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Show Flying - 23 the stone arch at the entrance and gives him a nod and a smile. Down the street is a bar, and John Henry heads for it. I can fight off the whores and have a couple of drinks "and get warm. But when he looks inside, the bar is full of black soldiers, who look at him without friendliness. A cop comes out of a nearby doorway and takes him by the arm. "You no want to go in there," says the cop, and steers John Henry down the street to the next bar. "This is the place for you," says the cop. and pats him on the shoulder. "Have a good time." Inside, standing at the bar with five or six soldiers around her,, is the Blonde Whore. John Henry saw her last night, but she wanted twenty dollars. She is not beautiful, but she has blonde hair and looks American and the young soldiers are all buzzing around her. They pick out songs, feed quarters in the juke box, and take turns dancing with her. The other whores look on sullenly. John Henry looks around for his friends. If only he can find Thompson, who has the car keys, he can spend the rest of the night in the warm back seat of the Ford. But Thompson is nowhere in sight, shacked up, John Henry supposes, with the whore he claims loves him. The whores keep leaning against John Henry and trying to reach between his legs. He stands close to the bar to make it as difficult for them |