Читать книгу Every Man for Himself - Mark J. Hannon - Страница 22

CHAPTER 18

DOWNTOWN, 1939

Johnny trotted up the steps into City Hall just before noon, and headed directly for the Licensing Department on the third floor with a manila envelope. Inside, he nodded to Ed Rybeck, one of the clerks, who glanced at the two other people behind the counter. Johnny stood off to the side, letting three other guys go ahead of him with their requests. When the room cleared out and the other two clerks left for lunch, Johnny went up to the counter and presented his applications for licenses.

“New machines?” Rybeck asked.

“New machines,” Johnny answered, “Plus, I want to switch the name on the other licenses to my name.”

“John Walenty?”

“John Walters. Name of the company stays the same. Walters

Vending.”

“How’s Walter doing?”

“Not good. Docs say he’ll never walk or talk again, and another stroke’ll kill him. I give the wife thirty dollars a week.”

“That’ll keep them going, John. Your fees are twelve dollars,” and in a low voice added, “Fifteen dollars for the other.”

Johnny put a ten and two ones on top of the applications and a ten under them. “Like I said, I’m giving Walter’s family thirty dollars a week.”

Another clerk walked into the office, munching on an apple. Rybeck shrugged. “Times are tough all over,” he said, and slid the money and the paperwork off the counter.