human
What's going on?
gpt
Roadblock, the cabbie said.
human
Thing's going to stay here until Hell freezes over. Not that they need it. Hell, I passed it on the way in but I figured they'd take it down pretty quick.
gpt
Roadblock? Malone said.
human
What for?
gpt
Who knows? he said.
human
You ask questions, you might get answers you don't like. I don't ask questions, I live longer.
gpt
But--
human
Who's the passenger?
gpt
You want me to take loyalty oaths from people? he said.
human
You want to ruin my business? I got a passenger, how do I know who he is? Maybe he's the Lone Ranger.
gpt
Don't get funny,
human
What's this, the trunk again? the cabbie said.
gpt
You think maybe I'm smuggling in showgirls from the edge of town?
human
Ha, ha, the cop said distinctly.
gpt
One more joke and it's thirty days, buster. Just keep cool and nothing will happen.
human
Nothing, he calls it,
gpt
Clean,
human
Here, too, I guess, the first cop said, and looked in again.
gpt
You, he said to Malone.
human
You a tourist?
gpt
That's right, Malone said.
human
Kenneth J. Malone, at the Great Universal. Arrived this afternoon. What's happening here, officer?
gpt
I'm asking questions, the cop said.
human
You're answering them. Outside of that, you don't have to know a thing.
gpt
It's the sheriff's office every time, he said.
human
Now, you take a State cop, he's O.K. because what does he care? He's got other things to worry about, he don't have to bear down on hard-working cabbies.
gpt
Sure,
human
And the city police--they're right here in the city, they're O.K. I know them, they know me, nothing goes wrong. Get what I mean?
gpt
The sheriff's office is the worst, though?
human
The worst is nothing compared to those boys, the cabbie said.
gpt
Believe me, every time they can make life tough for a cabbie, they do it. It's hatred, that's what it is. They hate cabbies. That's the sheriff's office for you.
human
Tough, Malone said.
gpt
But the roadblock--what _was_ it for, anyhow?
human
Mister, he said,
gpt
Fair,