Out of the Easy

To check if anyone tries to enter the house, Josie leaves dirt on the porch steps before they leave. Jesse takes her pistol at her request and helps her on the motorcycle. He did not drive his car because he is not done restoring it and wants Josie to see the finished product. He flirtatiously tells Josie to “try to control [herself]” (230) while holding onto him. The feeling of being on the motorcycle thrills her and she begs him to go faster. As the bike speeds up, she feels simultaneously scared and thrilled. She feels safe with Jesse and like she is “letting a scream out of a bottle” (231). They pull over at the grocery store and Josie raves about how much she loved the ride, with Jesse agreeing that he loves to feel adrenaline. They flirt as they grab sodas, and Jesse gently touches her face.

The owner of the store gives Josie a letter from Patrick, who updates her on his life and her mother’s case. Josie is irked that Betty Lockwell visited him at the bookstore, and she throws rocks, pretending she is hitting Betty. She is evasive when Jesse asks how long she has been dating Patrick and whether he kisses well. She pushes back, saying he surely has plenty of girls. He admits he is “not lonely” but “[doesn’t] have a girlfriend” (233). He confronts her about the night they had sodas together. She told him she was meeting Patrick, and he followed her to make sure she was safe. He says Patrick never showed up and he saw Josie crying over it. Josie tries to clarify what she was doing, but Jesse interrupts to say how dumb Patrick is. He thinks Josie should forget about him, especially since she is moving away for college.

They ride slowly back to the house and eat lunch in a comfortable silence. Before Jesse leaves, he shows her the business card he made for auto repairs, inspired by Mr. Lockwell’s request for his card. His plan is to be a “discreet mechanic” (234) for Willie’s customers. They say goodbye and Josie sits outside until the sun sets, then walks to the neighbors’ house to sleep in their car.

Josie receives a postcard from Jesse and cannot decide whether she would prefer he come back, or if she wants Patrick write to again. After reading all the books she brought, she thoroughly cleans the house. In Willie’s room, hidden in an envelope in her dresser, Josie finds three photos. The first is of an intense looking woman who Josie believes is Willie’s mother, and the second, an “incredibly handsome” (237) man, appears to be Willie’s father. A happy, juvenile Willie is the subject of the third photo. Josie wonders how Willie went from a happy child to the woman she is today. She wishes she had pictures of herself as a child, but her mother never had any taken. She considers how Lockwell displays his framed photos, yet “Willie [has] hers hidden in the back of a drawer” (237). Josie’s past only exists on her list of pretend fathers and in the garden, where she buried Hearne’s watch and check.

Cokie arrives at the house and Josie is elated to see him, but he brings bad news: Charlie has died. Josie is devastated that she was not there to help. Cokie hands her the obituary and says that even though the drama with her mother is ongoing, Willie wants her to go to Charlie’s funeral. Josie is angry that Willie did not bring her back sooner. Cokie brings her to Patrick’s house, where Patrick is distraught and “grief [has] taken his face” (239). Josie and Patrick embrace, and she comforts him. Patrick says he does not want to have guests over after the funeral, and although Josie silently agrees, she reassures him that he will be “giving people the chance to express their condolences and comfort [him]” (240). Patrick’s mother wants him to visit her in the West Indies, but he does not feel he can leave yet. He touches Josie’s cheek and pleads with her to stay by his side. Josie begins to sob thinking about how kind Charlie was to her, and how he was a father figure for her. The pair holds each other, crying, and falls asleep.

Miss Paulsen, Willie, Cokie, Josie, Sadie all help Patrick with the funeral. At Patrick’s request, Miss Paulsen reads his eulogy for him because he does not feel strong enough. Patrick’s speech explains to the crowd that Charlie was sick for a while, but “the greatest gift you have given [Charlie] was the opportunity to endure this indignity privately” (243). Josie stands by Patrick throughout the speech. When Josie sees Willie, she “look[s] tired and her ankles [are] puffy” (243); she gives Josie a receipt and tells her she paid for everything. James, Patrick’s friend from Doubleday Bookshop, approaches Josie with his girlfriend, Kitty. Josie is hurt when Kitty tells her that Patrick “says [she’s] like a sister” (244). Josie thinks James and Kitty look “perfect in appearance but plastic in attraction” (244).

After the funeral service, only some guests go to the burial. Miss Paulsen forgives Josie and Patrick for lying about Charlie and goes to Patrick’s house to help with lunch instead of going to the cemetery. Josie and Patrick stay long after the others leave the cemetery, and Patrick laments that there are many things he did not explain to his father. Back at Patrick’s house, Josie is unnerved when she sees her mother through the crowd of visitors. Her mother gives her a fake hug and brags that her gaunt appearance is due to diet pills. She spots Josie’s gold watch from Willie and wants to try it on, and Josie resists. Her mother insults Patrick by saying he “could end up with” (246) a brain condition like Charlie. When he does not respond kindly, she tells Josie he has “turned bitter” (246) but she should stay with him if he gives her nice gifts like her watch. She adds that she knows about Jesse, and that he is handsome and fun so Josie should keep seeing him, too. Josie tries “desperately [...] to figure out how [they] shared a genetic strand” (247). Her mother tells Josie that she had a drink with Hearne, but that was all. Josie wants to know if he was nice, but her mother does not have an opinion; she only cared that he was rich.

Miss Paulsen joins the conversation and although Josie wants to lie, she truthfully introduces her mother. Her mother claims to be from Hollywood and declares that her picture was printed in newspapers. Miss Paulsen comments that Josie is an admirable young lady, and her mother agrees, but opines that Josie needs to look after her appearance more. She leaves to get a drink and Miss Paulsen assures an embarrassed Josie that she understands.

Josie receives a letter from Charlotte inviting her on a summer vacation, but still has not received a letter from Smith. Betty Lockwell visits the bookshop, looking for Patrick and a book by Truman Capote. Josie reminds her that Charlie died so Patrick is not around, and he may even go to the West Indies. Mr. Lockwell and Betty’s brother, Richard, come in the shop. When Mr. Lockwell addresses Josie, Betty is confused. Josie states that they met at the Lockwell party, and the two have a superficial conversation. Josie knows that Mr. Lockwell “love[s] the secret elasticity between [them]” (250). He asks about her gold watch, and to irritate Betty, she says Patrick got it for her; this makes Richard laugh. Before they leave, he whispers that she should come to his apartment on St. Peter.

As Josie closes the store, Cokie stops by. He did some gambling after the funeral and is fresh off a three-day winning streak. He gives Josie his winnings, and says it is all for her college expenses. His friends Cornbread, Sweety, and Sadie added their own money, too. Josie wants to decline, thinking it is too much, but when she sees that Cokie “want[s] this just as much, maybe more, than [she does],” (252-253), she ecstatically thanks him.

After hiding the money in the floorboard under her bed, Josie rushes to tell Patrick. She finds him in Charlie’s room, where he is struggling to part with Charlie’s things. Josie notices that Charlie’s typewriter now says “BLV.” Patrick tries to be happy about her news, and Josie assures him that things will be okay because they will visit each other. She says that she was “so blind” and is “so happy with the way things have turned out with [them]” (255). She tries to kiss him, but he moves away and cries. He tells her, “I’m so sorry, Jo. If I could, I would…choose you” (256). She is devastated and asks if he is with someone else. Weeping, he mentions James. Josie thinks Patrick is telling her that he likes James’s girlfriend, Kitty, and tells him to be truthful with James about it. Patrick does not say anything, and Josie is crushed; she thinks she and Patrick are a perfect match but understands why he loves Kitty. She opens the heart-shaped box that Charlie had been hugging for months. She finds two combined acorns, “growing into and out of each other” (257). Patrick does not know where Charlie got them. She asks if “BLV” might mean “believe,” but he tells her it means “Be Love” (257) and says it is the name of the first chapter in Charlie’s unfinished manuscript. Josie kisses Patrick’s head and he continues to cry.

Josie tells herself that Patrick does not want to be with her because she is not good enough. She yearns to have a close female friend in New Orleans to confide in. Detective Langley finds her on the street and questions her about why Hearne’s check for the two books he bought was never deposited. Josie suggests he must have written the check but paid in cash since they do not take checks. Detective Langley asks where Josie’s mother was on New Year’s Eve. Josie states that she does not know and that she is not close with her mother. When he asks about her whereabouts that night, she maintains that she was at home and Patrick and James can verify it.

Josie immediately calls Willie from the store across the street after he leaves; Willie tells her to lock herself in her room. Before Josie can get back into the bookshop, Cincinnati grabs her and shoves her into the door. He is furious that she spoke to the police and calls her a liar when she says the detective was simply asking a question. She attempts to scream when she sees passersby, but he puts his knife against her and makes her walk, warning her not to scream. He brings her into a bar, her mother inside, who is drunk and tired. She asks Josie about her conversation with Langley and Josie explains. Cincinnati still thinks she is lying, and says to Josie’s mom, “The kid’s slick like me, not stupid like you” (263). They tell Josie that they are leaving for Hollywood in the morning, since her mother’s alibi was confirmed. Josie’s mother asks about her watch; Josie says it’s in her room, and her mother asks for it. Cincinnati accuses Josie’s mom of losing Hearne’s watch, which he was going to keep. Josie wishes them well and asks her mother to forward her address. Once outside, she runs home, gun in her hand, and thinks about Hearne and David Copperfield.

Josie is disgusted that Cincinnati compared her to himself. She remembers her childhood in Detroit, and how she would hide, humming, under the porch to drown out the violence in her house. She still hums to drown things out and has Shady Grove in place of the porch where she can feel safe. After returning home, she finds a note from Jesse, asking whether she is “Massachusetts instead of Motor City” (267) yet. She dreams that she can still escape her life in New Orleans for higher education.

The next day, Willie discusses the status of Cincinnati and Josie’s mother. Cincinnati received a favor and now Marcello, the mob boss, has marked him with a black hand. In the kitchen, Josie thanks Sadie for the money she added to Cokie’s winnings. As she walks back to the bookshop, she wonders why she has not received a letter from Smith yet. Patrick is inside the shop and apologizes for their last conversation. He says he will be visiting his mother for several months to “get [his] head together” (269). He adds that he may join the Army as a musician, and they laugh at the idea of Patrick in the Army and Josie at Smith. Since they will both be leaving, Patrick plans to sell a large inventory of books to Doubleday. He asks Josie to keep their last conversation private, and Josie thinks it is “honorable” (271) he is leaving instead of ruining his friendship with James over Kitty.

Josie goes up to her room and is confused why it is already unlocked. The box her watch came in is open and empty on the floor. Her gun is missing from the drawer, so she arms herself with a bat, thinking someone is hiding in her closet. The closet is empty, and when she checks under her floorboard, so is her envelope of college money.

Josie screams and shakes like an animal. She knows her mother stole everything. Patrick rushes upstairs to her and tries fruitlessly to calm her down and she fights him off. Alarmed, Patrick backs off, and lets her cry and sprawl on the floor. She finally manages to tell him what happened. For the rest of the day, she lays on the floor, hating herself and wondering how to tell Cokie and Willie. She knows that even if she is admitted to Smith now, she cannot go. Patrick wards off Jesse and Cokie’s visits and wants her to sleep at his house. She declines, so he gives her food, a new padlock, and chains for the front door. Before he walks away, Josie asks him if the kiss between them was done out of pity. He assures her it was not, but does not explain any further.

Josie does not want to talk to anyone, and the others notice that she is acting differently. Jesse tries every day to get her to talk to him by calling up to her window. She finally comes down because a crowd has begun to form and cheer for him. They sit on the bookshop’s front steps and drink soda that he brought in comfortable silence. Josie shares that she was robbed, and after he begs to know who robbed her, she confesses that it was her mother. Jesse knows that Cincinnati is involved in criminal activity, but Josie tells him that her mother knew her hiding places, so she is to blame. Jesse understands: His dad stole his baseball cards when he was six to buy alcohol. Jesse asks about her application to Smith, and wonders if she can get a scholarship now that the money is gone. Josie thinks her chances at a scholarship are low. Jesse suggests they throw their soda bottles at the lamppost and pretend it is her mother and Cincinnati. This cheers her up and Jesse goes on his way. Josie makes sure to padlock the door after a car suspiciously drives past her.

James and a colleague haul away stacks of books that they bought from Marlowe’s. Patrick is not there, claiming it will make him sad. James is surprised and angry to hear from Josie that Patrick will be leaving the country. After he leaves, it dawns on Josie that Patrick is in love with James, not Kitty.

Cokie takes Josie and Patrick to the bus station. Patrick reminds her of everything she needs to know about the bookshop and his house while he is away. He wants to hear about her decision from Smith, and Josie admits she has not told Cokie about the stolen money. She also slyly mentions how upset James was and Patrick says she can give James his address for Trinidad but will not look at her. They both get teary-eyed when he implores her to believe how much he cares about her. He gives her a sincere kiss on the lips. From the bus window, he gives their secret hand motion for biography, and in return Josie gives the symbol for poetry. She thinks of a quote from Keats: “I love you the more in that I believe you have liked me for my own sake and for nothing else” (284).

Mr. Lockwell visits the bookshop and again mentions his apartment on St. Peter. Josie tells him that the store is closed for the time being, and he asks her to rethink his job offer. Josie says she will and Lockwell repeats his feeling that “there’s something about you, Josephine” (286). As Lockwell leaves, a huge man enters the store. He ignores Josie when she says they are closed and demands to know where her mother is. She owes money to Marcello and Marcello’s men have not found her in Los Angeles yet. Cincinnati borrowed money from Marcello to fake her mom’s alibi, and now the debt is Josie’s “inheritance” (287). The man tells Josie that she owes him $5,000. Josie insists she was not involved, but the man, Tangle Eye Lou, does not care. He has watched her with Patrick, Jesse, and Cokie, and even though Willie knows Marcello, he threatens that if Josie talks to any of them about it, he will kill them. He already wants to kill Cokie. He tells her the money is due in a week and leaves.

Josie locks the door, puts furniture in front of her apartment door, and for the rest of the day and night remains in bed with her baseball bat, terrified, especially for Cokie. In the morning, she leaves with a knife and throws a rock at Jesse’s window, accidentally breaking it. She panics and begs him to board up the bookshop right away. She apologizes that she unable to explain, and rushes to Willie’s house. She plans to steal money for Marcello from Willie and to somehow replace it. She will not talk to Willie about it because she does not want Tangle Eye Lou to harm her. When she arrives at Willie’s, Sadie cooks bacon for Josie which attracts Willie into the kitchen. Willie complains about the newspaper article she is reading that says there will be more police raids in the Quarter. She plans to start keeping drivers ready to evacuate the girls and gets Josie’s okay to bring them to the bookshop if necessary. Josie asks for news about her mother, but Willie has none; she tells Josie to forget about her mom and change her last name. Willie gives her money to put in the safe and Josie considers how she can steal some. She remembers Hearne telling her that “decisions, [...] they shape our destiny” (291) and realizes that his own got him killed.