Except, all of a sudden, there were no longer a half-dozen operators. There was only Lippit.

He didn’t play ball. Why should he? Who was Jack St. Louis? I tried to convince him that Jack St. Louis was an old hand at the record game and that Lippit, the truck driver, should please play ball. Then he threw me out.

So I went to the jobber who supplied the town and the territory with all the discs at that time. I went to him with this and that and a drink for old times sake, and for the next week, suddenly Lippit had no new discs for his machines.

I explained to Lippit how this had come about, how Jack St. Louis would much rather be friends, and Lippit-needing all the help he could get at the time-said, all right, friends, shmends, and paid for his drink and mine.

I dropped the no-talent vocal just about that time, and stayed with Lippit.

I had no special love for my no-talent vocal. But I did have a feeling for Lippit. For the way he said no, for the way he paid for his own drinks, even then, and for the tiger-cat way he had of taking over his jungle. I liked him then and I like him now.

I think my first stop on that morning was the jobber, to remind him he should keep strictly on time with the disc deliveries. (The jobber was always on time.) Next stop was the electric supply place which sold us little wires and solenoids, when Lippit’s machines needed wires and solenoids. I checked in to see if they were keeping their stock up to date should we suddenly need these important etceteras. (They were up to date and we did not need any.) Also that day, I saw a few downtown customers and asked how the service was and if there were any complaints (no complaints); the accountants, to ask how we were doing (fine); two of the banks (also fine). Then back home in the afternoon to change into the tux I had rented because the way this day was going I would not have the time later on, before Walter Lippit’s little party. His parties were no more high class than his work, but he would just say sometimes, “What a fine change in pace going formal some evening,” though this did not change the pace any but just added to it. He would say “tux” as if he had invented the outfit, which was very funny, considering who Lippit was.