johnny opened the door. the night desk clerk, mr robert roover, who had not been on duty when frankie and johnny had checked in at noon , stood before him.
can i help you, johnny asked him in his habitually polite and smooth manner.
yes, i am sorry to bother you, but we have had a complaint about the noise from this room.
we wasn’t making no stinking noise, frankie shouted.
johnny ignored her. i am sorry, he told mr roover , but it won’t happen again. we were having a slightly heated argument, snd i am afraid i may have overreacted a little bit. i accept full responsibility and assure you again it won’t happen again.
jeez, johnny, frankie interposed, can you lay on the soft soap or what? you can spread more of them bubbles than pharoah spread sand over the desert.
mr roover coughed discreetly. thank you, he addressed johnny. i am afraid the guest who complained, lord curzon, is a rather short tempered gentleman of delicate constitution. thank you for being so understanding.
hey, i know this guy, frankie said. i seen him somewhere. i know, i seen him in the papers and i don’t mean the funny papers neither.
yes sir, johnny added in a more civilized manner, i seem to recognize you myself.
ah, i am afraid you have found me out, sir, the clerk replied ruefully. although i now call myself robert roover, i was formerly known as herbert hoover, and occupied, however fleetingly, positions of some
responsibility in the great world.
of course, johnny exclaimed. i should have recognized you sooner. well, sir, i can only hope you are adjusting without too much difficulty to your present circumstances.
you know, man. frankie addressed mr roover/hoover, you shouldn’t ever be ashamed of who you are. it don’t pay in the long run. even judas iscariot and ted bundy owned up to who they were. so take my advice, and stand up and tell the world who you are.
the night clerk bowed toward frankie. thank you, madam, for that heartfelt advice and no doubt well earned wisdom. and on that happy note, i bid you both good evening.
roover/hoover left, and closed the door softly behind him.
johnny went back to the bed and picked the newspaper off it and handed it back to frankie.
frankie took the pencil from behind her ear and resumed doing the crossword puzzle.
johnny sat down on the bed, and stared into space, looking thoughtful.
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