to yell, ‘Take
‘em off. Take ’em off.” That drove him nuts. He’d
dance himself into a frenzy and pay me $25.”

“Nope, I've never looked for a job,” he answered
to my question about work. “But I guess I'll have
to start now. I've had it on 7%e Street. Or 1 guess
The Street’s had me.”

What was Bill going to do next.

His face lighted up in smiles. “Get something to
do. Get married, maybe, Settle down.”

Again I had to remember not to offer comment.
During our tours of 7%e Street, Bill had pointed out
any number of characters—youths who had grown
into men with faces worn and drawn. “Good hustlers
once,” he said, ““but look at them now. Just a bynch
- of bums.” ‘ :
~ Nevertheless, he was confident that it would never