onna give you some of the nicest new
potatoes you ever seen。〃
〃I send the boy；〃 Hallorann said。 〃You in up tonight？〃
〃You supplyin the juice； bro？〃
〃That's a big ten…four。〃
〃I be there。 You keep that thing off the top end goin home； you hear me？ Every
cop between here an St。 Pete knows your name。〃
〃You know all about it； huh？〃 Hallorann asked； grinning。
〃I know more than you'll ever learn； my man。〃
〃Listen to this sassy nigger。 Would you listen？〃
〃Go on； get outta here fore I start throwin these lettuces。〃
〃Go on an throw em。 I'll take anything for free。〃
Masterton made as if to throw one。 Hallorann ducked； rolled up the window； and
drove on。 He was feeling fine。 For the last half hour or so he had been smelling
oranges； but he didn't find that queer。 For the last half hour he had been in a
fruit and vegetable market。
It was 4：30 p。m。； EST； the first day of December； Old Man Winter settling his
frostbitten rump firmly onto most of the country； but down here the men wore
open…throated shortsleeve shirts and the women were in light summer dresses and
shorts。 On top of the First Bank of Florida building； a digital thermometer
bordered with huge grapefruits was flashing 79° over and over。 Thank God for
Florida； Hallorann thought； mosquitoes and all。
In the back of the limo were two dozen avocados； a crate of cucumbers； ditto
oranges； ditto grapefruit。 Three shopping sacks filled with Bermuda onions； the
sweetest vegetable a loving God ever created； some pretty good sweet peas； which
would be served with the entree and e back uneaten nine times out of ten； and
a single blue Hubbard squash that wa