Read 1977 - My Laugh Comes Last for Free Online

struggled to my feet, t h e sea and die beach swirled around me, and I had to sit down again. I waited. Then I again made the effort, and this time, swaying like a drunk, I managed to stay upright.
    The pain in my head raged. I set off slowly: each step as if I were wearing diver's boots, until I reached the sea. Kneeling, I washed the blood off my hands and scooped salt water against my aching face. The salt stung, but the sting brought me alive. I got to my feet and looked up and down the empty beach, then plodded back to my clothes.
    It took me some time to dress. Twice, I had to sit down and rest, but finally I got dressed, and by now I felt more or less alive.
    What had happened? Where was Glenda? Where was the squat man in the crumpled white suit?
    As if in a nightmare, I trudged across the hot sand to where I had left my car. I opened the car door and sank thankfully into the driving seat. I tilted the driving mirror and stared at myself. My right eye was puffy and black. The right side of my face was swollen, green and red, where the j squat man had hit me.
    Then in spite of my raging headache, my brain became more active. In two hours' time, I was due to play golf with; Brannigan, and while we played, I had to ask him to extend our credit. That was out. I had to telephone him and cancel our game. That was the first thing I must do. Then Glenda . . . but Brannigan first.
    I drove away from Ferris Point. There was a cafe-bar at the top of the sand road and I slowed, then again looking at myself in the driving mirror, I realized I would cause a sensation if I went in there to use their telephone, so I drove on.
    I was lucky with the traffic which was light at this time.
    My head screamed at me, my face continued to swell. If a traffic cop had spotted me during the four miles back to my apartment, he would have stopped me, but no traffic cop appeared.
    I scarcely knew what I was doing by the time I drove into the underground garage. I staggered out of my car, and looked at the bay where Glenda kept her car. It was empty.
    Five minutes later, I was somehow talking to Brannigan.
    I caught him as he was leaving for Sharnville. I told him I had had a car accident and would he excuse me?
    'Are you hurt, son?' he asked, concern in his voice.
    'My face and my windshield had an argument. I'm all right. I just have to nurse my bruises.'
    'What happened?'
    'Some lunatic. I took evasive action and banged my face.'
    'That's too bad. Anything I can do?'
    'Thanks, no. I'll be all right. Sorry about die game.'
    ‘We'll set up another date. Take it easy, son,' and he hung up.
    My head still raging, I crossed the corridor and rang Glenda's bell.
    'She's gone, Mr. Lucas.'
    I turned slowly. The old black cleaning woman was at the end of the corridor with her mop and her bucket.
    'Gone?'
    'Sure, Mr. Lucas. She left around seven this morning. She seemed in an awful hurry, carrying her bags. I offered to help her, but she walked through me as if I wasn't there.'
    She gaped at me. ‘Your poor face, Mr. Lucas!'
    'I had a car accident,' I said and returned to my apartment.
    I dropped on my bed and held my aching head in my hands. What was happening? What the hell was happening?
    Forcing myself upright, I went into the kitchen and got ice from the refrigerator. I wrapped ice cubes in a towel and held the towel to the back of my head. Moving slowly, I returned to the living room, holding the ice bag against my head. It helped a lot. Then after some minutes, I transferred the ice bag to my swollen face. That also helped. The raging pain began to diminish.
    Then die telephone bell rang.
    Glenda?
    I snatched up the receiver.
    'Mr. Lucas?' A brisk male voice.
    ‘Who is this?' I managed to mumble, shifting the ice bag to the back of my head.
    'The name is Edwin Klaus.' He spelt out. 'K-l-a-u-s.' A pause, then he went on, "We have business together. I'll be with you in ten minutes, Mr. Lucas, but first do me a favour. Take a look in your car trunk. I