with his role. He was the/aw in La Vista and crime
was a personal affront. I recalled his anger at my
suggestion that Woody and Nona might be some-
241
B-LOOD TEST 245
she should make sure not to clampdown. Even if it
gets abusive.”
“I’ll pass iton. I’d like you to see them once they
get back to L.A.”
“I can’t, Mal. I’m too close to the whole thing.” !
gave him the names of two other psychologists.
“All right,” he said, with some reluctance. “I’ll
give her the referrals, make.sure she calls-one of
them.” He paused. “I’m staring out the window.
Place looks like a barbecue pit. Firemen sprayed it
with something that’s supposed to make the smell
go away but it still stinks. I keep wondering if it
could have turned out differently.’;
“I don’t know. Moody was programmed roi violence.
He had a violent upbringing. You remember
th-e his0ry–his own father was explosive, died in
a brawl.”
“History repeats itself.”
“Get that boy in therapy and maybe it won’t.”
The whitewashed walls of Anita’s Cafe were
backlit by lavender-tinted bulbs and trimmed with
used brick. The entrance was through a lattice-wo&l
arch; Dwarf lemon trees had been espaliered
to the lattice and the fruit glowed turquoise in the
artificial light.
The restaurant was tucked away, incongruously,
in an industrial park, flanked on three sides by
black-glass office buildings, acres of parking lot on
the fourth. The songs of nightbirds mingled with
the distant roar of the highway.’-
Inside, itwas cool and dim. Baroque harpsichord
music issued forth at low volume. The aroma of
herbs and spices–cumin, marjoram, saffron, basil–saturated
the air. Three quarters of the tables were
246 JoaatUm Rel/ea
occupied. Most of the diners looked young, hip,
affluent. They spoke earnestly in subdued, tones.
A stout blond woman in peas. ant blouse and. embroidered
skirt showed me to Maimon’s table. He
rose in a courtly gesture and sat when I did.
“Good evening, Doctor.” He was dressed as before:
spotless white shirt, pressed khaki trousers.
His eyeglasses had slid down his rose and he pushed
them back into place.
“Good evening. Thank you very much fdr seeing
me.”
He smiled.
“You stated your case eloquently.”
The waitress, a slender girl with long dark hair
and a Modigliani face, came to our table.
“They make an excellent lentil wellington,” said
Maimon.
“That sounds fine.” My mind wasn’t on food.
He ordered for both of us. The waitress returned
with ice water in cut-crystal goblets, pillowy slices
of whole-wheat bread and. two small tubs of vegeta-bls
pit6 that tasted uncannily like the real thing. A
paper-thin lemon slice floated in each glass.
He spread pt on bread, took a bite, chewed
slowly and deliberately. After he swallowed he
asked,” How can I help you, Doctor?”
“I’m trying to understand the Swopes. What they
were like before Woody’s illness.”
“I didn’t know them well. They were secretive
people.”
“I keep hearing that.”
‘Tm not surprised.” He sipped his water. “I moved
to La Vista ten years ago. My wife and I were
childless. After she died I retired from my law
practice arid opened up thenursery–horticulture
-BLOOD TEST 247
had been my first -love. One of the first things t did
after settling :in was to contact the other growers in
the area. For the most part I was welcomed warmly.
Traditionally, horticulturists and orchardists are
cordial people. So much of our progress depends
upon cooperation–one grower wilt obtain seeds from
an unusual species and distribute it to the others.
It’s in the best interests of all–scientifically and
· economically. A fruit that no one tastes will eventually
die out, as did so many of’the old American
apples and pears. One that achieves some degree of
circulation will survive.
“I’d expected to be welcomed warmly by Garland
Swope, because he was my neighbor, It was a
naive expectation.l dropped in on him one day and
he stood by his gate, not inviting me in, curt, almost
to the point of hostility. Needless to say, I was
taken aback. Not only by the unfriendliness but
also by his lack of desire to show offmmost of us love
to exhibit our prize hybrids and rare specimens.”