28
28 There was a knock on the door, and when I opened it, Stroud said, "Telephone for your mama." I told him she wasn't there, and he said, "Well,you come talk to the man then. He's calling from over at Coleman's." He led me through the back door of the office and into his apartment. He'd been cleaning again—I smelled ammonia and disinfectant—and he pointed toward the phone. "I'll be in the kitchen. Don't let the man sell you nothing." I recognized the voice of the mechanic I'd talked to the last time I wasat Coleman's. He said our carwasready, and we could pick it up anytime. I hung up and told Stroud what he'd said. "Pick it up?They need to deliver it here. Youget back on the phone and tell them that. Tell them bring it on out here." I called back, and the man told me they were prettybusy but he'd do what he could, and it was maybe two hours later when our car rolled up, followed by a wrecker. My mother was back by then. The man gave her a bill, and she studied it and asked him some questions, then reached into her purseand pulled out a roll of cash. Shecounted out the bills and handed them to the man, who counted them again. Just then, Stroud came out of the office. "You done paid him?" My mother nodded, and Stroud said, "Well, it's yourmoney." 100 There was a knock on the door, and when I opened it, Stroud said, "Telephone for your mama." I told him she wasn't there, and he said, "Well, you come talk to the man then. He's calling from over at Coleman's." He led me through the back door of the office and into his apartment. He'd been cleaning again- I smelled ammonia and disinfectant-and he pointed toward the phone. ''I'll be in the kitchen. Don't let the man sell you nothing." I recognized the voice of the mechanic I'd talked to the last time I was at Coleman's. He said our car was ready, and we could pick it up anytime. I hung up and told Stroud what he'd said. "Pick it up? They need to deliver it here. You get back on the phone and tell them that. Tell them bring it on out here." I called back, and the man told me they were pretty busy but he'd do what he could, and it was maybe two hours later when our car rolled up, followed by a wrecker. My mother was back by then. The man gave her a bill, and she studied it and asked him some questions, then reached into her purse and pulled out a roll ofcash. She counted out the bills and handed them to the man, who counted them again. Just then, Stroud came out of the office. "You done paid him?" My mother nodded, and Stroud said, "Well, it's your money." IOO He walked over to the car and bent down to look at the tires. He reached inside and pulled the lever that popped the hood, then raised it and propped it open. "Ain't no telling what they did to it. What's the paper say?" She showed it to him, and Stroud looked at it and then at the mechanic. "Timing belt? Took /all this long to get these folks a timing belt?" The man just shrugged. "Youknow how it is." "Oh, I know how it is.The boy told me y'all had the car up on blocks. Said you gave away the tires. Where'd you get these tires here?" The man said, "They're good tires." I walked around the car and looked at the tires. Theyseemed new. Stroud said, "Arethey retreads?I think they retreads, that's what I think." "Brand new. Shipment just came in this morning." "¿ferment? That what you call it?" Stroud turned to Mom and me. "Most likelystolen, you see.Wouldn't be the first time. But I guess you take what you can get." He went back into the office and shut the door. The man climbed into the wrecker,and when it pulled out of the parking lot, he and the driver were both laughing. My mother said, "I should have taken it for a test drive." She got in and...
OR
