MEMPHIS: Let me get a dollar on that seven sixty-four. If that come out that’ll hold me till the city do their paperwork. If that come out I might buy me a new pair of shoes. I ain’t going to be like West. West been wearing the same pair of shoes for three years. Got the heels all run over and everything. He do keep them shined. I’ll say that for him. I ain’t never seen him without his shoes shined.

WOLF: I ain’t never seen him without them gloves. He wear them gloves everywhere. I believe he wear them to bed. I hear tell he got a wooden hand.

HOLLOWAY: West ain’t got no wooden hand. He be touching them dead people . . .  I’d wear gloves too.

WOLF: He can take them off and wash his hands. He don’t be touching them all the time. I ain’t never seen him without them gloves. I ain’t never seen him in nothing but black. Everything he wear is black. Black hat. Black suit. Black shoes. Black tie. The only thing he wear is that white shirt. Everything else is black.

HOLLOWAY: That’s what he supposed to wear. All undertakers wear black. What it look like if he showed up to bury somebody in a red suit? They supposed to wear black.

WOLF: He do make them bodies look good. Make them look natural.

MEMPHIS: People kill me with that. How somebody dead gonna look natural?

WOLF: That’s what the people say. Say they look better than when they was living. That’s why the people like West.

HOLLOWAY: The people like West cause he get the cars there on time. He say he be there to pick you up at one o’clock . . .  that’s what time he come. He be real nice and polite—it’s “No sir” and “Yes ma’am.” “Watch your step.” “Can I get you some water?” The people like that. You even act like you want to faint and West will be right there at your elbow.

MEMPHIS: He do all that after he got the money.

HOLLOWAY: Quite naturally he gonna get the money first.