people saw hank walking toward where albert 'pits ' barfield sat tipped back in his chair , workboots curled around the front rungs , checking out all those girls next door ; they felt-heard the one thought beating steadily ( reppledepplereppledepplereppledepple ) in hank 's mind , they saw the great big ghetto-blaster radio he was carrying by the handle , saw the pistol jammed into the front of his pants , and they stepped away quickly .