Carmella Commands
which Tommaso alone never would have aspired. One day he met Mr. Barrington on the street, and the latter stopped him.
“Who’s this Coletta you’re in with?” he asked. “Name sounds familiar.”
“Remember the wop kid out at the Greendale plat?”
“You bet I do! Little she-hellion that Mrs. B. had at the house.”
“That’s the one.”
“I remember her all right. Only kid that ever sassed me and got away with it. Bright kid! Her old man takes after her, as I remember.”
“Well, he gets there when he starts.”
Mr. Barrington laughed.
“Had any big jobs yet?” he asked.
“Big by being groups of small ones, yes! But no downtown work yet. We’re headed for it, though. Got any for us?”
“Well, I’m going to have a big job before long. I’m moving downtown. Suburban work’s too chancy. Want to bid on it?”
“We’ll tackle anything, including foundations now, just so long as it doesn’t involve foundations of neighboring buildings. I haven’t quite mastered that trick yet.”
Mr. Barrington thought a moment.
“By George, you’re on!” he said. “Keep in touch with me. Send your address to my secretary and tell her I said to file it.”
[262]
