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The girls giggled。 〃That's for boats；〃 Sue Ellen said。 〃They have to blow a horn three times to get the bridges lifted。〃
〃I guess he knew that much；〃 Hoke said。 〃That's why he believed the amphibian had to do the same thing。〃
〃Will you take us over to Bimini sometime？〃 Aileen said。
〃Sure； but there's nothing there。 It's only sixty miles and twenty minutes away by Chalk； and it's a nice place to take girls for a weekend。 Just don't try to pin me down to any definite time。 You know by now we have a cash…flow problem。 This is all family talk； understand； just between the three of us。 I don't tell my partner everything； and you're not to say anything to Ellita； either。〃
〃What's the matter with her； Daddy？〃 Sue Ellen said。 〃Why was she crying？〃
〃She's got a few problems of her own； but I can't discuss Ellita's personal problems with you； either。 If she wants to tell you； she will。 All I can say is that she's been living at home； and now she's left home and she's going to get a place of her own somewhere。 She's never lived alone before； and I guess she misses her mother。〃 Hoke smiled； and patted Sue Ellen's left knee。 〃I suppose you girls miss your mother； too？〃
The girls looked at each other。
〃Not me；〃 Sue Ellen said； lighting a cigarette with her disposable lighter。
〃Me neither；〃 Aileen said。 〃I thought I would at first； but I haven't so far。'
〃Maybe it hasn't caught up with you yet。 Besides； Cubans aren't like us。 What's that you're smoking； Sue Ellen？〃
〃It's a generic cigarette。 That's the only kind the machine downstairs carries； and they don't taste like much of anything。〃
〃I should've warned you about that。 That's Mr。 Bennett's personal machine。 He stocks his own machine； you see； and at a buck and a half a pack he makes a bigger profit on generics than he would on real cigarettes。 From now on； buy your cigarettes at the supermarket； you'll save fifty cents a pack。〃
〃I've never seen Mr。 Bennett； or Emilio either；〃 Aileen said。 〃Everybody's always looking for Emilio； but no one ever finds him。〃
〃Mr。 Bennett gets the kind of help he pays for。 But Emilio's around。 You can see the evidence of his work。 Didn't you notice how neatly the gravel driveway was raked this morning？ That's Emilio。 But Mr。 Bennett only es around late at night； when he es around at all。 Otherwise he'd be bothered by the residents plaining to him all the time。 But it works out。 Any time an old lady gripes to me or Mr。 Cohen； we refer her to Mr。 Bennett。 But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about。 Your mother's house in Vero Beach。 What's she going to do with it？ Will she sell it or rent it out？〃
〃She'll never sell it；〃 Sue Ellen said。 〃She and Curly'll live in it when the Dodgers e back for spring training next year。 She could probably rent it； but I can't see her doing that； not with all her nice things and all。〃
〃It was just a passing thought；〃 Hoke said。 〃If Patsy would give me the house； I could try for a job on the police force up in Vero； and…〃
〃No； Daddy。〃 Sue Ellen shook her curls。 〃Momma wouldn't give you anything。 You might not believe it； but Momma doesn't like you very much。 Isn't that right； Aileen？〃
〃She hates your guts； Daddy；〃 Aileen said； nodding in agreement。 〃That's a fact。〃
〃I've often suspected that；〃 Hoke said； 〃especially when her lawyer calls me。 But it was just a thought。 I'd hate to live in Vero anyway。 But we're going to have to be practical。 Tomorrow morning； when I go to the station； Sue Ellen； I'll take you with me。 Then you can start looking for work at all the places of business closest to the police station。 The cafés； shops； drugstores； dry cleaners； whatever。 Go to each place in turn； but the closer to the police station you find work； the easier it'll be for both of us。 That way； when you get a job； I can drop you off each morning on the way to work； and then bring you back here； or wherever we move to next Friday； when my shift is over。〃
〃I've never had a job before。 What do I say？〃
〃First； you have to look nice。 Wear a dress and pan…。 tyhose； and some shoes with heels…not those running shoes。 Fix your hair and put on some lipstick。 Then； you walk in and say； 'I'm looking for a job。' The guy or the woman who runs the place will then say； 'We don't need anybody。' What you do then is point out that they do need someone。 Show them how dirty their windows are； and that they need washing。 Point out the dust； and other dirty things。 Then tell them that you'll clean the place up for three dollars an hour。 About every third place； especially the smaller shops； is always crummy。 So you'll get some work all right。 A cleanup person for only three bucks an hour's a bargain； so they'll hire you instead of doing it themselves。 Do you have any problems with that？〃
Sue Ellen frowned。 〃What about stuff to clean with？ Should I buy some…〃
〃No。 At only three bucks an hour； they'll have to furnish the equipment and cleaners and whatnot。 All these places have brooms and rags and soap； but they're too lazy to use it。 Concentrate on shoe stores。 Did you girls ever use a restroom in a shoe store？〃
〃I asked once；〃 Aileen said； 〃but they said it was for employees only。〃
〃You know why they said that？ It's because the rest rooms in shoe stores are the dirtiest johns in the entire United States。 Shoe salesmen； wearing suits and ties； think they're too good to clean up their john； so they let it go to hell。 You can get two hours' work； or six bucks； for every shoe…shop john you clean。 They're filthy。〃
〃What about me； Daddy？〃 Aileen said。
〃Until you're sixteen； you can't get a work permit； but you can go into private enterprise。 There's a good way to make some money。 When I was a kid up in Riviera； I washed dogs one summer； and you can do the same。 I used to get two dollars a dog； but times have changed with inflation。 You can charge five bucks a dog now； and they'll pay up without a word； because people hate to wash their own dogs。 We'll get you a bucket and some laundry soap from the utility room； a dozen towels or so； and you can hit up the dog owners in the apartment houses around here。 No dogs are allowed in the hotel； but a lot of these old people in the apartment houses have them。 So you can wash their dog； dry it off with towels； and pick up five bucks a dog。 If you wash four in the morning； and four more in the afternoon； you'll make forty dollars a day。〃
〃If it's so easy to make forty dollars a day； why doesn't Emilio do it？〃 Aileen said。 〃You told us he worked in the hotel for nothing except his room and tips。 These old peopie around here aren't going to tip him much…they can't even find him。〃
〃It's hard to explain； honey〃…Hoke took a breath…〃but Emilio's a Cuban refugee who was raised as a munist in Cuba。 The munists don't understand the American way of life。 They don't allow free enterprise in Cuba； and their government finds everybody jobs； jobs they have to take whether they want them or not。 When there are no jobs； they give them free food and a place to stay anyway。 Besides； Emilio gets a check for eighty…five bucks a month from some Cuban refugee organization here in Miami Beach； just because he's a Marielito。 If he started to make any money on hi