r workings of the Sov-world.

XVII

It was a free evening for Joe, but one that Nadine had found necessary
to devote to her medical duties. Max had been gushing about a cabaret
in Buda, a place named the Becsikapu where the wine flowed as wine can
flow only in the Balkans and where the gypsy music was as only gypsy
music can be. Max had developed a tolerance for wine after only two or
three attempts at what they locally called Sot and which he didn't
consider exactly beer.

Joe said, only half interested, "For proletarians, Party members, or
what?"

Max said, "Well, gee, I guess it's most proletarians, but in these
little places, like, you can see almost anybody. Couple of nights ago
when I took off I even seen a Russkie field marshal there. And was he
drenched."

Joe was at loose ends. Besides, this was a facet of Budapest life he
had yet to investigate. The intimate night spots, frequented by all
strata of Sov society.

He came to a quick decision. "O.K., Max. Let's give it a look.
Possibly it'll turn out to be a place I can take Nadine. She's a bit
weary of the overgrown glamour spots they have here. They're more
ostentatious than anything you find even in Greater Washington."

Max said, in his fiesty belligerence, "Does that mean better?"

Joe grunted amusement at the little man, even as he took up his
jacket. "No, it doesn't," he said, "and take the chip off your
shoulder. When you were back home you were continually beefing about
what a rugged go you had being a Mid-Lower in the West-world. Now that
you're over here the merest suggestion that all is not peaches at home
and you're ready to fight."

Max said, his ugly face twisted in a grimace, even as he helped Joe
with the jacket. "Well, all these characters over here are up to their
tonsils in curd about the West. They think everybody's starving over
there because they're unemployed. And they think the Lowers are, like,
ground down, and all. And that there's lots of race troubles, and
all."

Even as they left the apartment, Joe was realizing how much closer Max
had already got to the actual people, than either he or Nadine. But he
was still amused. He said, "And wasn't that largely what you used to
think about things over here, when you were back home? How many
starving have you seen?"

Max grunted. "Well, you know, that's right. They're not as bad off as
I thought. Some of those Telly shows I used to watch was kind of
exaggerated, like."

Joe