Nobody’s sure if this barrel-chested man with the, scar and the wild grin is play-acting or if he’s crazy enough to be just like he talks, or both, but they are all beginning to get a big kick out of going along with him. They watch as he puts that big red hand on Billy’s thin arm, waiting to see what Billy will say. Billy sees how it’s up to him to break the silence, so he looks around and picks out one of the pinochleplayers: “Handing,” Billy says, “I guess it would b-b-be you. You’re ppresident of Pay-Pay-Patient’s Council. This m-man wants to talk to you.”