Damnation of Adam Blessing (9 page)

It was Mrs. Cadwallader’s letter that drove Adam to the Gracie Branch Post Office that Monday morning in June. He knew now that she really meant it. As he filled out the regulation change-of-address slip, he felt sad and sorry that he was forced to do something so under-handed. He wrote down Charity’s name and address in the proper space, and then in the “changed to” space, he wrote Charity’s name again, and “c/o William Bollin,” with Billy’s address following. In about two days, Adam would find Charity’s mail in his box. Carefully, he signed Charity’s name as she wrote it, the tightly-knotted a’s and all. The
a’s
meant that Charity was extremely secretive. That was another reason Adam had to go to such lengths.

• • •

Even though Adam had presented Charity with Billy’s letter about her, Charity did not seem to realize that Billy was really against her! Once during Adam’s calls on the Cadwalladers last week, Charity had even shouted that she loved Billy. Adam had been even more disheartened when Mrs. Cadwallader put in that Billy was a fine person, far more decent than Adam was. Either both of them were gullible beyond belief, or there was something Adam did not know. Adam had mulled it over in his mind throughout the long week end. Perhaps his own behavior had not been exactly exemplary; nonetheless it should be perfectly plain to the Cadwalladers that Adam thought more highly of Charity than did Billy. Adam had even tried to reason with Charity’s mother, explaining to her that he would certainly never write in a letter that Charity was neurotic! In addition, Adam had pointed out that the Cadwalladers knew nothing at all about his character, and the fact that they were so against him from the start meant that Billy had been busy sabotaging Adam in some way.

Something was wrong somewhere; Adam knew it! An entire family simply did not turn on a young man without reason. He could appreciate the fact that they disapproved of Adam’s appearances when he was not wholly sober — they were not drinking people; but Adam had never made “demonstrations” as Mrs. Cadwallader said he had. He had simply tried to reason with them. Only once had he leaned against the doorbell of their apartment after they had asked him to leave; and that time he had simply wanted to reassure Mr. Cadwallader that he was not interested in Charity because of her money. He had just wanted to say that, then leave, but they had made such an issue of it, even threatening to buzz the elevator and get help from the elevator man. It was shabby treatment all around. Maybe he was not Billy Bollin, he told them, but he was a human being with feelings just the same.

It surprised Adam that
Mrs.
Cadwallader had written the letter. She had seemed so nice in the beginning, trying to be polite, telling Adam he was a nice young man, but Charity simply was not interested in him. Adam explained that Charity had not even given him a chance, and a chance was all he wanted. Mrs. Cadwallader had acted as though she was sympathetic to him, but she told Adam there was nothing
she
could do. She could persuade Charity to see him, Adam pointed out. This she refused to do, and Adam was sure Billy was behind it….

Charity herself Adam would never figure out. She told Adam that he had embarrassed her at Luchow’s, but when Adam asked her how, she said there was no point in going into it. Adam tried to exact the evening’s events from her, but she would not even show him the courtesy of sitting down with him and discussing it. What angered Adam most of all, and hurt him most deeply, was that Charity would not even make an appearance the last few times. Mr. Cadwallader said she was afraid of Adam, and Adam actually wept at that, right in front of Charity’s parents. Billy again — he knew it! Anyone who knew Adam knew he would never lift a hand to a girl, never! Nor to any person! What did they think he was! He wept, and Mrs. Cadwallader added insult to injury by saying that Adam needed “help.” Adam knew the kind of help she meant!

Of course he had apologized in a long letter. He had sent roses twice. When he attempted to send Mrs. Cadwallader a plant, toward the week’s end, the florist told him in a thoroughly unpleasant manner, that the Cadwalladers were not accepting any more flowers from Adam.

Adam handed the change-of-address slip to the postal clerk.

“My sister asked me to drop this off,” he said. “My sister’s getting married to Mr. Bollin.”

“Good for her!” said the clerk with a broad smile. Adam smiled back. The clerk was a nice fellow. There were some nice people left in the world after all.

On the way out of the post office, Adam rumpled the hair of a small boy in a playful gesture. He hoped the postal clerk noticed him doing it. There would be no reason for the clerk to be suspicious of him, but Adam liked to put in little touches. The clerk would think: pleasant young fellow, happy over his sister’s marriage … He would file the change-of-address slip automatically.

When Adam did begin receiving Charity’s mail, he was sure there would be a letter from Billy among the others, confirming Adam’s suspicions that Billy was writing lies about Adam. Adam only wanted one scrap of evidence. When he got it, he would simply file another postal slip, re-routing Charity’s mail back. If he was confronted with the same clerk, he would simply say that his sister was not marrying Mr. Bollin after all. He might even embellish the story a bit and say his sister had run off with a chap named Adam Blessing on the eve of her wedding…. Adam smiled and walked out into a cool spring’s end day.

• • •

The Mart had been closed all last week. Geismar was furious with Adam, but Adam no longer cared what Geismar thought. Ever since their fight over his not having shown up for Mrs. Auerbach’s service, Adam had made it clear that Geismar worked for him, and that he was not Adam’s priest. Geismar called Adam “cold-blooded” and expressed some doubt at Adam’s intentions to operate The Mart as Mrs. Auerbach had hoped he would. Adam told him that was none of his business.

Geismar would see what Adam would do with The Mart! Meanwhile, Adam had to concentrate on the present. He still had not located a buyer for the
Stammbuch.
He had filed for a passport, and he was already making inquiries with the steamship lines and airlines in an attempt to learn if Charity was booked yet. A surprise party, he explained, and while they were perfectly willing to try and help him, so far he had no information as to when she would go, or how.

Again, a letter to Charity from Billy might disclose details. Adam was only sorry he would never be able to tell Charity how he had found out any of the information that would be revealed, once he got his hands on a letter Billy wrote her. Charity would always believe that one of Billy’s letters had been lost en route. Perhaps by the time she did discover it, she would not care a bit. In between then and now, Adam would convince her somehow that Billy was a very shallow person; that she had been totally wrong about Adam as well. He would follow her to the Orient, if necessary; in a thousand ways he would demonstrate to Charity Cadwallader that he, Adam, was the person she deserved. At some point afterwards, years away — the three of them might all be fast friends. Maybe then Adam would tell both of them about this very day and the trick at the post office. Adam imagined Billy’s face, registering amazement at first, incredulity, then the break-through of laughter, the laughter of bygones-be-bygones. He could almost see Billy’s head tossed back as he laughed, the shock of red hair bobbing, laughing and telling him he never would have guessed, and Charity laughing with them, the three like a happy family.

• • •

On Tuesday Adam had another fight with Geismar. Geismar said he rather imagined the State of New York would get everything Mrs. Auerbach had, if Adam did not knuckle down to business. They were going to need character witnesses and affidavits proving Adam’s devotion to both Mrs. Auerbach and the business, said Geismar, and already too many merchants on the block with The Mart were aware it was not open lately. Adam explained that his helper would report at the week’s end; meanwhile Adam made arrangements to go to Washington, D.C. A dealer had expressed interest in the
Stammbuch.
Adam felt he could get the price he wanted for it, upwards of $30,000.

• • •

At four-forty-five Wednesday, Adam returned from his trip. After he got out of the cab and paid the driver, while he waited for his change, he saw King School letting out. He spotted Timothy Schneider immediately. The child was walking by himself, carrying a large briefcase, which he half-dragged along the sidewalk. A red sweater was tied about his waist, and he was dawdling as he walked, touching car fenders and walking with one leg in the gutter, one out. The sun made his glasses look like huge reflectors. On an impulse as he passed the boy, Adam said,
“Regardz
Timmy Schneider.” He smiled at the boy when he said it, but the boy just stared after him, with his finger in his mouth, frowning. As Adam turned in, he looked back and saw the boy still staring, hanging to a parking-sign pole, the briefcase twirling in his hand. Adam had one second’s thought about whether or not the boy should be loose like that, but he abandoned it when he opened his mailbox with his key. The letter from Billy was there. Mr. William Bollin to Miss Charity Cadwallader. Charity’s address was inked out and Billy’s New York address written to the side.

• • •

Adam dropped the rest of his mail into his coat pocket. He noticed a Special Delivery among some bills, and he hoped it was from the man in Washington making the sale definite. He recognized Geismar’s handwriting on one envelope, and he saw a bill from the florist on the corner. There was also a bill from Saks, addressed to Charity and forwarded. Adam let himself in the apartment. He felt no compulsion to drop everything and rip open Billy’s letter; quite the contrary. He wanted to enjoy it fully, savor it comfortably, out in the garden in the cool air. After he made himself a double Scotch on the rocks, he took the letter with him there. He took a swallow of the Scotch and began it: