He glanced again at the Negro and stared. Some day, he thought – as he always did when a Negro face confronted him – some day he must look into the various types of niggers. It was academic, he knew, for he did not need the information for his work, but still …

A hand touched his shoulder. Instantly his body stiffened as he turned.

‘Hullo, Newman. Just looked up and seen you.’

With the expression of affable condescension which changed his face whenever he encountered Fred, he asked, ‘How was it in your house, warm last night?’

‘We always get a breeze through the back windows.’ Fred lived next door. ‘Didn’t you get a breeze?’ he asked, as though he lived in a breezier part of town.

‘Oh certainly,’ Mr Newman said, ‘I slept with a blanket.’

‘I’m putting a cot down cellar,’ Fred said, prodding New-man’s arm. ‘Now that I got it all finished off down there it’s cool as hell.’

Newman considered. ‘Probably be damp down there.

‘Not since it’s finished off,’ Fred said, definitely.

Mr Newman looked away inconclusively. For one thing Fred worked in the maintenance department of the same company, although in a different building, and wore his overalls to work as well as his overall manners. As he often did when confronted by Fred, Mr Newman felt an irritated resolve to have his own cellar finished off whether he could afford it or not. He could never understand how this lumbering boar could be worth twice what he was to the same company, considering the importance of his own work and the exceptional nature of his talents. Neither did he enjoy being seen on the subway with Fred, who invariably jabbed him with his finger when he spoke.

‘How’d you like the row on the street last night?’ Fred asked. There was a suppressed smile of the risqué on his heavy jaw, which was attached to his face by two long, deep creases on either side.

‘I heard it. How’d it wind up?’ Mr Newman asked, his handsome lower lip protruding judiciously as it did when he became intent.

‘Oh, we went out and got Petey to bed. Boy, he was crocked.’

‘Was that Ahearn out there?’ he whispered in surprise.

‘Yeh, he was comin’ home with a load on and he seen this Spic woman. She wasn’t bad from what I seen of her.’ Fred had a habit of glancing behind him as he spoke.

‘Did the police come?’

‘Naa, we kicked her off the block and put Pete to bed.’

The train stopped at a station and they were separated for a moment. When the doors closed Fred came back to Mr Newman. They stood silent for several minutes. Mr Newman kept looking up at Fred’s hairy wrist which was very thick and probably powerful. He remembered how well Fred used to bowl last summer. It was strange how sometimes he enjoyed being with Fred and Fred’s gang on the block and then at times like this could not bear him around. He remembered a picnic they had had at Marine Park and the fight Fred had …