Huddy forced himself to be patient as he explained. “You don’t have to wear a gun for this job, Mr. Pickett. All you have to do is watch the monitors. If anything serious appears, it’s up to you to call in the men with guns.”
“Don’t sound like I’d be much of a guard, then.”
“It’s up to you whether or not you want to wear a gun, Mr. Pickett. You have a choice. What we really need is someone with good eyes who doesn’t mind just sitting in one place for long periods of time. Not everyone can do that, you know. It’s especially hard on younger men.”
“Sorry,” Pickett said. “Still not interested. You want a beer?”
Huddy did indeed, but he wasn’t quite willing to chance the unknown that might emerge from this old man’s refrigerator. “No thanks. I just had lunch. Tell me something, Mr. Pickett. Doesn’t living here worry you? I realize you’ve spent your life here, but surely the neighborhood’s changed drastically from when you were a child.”
“It sure has,” said Pickett. “Sure has. Didn’t hardly ever used to be anybody t’come up the road. Wasn’t even much of a road when mom and pop put this place up.”
“And that doesn’t concern you at all, Mr. Pickett? The adult retirement building in which you’d be living has a full security system, medical personnel on call, all kinds of privacy and protection.”
“You don’t understand.” Pickett grinned at him. “I like the way this neighborhood’s changed, Huddy. It used to be awfully lonely until the families started moving in—the San-chezes, the Rials, the Diazes and Diegos and Dan Phungs.”
“That doesn’t bother you?”
“Naw. Told you, I like the company. I get a kick out of having all the kids around. Say, you know what they call me?”
“El hombre magico,” said Huddy absently. “They told me.”
“Yeah. The magic man. Ain’t that a kick? An old fart like me.” Pickett was obviously pleased with his title. “I do little parlor tricks for them, keep ’em amused when they’re out of school which for some of them is most of the time. In return, their mommas do me nice. You know, handle some of my shopping and complicated laundry and stuff. I’m kind of the neighborhood baby sitter. By default.” His grin widened. “That suits me better than looking for burglars and snake thieves.” He nodded toward the far end of the room. “If I want to stare at the tube I’d rather watch Laverne and Shirley or football than some empty corridor. So if you’re here to try and talk me into taking that job, sonny, I’m afraid you’ve wasted your morning.” He hesitated a moment. “Say, maybe you can tell me something.”
“If I can.” The disappointed Huddy was preparing to leave.
Pickett gestured to his right. “It’s about that old dump down there.” Huddy tensed immediately. “That goo’s been stinking and festering down there for as long as I can remember. And all of a sudden I wake up a few days ago and it looks like King Kong’s been workin’ down there with a bucket and spade. The whole place’s cleaned out. Somebody must’ve been in a godawful hurry to do that, Mr. Huddy. I was just wondering if you might know who did it and why? Not the clean-up; that was years overdue. But why so fast?”
“Beats me,” said Huddy carefully. “All I can think of is that the dumpers just decided it was time to clean the place up and they might as well get it done with.”
“It was time, alright. It was time thirty or forty years ago.” He winced and his hand went to his chest. It was just for a second and he didn’t reach for the bottle of tablets on the coffee table.
“Better late than never, I suppose. Doesn’t matter to me anymore. But kids play down there all the time, you know? Just like my sister and I did when we were growing up. Their moms and dads try to keep ’em out, but kids will play wherever they feel like it. I try to warn ’em away, but I don’t know much of their lingo and some of them don’t know much English. It’s good to see the trees and grass down there now. Better for ’em.”
“I’m sure whatever companies were responsible feel better for finally having performed the clean-up,” Huddy said guilelessly.
“Yeah. Too bad they didn’t do it a long time ago, though. I had a sister, you know? Lived with me here for a long time. Catherine. She moved away not long after mom and dad died. Died too young, Caty did. Always wondered if maybe the stuff that was dumped down there”—and he gestured in the direction of the valley once again—“might’ve had something to do with her dying so young.”
“People die young all the time,” Huddy pointed out. “What did she die of?”
“Cancer. Of the lungs and liver. Real pretty girl, Catherine was. My folks both went with cancer, too. Guess I was just the lucky one.”
“You see,” said Huddy, “it runs in the family. You can’t blame it on a single source.”
“Yeah, maybe,” said Huddy softly, “but we didn’t have no cancer in the family before dad died. Leastwise, none that I ever heard tell of.”
“Well, you know what old medical records are like. In the old days they weren’t always sure what killed people. Even when they were, they gave the diseases all kinds of different names.”
“That’s so,” Pickett admitted, “but it don’t matter much now, I guess. What’s past is past. I’m just glad to see the garbage finally cleaned up.”
“Me too,” said Huddy. He rose. “Well then, if I can’t convince you to take our offer, Mr. Pickett….”
“I’m afraid you can’t, sonny.”
“You obviously feel strongly about that dumpsite. I guess if anybody asked you how you felt about it you’d tell them how happy you were to finally see it cleaned up?”
“Sure would. Tell ’em the same things I told you. What’s past is past.”
Huddy relaxed inside. This man is safe, he decided. “I want to thank you for your time, Mr. Pickett. I guess Masters Security will just have to look elsewhere.”
“Guess they will.” Pickett rose and started for the front door. “Tell me something, though, Mr. Huddy. Why are they so keen on me? I’ve been retired for years.”
“Good references. The social security department refers us to such people. We like to try and help out our senior citizens whenever we can. This job is suitable for someone of advanced age. I’m sure we’ll have no trouble filling it.”
“That’s good, because I’m just fine and happy right here.” Huddy put one hand against the door. “Don’t think I don’t appreciate what you’re tryin’ to do for me. I’m just not your man.”
Now that.the interview was over, Huddy was anxious to be on his way back to the office. He still would have preferred that Pickett accept the job, but after talking with him he was pretty sure the old man wouldn’t say anything too upsetting to any nosy county inspectors who might come knocking at his door. He’d likely just go on about how nice the site looked now and how good it would be for the kids.
There was a knock at the door and the faint sound of giggling. “That’d be Ortuno and his bunch,” said Pickett. “I guess Carlos’ mamacita got back from the Safeway.”
“I’ll be on my way, Mr. Pickett. Thanks for your time, and if you ever change your mind, you have Masters’ phone number.”
“Yeah, I guess I stuck it around here somewheres when that other fella gave it to me. You take it slow, sonny.”
“Sure will.”
Pickett moved aside as Huddy opened the door. They both exited, Pickett following in Huddy’s wake. Dirty, dusty children clustered around the old man, laughing and giggling and shouting at him in a local patois of Spanish and English. Two of them shoved pop bottles toward him.
“Now just hold on there a minute.” Pickett made placating gestures with both hands. “I can’t take everybody at once. Who wants to be first? Will it be you?” He pointed sharply at a little girl, who put both hands to her mouth and shook her head. “How about you?” The little boy singled out took a step backward.
