Then it got to be ten of twelve； I could stand it no longer and gave Dean a little nod。 He went into my office with a bottle of R。C。 Cola bought off Toot's cart； and came back out a minute or two later。 The cola was now in a tin cup； which a prisoner can't break and then slash with。
I took it and glanced around。 Harry； Dean； and Brutal were all watching me。 So； for that matter； was John Coffey。 Not Percy； though。 Percy had returned to the storage room； where he probably felt more at ease on this particular night。 I gave the tin cup a quick sniff and got no odor except for the R。C。； which had an odd but pleasant cinnamon smell back in those days。
I took it down to Wharton's cell。 He was lying on his bunk。 He wasn't masturbating … yet； anyway … but had raised quite a boner inside his shorts and was giving it a good healthy twang every now and again； like a dopey bass…fiddler hammering an extrathick E…string。
〃Kid；〃 I said。
〃Don't bother me；〃 he said。
〃Okay；〃 I agreed。 〃I brought you a pop for behaving like a human being all night … damn near a record for you … but I'll just drink it myself。〃
I made as if to do just that； raising the tin cup （battered all up and down the sides from many angry bangings on many sets of cell bars） to my lips。 Wharton was off the bunk in a flash； which didn't surprise me。 It wasn't a high…risk bluff； most deep cons … lifers； rapists； and the men slated for Old Sparky … are pigs for their sweets； and this