Nobody's Fool

looking gray as usual, parked the tow truck on the other side of the street and climbed out wearily, shaking his head when he saw Sully. “I might have known you’d be involved in this,” he said, taking in the situation. “That a tree stump you’re sitting on, Mr. Peoples?”
    Clive Jr. admitted it was, explained again how events had come to pass. In Harold Proxmire, Clive. Jr. found a more sympathetic listener than he’d had in Sully. Harold nodded soberly and when Clive Jr. was finished said, “Bad luck the stump had to be right there.”
    â€œGood luck, you mean,” Sully said. “If it hadn’t been for the stump, she’d have kept going right into the living room, probably.”
    â€œI told him he could leave anytime he wanted,” Clive Jr. told Harold, who had gotten down on his knees to peer under the car.
    â€œI’m glad he didn’t,” Harold said. “We’re going to have to lift you off.”
    â€œYou could hitch up to the car and pull the stump out too,” Sully suggested. “Save us some work later.”
    â€œQuit picking your nose and go lift that car, Dwayne,” Harold suggested.
    The boy had been engaged in this surreptitious activity, and he blushed the color of his hair. He, Sully and Rub took up positions behind the car while Harold went around, opened the driver’s side door and took hold of the steering wheel.
    â€œWhere do you want me?” Clive Jr. asked Harold, noticing he’d been ignored in the matter of his own car. Now there was no room at the rear bumper where Sully and Rub and the boy were preparing to lift.
    â€œHow about over there next to her?” Sully suggested.
    â€œI think we got her covered, Mr. Peoples,” Harold said. He counted three and they lifted. The car rolled forward with surprising ease. The only casualty was Dwayne, who, stationed in the middle between Sully and Rub, stumbled over the tree stump as they went forward, fell and bloodied his lower lip.
    â€œThere you go, Mr. Peoples,” Harold said, putting the car into park. “You’re a free man.”
    Clive Jr. did not look like a free man. He looked like a man wearingan invisible yoke, pulling something he alone was aware of. “What do I owe you?” he said.
    â€œJust for the service call, I guess. We didn’t have to hitch you up. If I was you I’d put it up on a rack someplace and let somebody have a good look. Make sure you didn’t crack that axle.”
    Clive Jr. gave Harold a twenty, then turned to Sully.
    â€œDon’t be silly, Clive,” Sully told him.
    They were still standing around the newly freed car. Five men, none of whom seemed to possess the authority to adjourn the meeting. “Dwayne and I better get on back before the boss gets suspicious,” Harold finally said. “Tell your lady friend these things happen, Mr. Peoples. She should see some of the fixes I pull people out of.”
    â€œAnd I’ll have that stump out of there pretty soon,” Sully said. “In case you want to start up your lessons again.”
    â€œI don’t suppose you found a new flat yet,” Clive Jr. said.
    â€œNot yet,” Sully grinned. “But thanks for asking.”
    Sully and Rub followed Harold and the boy over to where the tow truck was parked. Harold got in the passenger side, Dwayne the driver’s. “Take this before I do something foolish with it,” Sully said, handing Harold the two hundred dollars left from Carl Roebuck’s six.
    â€œYou sure?” Harold said.
    Sully said he was sure.
    â€œYou want a receipt?”
    â€œNope,” Sully said. “I want it to snow, is what I want.”
    â€œWell,” Harold said. “Don’t worry about me. I’m not going to repossess you.”
    â€œI know you wouldn’t,” Sully said. “Esmerelda might, though.”
    â€œShe
is
the meanest Christian woman in the county,” Harold admitted. “Isn’t she, Dwayne?”
    Dwayne apparently didn’t see much margin in responding to this query, because he just shrugged.
    â€œWas that her I saw on the tube one night last week?” Sully thought to ask. He’d been in The Horse and glanced up at the TV just in time to catch the last second or two of a piece on a group protesting The Ultimate Escape Fun Park.
    Harold sighed, nodded.
    â€œI thought so,” Sully said. “I was