Carmella Commands
the dance hall. “I simply gotta dance that again.” She took out her purse and handed him the ten-dollar bill her father had given her.
“Listen!” she repeated. “You go on out to the candy counter and get me some gum. Five cents’ worth. That’ll give you a bunch of bills. Make ’em give you a two-spot. That’ll be enough. Then you’ll walk up to that orchestra and slip the two-spot to the leader and tell him to play that dance again. I simply have got to do it.”
Carmella drawled the last sentence like a society leader.
Nicolo stared.
“Where’d you get this money?” he asked.
“Never you mind,” she answered. “Maybe I’m making money faster than you. You do what I say.”
She sat down while Nicolo walked to the foyer, bought the gum, and got his change. The attendant gave him a five-dollar bill and four ones, besides the silver. Nicolo passed back two ones.
“Give me a two-spot for that,” he said.
“Reckon you ain’t superstitious,” said the attendant, making the exchange. “Most of our customers won’t take a two-spot.”
“Neither would I, except for something special,” answered Nicolo.
He showed the bill to Carmella, as he gave her back her money.
“That’s great,” she said. “Now do your stuff.”
[116]
