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〃It's an important job； though。〃
〃Enough about me；〃 David said； eager to change the subject。 〃What about you？ What are you doing out here？〃
〃I'm doin' O。K。 I'm livin' out here now。 I got a house up in Coldwater Canyon。〃
David almost whistled。 His old friend was doing all right。 Houses up there started at seventy…five grand。 At least it wasn't a touch。 〃That's great；〃 he said。 〃But it's a hell of a long way from Rivington Street。〃
〃It sure is。 I'd like to see you； Davy boy。〃
〃I'd like to see you； too；〃 David said。 〃But I'm so god…damned tied up here。〃
Needlenose's voice was still quiet； but insistent。 〃I know you are； Davy；〃 he said。 〃If I didn't think it was important； I wouldn't bother you。〃
David thought for a moment。 Now that it wasn't a touch； what could it be that was so important？ 〃Tell you what；〃 he said。 〃Why don't you e out to the studio？ We can have lunch here； then I'll show you around。〃
〃That's no good； Davy。 We got to meet someplace where nobody'd see us。〃
〃What about your house； then？〃
〃No good；〃 Needlenose replied。 〃I don't trust the servants。 No restaurants； either。 Someone might snoop us out。〃
〃Can't we talk on the telephone？〃
Needlenose laughed。 〃I don't trust telephones much； either。〃
'〃Wait a minute；〃 David said； remembering suddenly。 〃I'm having dinner at my mother's tonight。 e and eat with us。 She's at the Park Apartments in Westwood。〃
〃That sounds O。K。 She still make those knaidlach in soup swimming with chicken fat？〃
David laughed。 〃Sure。 The matzo balls hit your stomach like a ton of bricks。 You'll think you never left home。〃
〃O。K。；〃 Needlenose said； 〃What time？〃
〃Seven o'clock。〃
〃I'll be there。〃
David put down the telephone； still curious about what Needlenose wanted。 He didn't have long to wonder； for Dan came into his office； his face flushed and excited； his heavy jowls glistening with sweat。 〃You just get a call from a guy named Schwartz？〃
〃Yeah；〃 David said； surprised。
〃You going to see him？〃
〃Tonight。〃
〃Thank God！〃 Dan said； sinking into a chair in front of the desk。 He took out a handkerchief and mopped at his face。
David looked at him curiously。 〃What's so important about my seeing a guy I grew up with？〃
Dan stared at him。 〃Don't you know who he is？〃
〃Sure；〃 David said。 〃He lived in the house next to me on Rivington Street。 We went to school together。〃
Dan laughed shortly。 〃Your friend from the East Side has e a long way。 They sent him out here six months ago when Bioff and Brown got into trouble。 He's union officially； but he's also top man for the Syndicate on the West Coast。〃
David stared at him； speechless。
〃I hope you can get to him；〃 Dan added。 〃Because； God knows； I tried and I couldn't。 If you don't； we'll be out of business in a week。 We're going to have the biggest； god…damnedest strike you ever saw。 They'll close down everything。 Studio； theaters； the whole works。〃
10
DAVID LOOKED AT THE DINING…ROOM TABLE AS HE FOLLOWED HIS MOTHER INTO THE KITCHEN。 Places were set for five people。 〃You didn't tell me you were having a lot of pany for dinner。〃
His mother； who was peering into a pot on the stove； didn't turn around。 〃A nice girl should e to supper for the first time with a young man without her parents？〃
David suppressed a groan。 It was going to be even worse than he'd suspected。 〃By the way； Mama；〃 he said。 〃You better set another place at the table。 I invited an old friend to have dinner with us。〃
His mother fixed him with a piercing glance。 〃Tonight； you invited？〃
〃I had to； Mama；〃 he said。 〃Business。〃
The doorbell rang。 He looked at his watch。 It was seven o'clock。 〃I'll get it； Mama；〃 he said quickly。 It was probably Needlenose。
He opened the door on a short； worried…looking man in his early sixties with iron…gray hair。 A woman of about the same age and a young girl were standing beside him。 The worried look disappeared when the man smiled。 He held out his hand。 〃You must be David。 I'm Otto Strassmer。〃
David shook his hand。 〃How do you do； Mr。 Strassmer。〃
〃My wife； Frieda； and my daughter； Rosa；〃 Mr。 Strassmer said。
David smiled at them。 Mrs。 Strassmer nodded nervously and said something in German； which was followed by the girl's pleasant； 〃How do you do？〃
There was something in her voice that made David suddenly look at her。 She was not tall； perhaps five four； and from what he could see； she was slim。 Her dark hair； cropped in close ringlets to her head； framed a broad brow over deep…set gray eyes that were almost hidden behind long lashes。 There was a faint defiance in the curve of her mouth and the set of her chin。 An instant realization came to David。 The girl no more cared for this meeting than he did。
〃Who is it； David？〃 His mother called from the kitchen。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said quickly。 〃Won't you e in？〃 He stepped aside to let them enter。 〃It's the Strassmers； Mama。〃
〃Take them into the living room；〃 his mother called。 〃There's schnapps on the table。〃
David closed the door behind him。 〃May I take your coat？〃 he asked the girl。
She nodded and slipped it off。 She was wearing a simple man…tailored blouse and a skirt that was gathered at her tiny waist by a wide leather belt。 He was surprised。 He was experienced enough to know that the pert thrust of her breasts against the silk of the blouse was not fashioned by any brassière。
Her mother said something in German。 Rosa looked at him。 〃Mother says you and Papa go in and have your drink；〃 she said。 〃We'll go into the kitchen and see if we can help。〃
David looked at her。 Again that voice。 An accent and yet not an accent。 At least； it wasn't an accent like her father's。 The women turned and started toward the kitchen。 He looked at Mr。 Strassmer。 The little man smiled and followed him into the living room。
David found a bottle of whisky on the coffee table； surrounded by shot glasses。 A pint bottle of Old Overholt。 David suppressed a grimace。 It was the traditional whisky that appeared at all ceremonies … births； bar mizvahs； weddings； deaths。 A strong blend of straight rye whiskies that burned your throat on the way down and flooded your nose unpleasantly with the smell of alcohol。 He should have had enough brains to bring a bottle of Scotch。 He was sure it was Old Overholt that had kept the Jews from ever acquiring a taste for whisky。
It was apparent that Mr。 Strassmer didn't share his feelings。 He picked up the bottle and looked at it。 He turned to David； smiling。 〃Ah； Gut schnapps。〃
David smiled and took the bottle from his hand。 〃Straight or with water？〃 he asked； breaking the seal。 That was another thing that was traditional。 The bottle was always sealed。 Once it was opened and not finished； it was never brought out for pany again。 He wondered what happened to all the open； half…empty bottles。 They must be languishing in some dark closet awaiting the day of liberation。
〃Straight；〃 Mr。 Strassmer said； a faintly horrified note in his voice。
David filled a shot glass and handed it to him。 〃I'll have to get a little water；〃 he apologized。
Just then Rosa came in； carrying a pitcher of water and some tumblers。 〃I thought you might need this。〃 She smiled； setting them on the coffee table。
〃Thank you。〃
She smiled and went out again as David mixed himself a drink； liberally diluting it with water。 He turned to Mr。 Strassmer。 The little German held up his glass。 〃L'chaim。〃
〃L'chaim；〃 David repeated。
Mr。 Strassmer swallowed his drink in one head…tilted…back gesture。 He coughed politely and turned to David； his eyes watering。 〃Ach； gut。〃
David nodded and sipped at his own。 It tasted terrible； even with water。 〃Another？〃 he asked politely。
Otto Strassmer smiled。 David refilled his glass and the little man turned and sat down on the couch。 〃So you're David；〃 he said。 〃I've heard a great deal about you。〃
David smiled back and nodded。 This was the kind of evening it would be。 By the time it was over； his face would ache from all this polite smiling。
〃Yes；〃 Mr。 Strassmer continued。 〃I have heard a great deal about you。 For a long time； I've wanted to meet you。 We both work for the same man； you know。〃
〃The same man？〃
〃Yes。〃 Mr。 Strassmer nodded。 〃Jonas Cord。 You work for him in the movie business。 I work for him in the plastics business。 We met your mother at shul last year when we went there for the High Holy Day services。〃 Mr。 Strassmer smiled。 〃We got to talking and found that my wife； Frieda； was a second cousin to your father。 Both families came originally from Silesia。〃
He swallowed the whisky in his glass。 Again he coughed； and looked up at David through teary eyes。 〃A small world； isn't it？〃
〃A small world；〃 David agreed。
His mother's voice came from behind him。 〃So； nu； it's time to sit down to supper already and where's this friend？〃
〃He should be here any minute； Mama。〃
〃Seven o'clock you told him？〃 his mother asked suspiciously。
David nodded。
〃So why isn't he here？ Don't he know when it's time to eat； you should eat or everything gets spoiled？〃
Just then the doorbell rang and David heaved a sigh of relief。 〃Here he is now； Mama；〃 he said； starting for the door。
The fall； good…looking young man who stood in t