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can i go back there and look？
youre free white and twenty…one so i reckon you can do whatever you want。
i aint twenty…one。
well whatever you are。
and you want me to get on a bus and go to odessa。
you are gettin on a bus and goin to odessa。
what am i supposed to tell mama？
well； try standin in the door and hollerin： mama； im home。
wheres your truck at？
gone the way of all flesh。 nothins forever。
how are we supposed to get down there in the mornin？
call miss rosa over yonder。 she aint got nothin to do。
what have you done； llewelyn？
i robbed the bank at fort stockton。
youre a lyin sack of you know what。
if you aint goin to believe me whatd you ask me for？ you need to get on back there and get your stuff together。 we got about four hours till daylight。
let me see that thing on your arm。
you done seen it。
let me put somethin on it。
yeah； i think theres some buckshot salve in the cabinet if we aint out。 will you go on and quit aggravatin me？ im tryin to eat。
did you get shot？
no。 i just said that to get you stirred up。 go on now。
he crossed the pecos river just north of sheffield texas and took route 349 south。
when he pulled into the filling station at sheffield it was almost dark。 a long red twilight with doves crossing the highway heading south toward some ranch tanks。 he got change from the proprietor and made a phone call and filled the tank and went back in and paid。
you all gettin any rain up your way？ the proprietor said。
which way would that be？
i seen you was from dallas。
chigurh picked his change up off the counter。 and what business is it of yours where im from； friendo？
i didnt mean nothin by it。
you didnt mean nothing by it。
i was just passin the time of day。
i guess that passes for manners in your cracker view of things。
well sir； i apologized。 if you dont want to accept my apology i dont know what else i can do for you。
how much are these？
sir？
i said how much are these。
sixty…nine cents。
chigurh unfolded a dollar onto the counter。 the man rang it up and stacked the change before him the way a dealer places chips。 chigurh hadnt taken his eyes from him。 the man looked away。 he coughed。 chigurh opened the plastic package of cashews with his teeth and doled a third part of them into his palm and stood eating。
will there be somethin else？ the man said。
i dont know。 will there？
is there somethin wrong？
with what？
with anything。
is that what youre asking me？ is there something wrong with anything？
the man turned away and put his fist to his mouth and coughed again。 he looked at chigurh and he looked away。 he looked out the window at the front of the store。 the gas pumps and the car sitting there。 chigurh ate another small handful of the cashews。
will there be anything else？
youve already asked me that。
well i need to see about closin。
see about closing。
yessir。
what time do you close？
now。 we close now。
now is not a time。 what time do you close。
generally around dark。 at dark。
chigurh stood slowly chewing。 you dont know what youre talking about； do you？
sir？
i said you dont know what youre talking about do you。
im talkin about closin。 thats what im talkin about。
what time do you go to bed。
sir？
youre a bit deaf； arent you？ i said what time do you go to bed。
well。 id say around nine…thirty。 somewhere around nine…thirty。
chigurh poured more cashews into his palm。 i could e back then； he said。
well be closed then。
thats all right。
well why would you be in back？ well be closed。
you said that。
well we will。
you live in that house behind the store？
yes i do。
youve lived here all your life？
the proprietor took a while to answer。 this was my wifes fathers place； he said。
originally。
you married into it。
we lived in temple texas for many years。 raised a family there。 in temple。 we e out here about four years ago。
you married into it。
if thats the way you want to put it。
i dont have some way to put it。 thats the way it is。
well i need to close now。
chigurh poured the last of the cashews into his palm and wadded the little bag and placed it on the counter。 he stood oddly erect； chewing。
you seem to have a lot of questions； the proprietor said。 for somebody that dont want to say where it is theyre from。
whats the most you ever saw lost on a coin toss？
sir？
i said whats the most you ever saw lost on a coin toss。
coin toss？
coin toss。
i dont know。 folks dont generally bet on a coin toss。 its usually more like just to settle somethin。
whats the biggest thing you ever saw settled？
i dont know。
chigurh took a twenty…five cent piece from his pocket and flipped it spinning into the bluish glare of the fluorescent lights overhead。 he caught it and slapped it onto the back of his forearm just above the bloody wrappings。 call it； he said。
call it？
yes。
for what？
just call it。
well i need to know what it is were callin here。
how would that change anything？
the man looked at chigurhs eyes for the first time。 blue as lapis。 at once glistening and totally opaque。 like wet stones。 you need to call it； chigurh said。 i cant call it for you。 it wouldnt be fair。 it wouldnt even be right。 just call it。
i didnt put nothin up。
yes you did。 youve been putting it up your whole life。 you just didnt know it。 you know what the date is on this coin？
no。
its nineteen fifty…eight。 its been traveling twenty…two years to get here。 and now its here。 and im here。 and ive got my hand over it。 and its either heads or tails。 and you have to say。 call it。
i dont know what it is i stand to win。
in the blue light the mans face was beaded thinly with sweat。 he licked his upper lip。
you stand to win everything； chigurh said。 everything。
you aint makin any sense； mister。
call it。
heads then。
chigurh uncovered the coin。 he turned his arm slightly for the man to see。 well done； he said。
he picked the coin from his wrist and handed it across。
what do i want with that？
take it。 its your lucky coin。
i dont need it。
yes you do。