Thursday the Rabbi Walked Out by Harry Kemelman Page A

the car.”
    Molly reminded Gore of the Jordon report again at noon, and he said he’d get on it as soon as he returned from lunch. But he met some customers at lunch and it was after two when he got back. When she asked him about it once again, he said. “I’ve been thinking it over. If I bring it with me. I’ll have to go over it with him and discuss it item by item. I could be there till midnight. I’ll tell him I’m sending it by mail.”
    “But he is such a stickler for getting his reports on the day they’re due, and it’s due today.”
    He grinned impishly at her. “Well, that still gives me until midnight, and if it’s dropped in the mail after five it will be too late for the Saturday delivery. So I could drop it off at the post office anytime during the weekend, and he’d still get it Monday.”
    She looked doubtful, and asked. “Is it something I can do?”
    He pinched his lower lip, looking at her speculatively. “You know, as a matter of fact, you can, there’s really nothing very involved, here, let me show you.” He got out the Ellsworth Jordon folder. “These are purchases and these represent sales, mostly stocks, but there are some real estate transactions, too. So you list these together –”
    “I had some bookkeeping in high school.”
    “Believe me, that’s good enough, that and your good common sense, all you have to do is list these in one column and these in another. You itemize them, of course, but it’s pretty much all spelled out. Just follow the form on the earlier reports and do a good typing job.”
    She was not nearly finished by closing time, but she offered to work on it at home.
    “I hate to ask you to,” he said.
    “You’re not asking me. I’m volunteering.”
    “But won’t Herb –”
    “Herb is running the Brotherhood service at the temple tonight, and I’ve got to stay home anyway to baby-sit for his mother.”
    “Then she –”
    “She goes right upstairs after dinner, and by eight o’clock she’s fast asleep. Really, I don’t mind. It will give me something to do.”
    “Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind. I’ll make it up to you.”

Chapter Sixteen
    Maltzman heard the phone ringing just as he got to the door, he hurriedly fished for his key on the chance it was for him. Sure enough, as he opened the door, he heard his wife say; “Oh, he’s coming in right now. Just a minute.” She cupped her hand over the mouthpiece and whispered. “It’s Mr. Segal.”
    He took the instrument from her and said. “Mr. Segal? How are you? – Fine – No, not yet. I tried to contact him a couple of times and was unable to reach him – Yeah, I understand – I’ll get hold of him in the next day or two – Oh sure. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear – Fine – Fine – Bye now.”
    He replaced the receiver and explained. “About the house lot on the Point, these big shot financiers, they want something, and they think you get it” – he snapped his fingers – “just like that.”
    “And did you try to contact Ellsworth Jordon?”
    “Of course not, but I don’t have to tell him that.”
    “Are you worried that –”
    “I’m worried that Ellsworth Jordon might not want to deal with me and will say that the land is not for sale. Or he might ask some ridiculous price that even Ben Segal wouldn’t be willing to pay.”
    “Maybe you could get somebody else. Dalton Realty maybe, to front for you?”
    “And split the commission? Like hell.”
    “So what are you planning to do?”
    “I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it. I might see Larry Gore, who handles some of his business, he’s a reasonable guy; and I know he thinks well of me because he recommended me to Segal. I could talk to him and lay my cards on the table and maybe –”
    “Maybe you’re just imagining things, Henry,” said his wife. “Maybe you’re just working yourself up like the man in that story who goes to borrow a lawn mower from his neighbor. Jordon might be anxious to sell,