'No.' He had taken out his wallet and was rummaging
through it. 'Here it is. I knew I had one kicking
around.' He laid a plain
white business card on the bar between them.
Stop Going Up in Smoke!
237 East 46th Street
Treatments by Appointment
'Keep it, if you want,' McCann said. 'They'll cure
you. Guaranteed.'
'How?'
'I can't tell you,' McCann said.
'Huh? Why not?'
'It's part of the contract they make you sign. Anyw
ay, they tell you how it works when they interview
you.'
'You signed a
contract?'
McCann nodded.
'And on the basis of that -'
'Yep.' He smiled at Morrison, who thought: Well, it
's happened. Jim McCann has joined the smug bastard
s.
'Why the great secrecy if this outfit is so fantast
ic? How come I've never seen any spots on TV, billb
oards, magazine ads -'
'They get all the clients they can handle by word o
f mouth.'
'You're an advertising man, Jimmy. You can't believ
e that.'
'I do,' McCann said. 'They have a ninety-eight per
cent cure rate.'
'Wait a second,' Morrison said. He motioned for ano
ther drink and lit a cigarette. 'Do these guys stra
p you down and make you
smoke until you throw up?'
'No.'
'Give you something so that you get sick every time
you light -'
'No, it's nothing like that. Go and see for yoursel
f.' He gestured at Morrison's cigarette. 'You don't
really like that, do you?'
'Nooo, but -'
'Stopping really changed things for me,' McCann sai
d. 'I don't suppose it's the same for everyone, but
with me it was just like
dominoes falling over. I felt better and my relatio
nship with Sharon improved. I had more energy, and
my job performance picked
up.'
'Look, you've got my curiosity aroused. Can't you j
ust -' 'I'm sorry, Dick. I really can't talk about
it.' His voice was firm.
'Did you put on any weight?'
For a moment he thought Jimmy McCann looked almost
grim. 'Yes. A little too much, in fact. But I took
it off again. I'm about
right now. I was skinny before.'
'Flight 206 now boarding at Gate 9,' the loudspeake
r announced.