“He doesn’t care who he knows,” Anybodys called out.

Riff gestured for her to remain quiet. “Give her a doughnut or somethin’,” he said to the counterman. “How come you look so starved? Don’t you ever go home?”

“The answer to that is no,” she said.

Baby-John looked up from his comic book, annoyed that Anybodys had been reading the balloon dialogue aloud. “Then you should be out walkin’ the streets like your sister.”

Anybodys’ knuckles cracked Baby-John across the side of the head. “Go ahead,” she challenged, “tell Superman I clobbered you one and I’ll do the same to him.”

The counterman had served the last mug of coffee, placed a doughnut on a paper napkin, and pushed it toward Anybodys. “I need another sixty cents,” he said. “And I’m forgettin’ about the tax.”

“Keep the change, my good man,” Mouthpiece said, as he crumpled a dollar bill and threw it at the counterman.

“I haven’t seen Bernardo all night,” the counterman said. “If you ask me, he’s not goin’ to show. As a matter of fact, he hardly ever comes in here, seein’ as he owes the boss five bucks.”

“He’ll be here,” Riff said, as he blew across the rim of the mug. “He chose this neutral territory for our board meeting. We’re gonna debate with the PR’s about their place in society. Want to join us?”

“Sorry, I’ve got previous plans to get drunk, get picked up, and get sent to the work house for thirty days,” the counterman replied. “So, no insult intended, but I’m gonna have to turn down your invitation. But why don’t you take some advice? Go home and forget it.”

“We can’t hear you,” Diesel said as he cupped his ears with both hands. “What kind of weapons do you think he’s gonna choose?”

“Ask Bernardo,” Riff said, as he left his stool to open the door, “because here he comes.”

Baby-John put away the comic book and Anybodys whirled her stool around, so that she could rest her dirty elbows on the counter behind her. With exaggerated courtesy, Riff opened the door wide and gestured for Bernardo and the Sharks to enter.

Bernardo looked around, was convinced that no ambush was possible, and the movement of his shoulder told the Sharks to follow him into the small restaurant.

“Hope we didn’t keep you waiting,” Bernardo broke the silence.

“We enjoyed it,” Riff replied. “How about some coffee?”

“Let’s get down to business.”

Riff looked at the clock, then at Action. “Bernardo hasn’t learned the procedures of gracious livin’.”

“Bullshit,” Bernardo said, “I don’t like you either.” He turned to the counterman. “Cut some of these lights and get busy in the back room.”

“Now I don’t want no trouble in here,” the counterman protested.

In exasperation, and to prove that he was as tough as Bernardo, Riff moved around the counter to flick the light switch before he pushed the counterman toward the back. “You’ve been workin’ too hard. Relax. We’re not gonna break up the joint. But we don’t want you giving us no trouble. And stay away from that phone!”