Show the basement philosopher fly by KENNETT HARRIS 1911 trw y W a nole my friend said bald tho the janitor to his scandinavian assistant with more than hla hill usual blandness bland nesa nels my friend would you do me ma the favor to bring mo me them thoro there old shoes thata a standing behind tho the door thank you kindly im much obliged to you nels nela youre an accommodate ing sort of a guy you are and ive been a it and now since youre here maybe pull off those these here boots of mine tor for me hurting my foot considerable the janitor leaned back in his chair and hla his assistant aBs latant backing up to him straddled the extended leg and stooping gripped the hool of a boot that was well plastered with recent mud the janitor placed his other foot against that part of his assist ants person that was nearest and pu pushed good hod firmly but gently good work I 1 commented the janitor as tho boot slid did off on 1 I never peon that hat better done now for the ot other herZo ono if it aint troubling you too much tho the operation wan van repeated but this time the janitor applied so 00 much corce dorco to his bis part of it that the assistant was propelled violently forward on his hands and knoes knees from which pos poa ture ho he airoso with a rod red face muttering words worda in a strange tongue noly holy ejaculated the janitor with an appearance of extreme irritation what was you a trying to do throw somersaults say you know that boot was going a to come off or did you think you was hitched up to a load of eoal coal on an upgrade its a pity you run your thick head into the wall youve got lots lota otso of bonso you havo have d your knuckles havo have you im glad of it maybe learn you something all om WORK COMMENTED THE 1 one thing it ou ought i ghi t to learn you la Is pot to be so BO darn dam obliging the janitor continued after glaring a moment pr two anthe on the abashed assistant you julat in now youre inthe in the land of tho the free where one mans just as good as another and a blamed sight better as the fellow says you want to keep that in mind and see aeo that everybody else does you go around doing things for people that they can do for themselves or hire done just as well as aa not and it wont be buta little while before youre a working over hours and giving out the impression that your tamo aint worth nothing abon alit n a man once begins to make a pack horse of himself everybody for miles around will come a running with a full sack to put on him and give him the gad it if he aint moving last fast enough to suit em yesterday Xester day I 1 seen you run out and pick up a box a guy had dropped out at hla his dray and carry it oyer over halt half A block to whore where he had pulled up and was waa waiting awaiting a for you I 1 guess that box weighed forty or fifty pounds but you care if it had been a safe ate atwould it would have been all the same came you was a goin to be accommodating it if you bust them new suspenders of yours youra have done to have hollered at him and lot him drive back for it and load it in himself would it you aint mean enough to do a trick like that are you what did you get for that there kind act you lie because I 1 heard the cuss ing he gave you for hoisting the box onto hla his corn and it ten minutes after that that you dropped your broom onto the sidewalk and jumped to open the door for the old woman in 46 just because she had a few par cola in her ber arins arms she have laid them parcels down and opened the door herself could shot ehe certainly not shed he have probably waited there all afternoon and what did she do when you had opened the door asked you it if you ring her bell for her and you done it just tho the same as you humped bumped your back helping them huskies up three nights flights this morning with the piano they give you an invite to go around the corner with them nud and wet up they not much they they was afraid of hurting your feelings and they know but what you might be on the water wagon anyway what they done was to blame tho the plaster they knocked oft the wall i onto you when I 1 spoke bothem to them about it and then doivo over to mikes alikes by themselves ill tell you nels 11 said the jant or you want to understand that im an obliging man myself why 11 wae vas only last fall one ot of the benanto omos to mo me and slips m me le a ave oiw find and says hed like to b have le me jooa after his bla bull pup for a couple at 01 weeks cooks while ho be was waa off on ills his tion I 1 hang back bach I 1 told blin that I 1 was willing to accommodate aim and I 1 done so eo that was some blomn pup too I 1 want to toll tell you inside of tho the two weeks thai tha follow was gone I 1 matched him up against foul different doga that was considered pippins and what I 1 did to the ganka binks that backed em was a sin bin and a shame I 1 could tell you of lots lota of other obliging things ivo ive dono done right in this building it if 1 I wanted to brag I 1 believe in being helpful I 1 aint op posed to it in moderation only I 1 like to feel tolerable certain that the guy I 1 help Is going to appreciate what I 1 do ao for him and that he be to la in a position to show it y L dont get the idea that im all the time a looking for I 1 aint mike alike was waa telling me one ona time about a friend of his that started up a poultry farm out near lake forest he was a grateful man mikes friend was and every time his lions hens laid an egg lie ho thanked them for it after while the hens quit laying and ho he come to alike and wanted to know what was the best thing to do try some chicken food feed on lem cm says saya alike now I 1 aint no hen nels nela but I 1 some chicken food now and ahn said eald tho the janitor as he pulled on his shoes and you remember what ive told you what did you get when you accommodated MO ma just now you got the boot ToIa my friend and what they all al tet now you can shake down them grates |