章节目录 7

(88106 www.88106.info)    WHENhefoundapipebombwiredunderhisVolvoSimonleftPhiladelphia.Hedbeenworkingontransforminganoldarmoryinarundownareaintoaschoolandhadjustorderedthecontractortoripoutandreplacesixthousandsquarefeetofexpensivecase?mentwindows.Probablythemansprofitonthejob,hefigured.Ontheotherhand,thebombmighthavecomefromanyoneofahalf-dozensmallsupplierswhowerenotallowedtobidtheprojectbecausetheycouldntmakeaperformancebond.Or,hetoldhimself,itcouldhavebeentheghostofLouisKahn,madwithjealousy.TheVolvohadbeenleakingoilandhedgottenintothehabitofbendingdowntocheckthepavementforoiltracesafterhedbeenparkedforanylengthoftime.

    Thebombwastiedneatlytothetailpipe.Thebombsquadcame,bigburlymeninapronslikegoalieswearwiththedifferencethattheseweremadeofKevlar.Theyhadabarrel-shapedtruckdrapedinwiremesh."Anextremelywell-donebomb,"asergeanttoldhim,afterthedevicewassafelyinthetruck.Simonhadturnedthejobovertooneofhispartnersandgivenhimselfasabbatical,hisfirstinfourteenyears.Inreality,itwasntthebombbuttheprospectoflisteningtohiswifesvoiceforanotherhour,anotherminute.

    WhenshewasachildSarahwouldoccasionallysticka9DbatteryinSimonsearandhewouldthenmakeasoundlikeafireengine,or,alternately,agarbagetruck.WhenthewomenwerelivingwithhimSimonandoneoranotherofthemwouldsometimesgotogethertotheA&P,attheappropriatehour,justtowatchthefire?menbuysupperforthefirehouse.Thedouble-jointedenginewasdouble-parkedoutsidethestorewithafiremaninthecab,waiting,andinsidefourorfivetallhealthyyoungmenindarkblueFDNYt-shirtswouldbearguingaboutwhattoputinthespaghettisauce."Imuptoherewithmushrooms,"Shortywouldsay,fiercely,andanotherguywouldlobbyforhotItaliansausage.Thefiremenweregood-looking,Simonno?ticed,appearedstrongandtrustworthyandverydecent.Hewonderedaboutthefireman-population,whereallthisdecencyandgoodnesscamefrom.ThefiremengazedatVeronicaorDoreandthenlookedaway,abashed.LaterVeronica,orDore,wouldsay,"Dontbejealous,Simon."Then,afterapause,"Werenotharpies."Didshemeanthatthefiremenweretooyoungorratherinsomesensesacrosanct?HehadgivenSarahafireengineshecouldsitinwhenshewasfourandshehadputoutmanyexcitingfireswithit.

    Bridgesshouldnotbepaintedblue,Simonthought,thehorribleIzodblueoftheBenFranklinbridgeinPhiladelphiaeverinhismind.Concrete,hefelt,wonderfullyusefulandwonderfullyugly,shouldneverbeseeninpublicunlesscoveredwithivy,or,betterstill,wallpaper.Steelwaspretty,hedidnotknowwhy.Brickwasgoodandwoodbest,forallpurposesunderthesun.AsastudenthehadsubmittedaprojecttoredoRockefellerCenterinpickledpine.Hehadalso,onformaloccasions,wornadogcollarinsteadofatie,mostsportif.

    Heddreamedthathewassupposedtobeontele?visionforfivehoursandhadpreparednothing.Thetelevisionpeople,youngmenwithclipboards,werefriendly,werestandingaroundwaitingforhimtogetdressedandproceedtothestudio.Theyseemedconfi?dentthathecoulddowhathehadcontractedtodo.Thereweresomenotesinanotherbuilding,abuildingfarfromthebuildinginwhichhewasgettingdressed,whichmighthelphimifhecouldreachthemintime.Hisgraypin-stripedcoatwasbindinghisarmslikeastraitjacketandSimonstruggledagainstitastheclockindicatedthattimewaspassing.Whenhehadmissedtheopeningoftheprogram——hehadremovedandre?placedthejacketseveraltimes,eachtimewithenormousexertion——thetelevisionpeoplebecameun?friendlyandbeganmakingsuperciliousremarks.Hehadthesensethathecouldstillsalvagethesituationifhecouldgettothebuildingwherehisnotesrestedinamanilafolder.Yes,hedbelate,butthenoteswereofvalue,incompletetobesurebutenoughtoallowhimtobull**hiswaythroughtheperformance,thesec?ond,third,fourth,andfifthhours,or,now,thethird,fourth,andfifthhours,becausetimewaspassingandhehad,somehow,putonhisblueOxfordshirtoverthegraypin-stripedjacket,whichwas,heunderstood,wrong——

    "SIMON,yourefamous!"Veronicasays.SheswavingacopyofProgressiveArchitecture.

    "Yousawthepiece."

    "Looksbeautiful.Bigbuilding."

    "Fourmillionsomething."

    "Itsgotaveryfancyoutside."

    "Someofthatsfiberglass.Wehadtotakemoldstoreproducealotofthecapitals,thatstuffontopofthecolumns.Itdrivesyoucrazybecauseyouvegottoaddafire-retardanttothegelcoatandthatcanchangethecolorandyouretryingtomatchthecoloroftheexist?ingbuilding."

    "Doarchitectsmakealotofmoney?"

    "Youcangobroke,"hesays."Youcandoverywell.Themoretimeyouputintoajob,thelessmoneyyoumake.Mypartnerskeptmesolvent."

    "Whatsitfeelliketobefamous?"

    "Feelsverymuchlikenotbeingfamous."

    "Areyougoingtofallinlovewithoneofus?"

    Shesserious.

    "HowcouldInot?"

    "Itcouldallcometonothing,"shesays.

    Theyreinthebackofthehouse,sittingatthebarinthekitchen,lookingoutofthewindows.Itsgettingwarmer,Simonthinks.

    "Yourewhat,fifty-three?"

    "Yes."

    "Thatsprettyold."

    "Andlifeisshort."

    "WhenIwasinhighschool,"Veronicasays,"theydedicatedtheyearbookeveryyeartotheguysfromourschoolwhohadbeenkilledinVietnam.Theyhadpic?tures,everyyear,ofthelatestbunch.Everyyearforfouryears.Soyouremarried,huh?"

    "Yes.Moreorless."

    "Iwasmarried.Wasntsobad,wasntsogreat.Weusedtoscreweverymorningbeforehewenttowork."

    "Everydamnmorning?"

    "WellnoteverymorningSimondontbesoliteral-minded."

    "InthemorningIgottheclenchedjaw,"Simonsays."Iknewthatsomethinghadhappenedthenightbefore."

    "Likewhat?"

    "Afight."

    "Youcouldntremember?"

    "Iwasdrinking.IcookedalotintheeveningandwhenIcookedIdrank.Minglingtwopleasures."

    "Areyouagoodcook?"

    "Gettingthere.Givemeanothertenyears."

    "Look!Inthesky!"

    Asilverblimp,thenanother,liketwosilverbuildingsmajesticallyhorizontal.

    "WhenIgotmarried,"shesays,"ImarriedthisguywhowasaCatholic.Sowehadtogetapriesttodothejob.SoIcalledthispriestandexplainedthesituation.IsaidIwasnotaCatholic.Andthepriestsays,Well,wecanworkwithyouonthat.ThenItoldhimIwasstillmarriedtoanotherguy,theguyIwasmarriedtobeforeImetthisguy.Andthepriestsays,Well,wecanworkwithyouonthat.SoIjustthoughtIdtellhimthatIwasbornwithoutavagina,thatIjusthadthissortofmarbleinsertwherethevaginawassupposedtobe,toseeifhewouldsay,Well,wecanworkwithyouonthat."

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