Read Last Exit to Brooklyn - Hubert Selby Jr for Free Online Page B

face. She lined them up, handles facing her, and
started from the left with the back brush. They told her to hurry or
she would be attacked while bathing and O she was frightened, they
should know better than to talk of such things. She was so upset she
almost broke wind.
    Camille had finished her bath, collected her brushes
and was primping in the bathroom when the bell rang. Georgette almost
jumped to the door, but contained herself, sat back, leaning her head
to one side hoping the light was falling on her face properly, and
waited for someone to open the door. She held her cigarette daintily
and tried to hide her excitement. Over an hour since the call and
though Miss Camille, while in the tub, had afforded Georgette an
opportunity to appear relaxed and carefree, during the time that
elapsed since Camille finished Georgette was forced to retain her
position, and the center of attraction, by amusing the others with
stories, laying this one and that one out, the girls laughing at her
wit; continually talking and hoping the bell would ring before too
many seconds of silence forced her to think of what to say next or
allowed the others to become conscious of time and ask about Vinnie
(VINNIE!!! Vinnie had to come) or allowed her fears to come back to
the surface . . . but the bell rang and she swallowed another bennie,
finished her bouillon and once again adjusted herself on her throne.
    Goldie opened the door and the boys strolled in,
looked around, stood in the kitchen, looking, until Vinnie led the
way into the living room. Whatayasay Georgie? Hows the leg? O, just
fine, thank you, tilting her head to the side just a wee bit more and
taking a quick Bette Davis like drag on her cigarette. The other guys
strolled around the room, eventually flopping here and there. Harrys
eyes bugged when he saw Lee. She looked like one of the show girls
you see in some of the magazines (her hair was shoulder length and
golden blond and she was always smartly in drag), a real doll. Harry
kept staring, not digging the score. He had never been to Goldies
before and he thought maybe she was Rosie the freak he had heard the
guys talk about, but man, she didnt look like no freak. She looked
like a real fine piecea ass. Goldie prepared drinks, putting a bennie
in each, and stepped lightly through the rooms dispensing them,
smiling and simply brimming over with joy. Lee told Rosie to bring
her another pack of cigarettes and when Rosie simpered and said no
Lee pointed a finger at her and told her to bring them here at once
or you will be out on the street with the other freaks, Miss
Cocksucker. (Harry looked at Lee, still puzzled, then figured she
must be one of the queens. But shes still a fine piecea ass.) Rosie
threw the cigarettes to Lee and ran to the bathroom and pounded on
the door until Camille unlocked it, then stepped around her and sat
on the floor between the sink and the toilet-bowl. O really Rosie. I
mean! Camille sniffed, primped her hair again, peeked out, walked to
the kitchen and slowly inched her way to the living room hoping her
makeup was on properly (that light over the mirror is simply
terrible) and glided into the room and slowly lowered herself beside
Goldie and, as did the other girls, surveyed the prospective suitors.
Her eyes almost blurred with excitement. They had such hard looks.
Why their eyes went right through you as if you were naked. She
squirmed slightly. But it is wonderful. But what should she do? Of
course she had never even so much as hinted the truth to the other
girls, but she was a virgin. She had talked with a few of the queens
back home and they told her how to go about doing it, always
cautioning her never, but never to take it out of her mouth when he
was coming because it might just get all over you and in your eyes
and you know honey, you can go blind from that, and anyway thats the
moment when everything just explodes and you wont want to take it out
. . . But how do you start? what do you say??? O,