（外文电子版资料）Joe Haldeman - No Future In It.pdf

NO FUTURE IN I T Its not easy to keep exactly one-eighth inch its good protective coloration. With a suit and tie, you look like a gentleman whos decided to grow a beard. With rumpled old Salvation Army clothes, you look like a down-and-ou rummy. It depends on the class of people you want to listen to, study. I was in the rummy outfit when I met Bill Caddis thought Bill was on the same scam I was; he talked too well to be in the dreg business. He was for real, though. Theres this wonderful sleaze bar in downtown Tampa. No name, just a bunch of bee signs in the window. The one for Pearl has a busted laser that flutters stroboscopically. You dont want to sit too near the window. Its a good bar for private conve right under the twelve-laner that sweeps out over the bay, and theres a constant moan o traffic, all day and all night. Theres a fine gritty layer of plaster dust everywhere, and not too much light. The bartender is booze is cheap; they make most of their money ups the bar, for camouflage. I sat down at the bar and the bartender polished glasses while one of the whores, a pretty boy-girl, sidled in for the kill. When I said saving for a real pair of tits service sometimes, and they like sexy pathos鈥攂ut turned her down more finally. Bad News doesnt pay that well. When she left the bartender came over and I ordered a Myerss with a hard-core combination. Id taken two Flame-out dozen or so without too ill effect. Until morning. Little early in the day for that, isnt it? The criticize. He was nursing a double bourbon or scotch, neat. Dusty, I said. The man was dressed a little more neatly than I, in fa looked too old to be a laborer, shock of white hair with a yellowish cast. deep tan and permanent squint of one whos spent decades in the Florida sun. I tossed bac the jigger of rum and sipped the beer. Come