章节目录 14

(88106 www.88106.info)    HElostninepounds(agreatblessing)dur?ingtheeightmonthstheylivedintheapartment.Theyhadnotbeenslowtocriticizehistoes,teeth,belly,hair,orpolitics."Itseemstome,"Veronicahadsaidoneday,"thatyouhavenosocialresponsibility.""Myfirstsocialresponsibility,"hehadsaid,"isthatthebuildingdoesntcollapse.""Rightrightright,"shesaid,"butyouareafterallacreatureofthepowerstructure.Youworkforthepowerstructure."Thiswastrueenough,revolutionariesdidntbuildbuildings,neededonlyclos?etstooiltheirUzisin,noworkforarchitectsthere.OntheotherhandVeronicaandtheothersderivedtheirownpoliticsfromaK-Martofsources,ThomasAquinasmarchingshoulder-to-shoulderwithSimonedeBeauvoirandtheweatherbeatentroopersofSixtyMinutes.Theywereoftenleftandrightduringthesameconversation,sometimesthesamesentence.

    Hisheadacheshadgoneawaybuthadbeenreplacedbyearly-morningvomiting.Afewouncesofyellowbileproducedeachmorning.Hemeditatedontoomuch,thoughtcarefullyaboutasufficiency.Whenthewomenhadbeenlivingwithhimhehadthoughtofhimself,veryoften,asinsufficientlyvirile,orinsuffi?cientlyambitious.Whoneededthismuchexcitation?Ontheotherhand,whocouldresistit?Annesome?timeslookedlikeatwenty-year-old,especiallywhenshedjustbathed,thesmallbreasts,thesmallhips,thedarkhair.Dorewastallandbossy,therewasnootherwordforit,andVeronicawas,takeyourchoice,sassyorcritical,greatliponthatkid,neverwithoutaspikedre?mark.Hehadthesensethathewasahotel,didntmindbeingahotel,okayImahotel.Twoofthemsuckinghiscockintheearlymornings,takingturns,fiveorsixoclock,hewasdrinkingwhitewine,notverygoodwhitewine,andsmoking,thiswentonforalongwhile,sometimestheydturntooneanotherandonewouldbegintolicktheinsideoftheotherslegsupnearthecunt,quitenear,Simonwithhishandsonthatonesbuttocks,aroundherwaistandthenmovingdownoverthebuttockswithslowappreciativestrokes,rakingthemwithhisnailsatintervals,butsoftly,littlebites,butsoftly,thefleshissodeliciousDoresaid,orAnnesaid.

    "YOUVEbeenbadVeronica."

    "NoIhaventthatsnotbadthatshardlybadatall."

    "Iagreewithher.Youvebeenbad."

    "NoIhaventIdontcallthat——"

    "Verybad."

    "IdontcallthatbadthatsnothardlybadatallyoushouldseewhatIveseenifyouwanttotalkabout——"

    "YesVeronicayesofcourseofcourseVeronicaIdidntthinkyoudadmititwhyshouldyou?CmonAheresnoreasoningwithher."

    "DoredontgoIhaventbeenbadshesjusttryingtotellyouIvebeenbadbutImeanareyougoingtobe?lieveher?Justbecauseshesays——"

    "Wellhowdoyoufeel?"

    "Bad."

    "Yousee."

    "OhGodDorenowyouvemadeherfeelbadjusttalkingabouteverythingyouvemadeherfeelbadthatshesdonesomethingsomelittlesomethingsheshouldnthavedonesomelittlesomethingthatwar?rantshorriblecontrition——"

    "Idontmindmakingherfeelbad.Shesbad."

    "Veronica,areyouessentiallywhatshesaysyouare?Bad?YoucantellmeImyourfriend.Ihaveotherbadfriends,ifthat——"

    "Wellspit.ThatswhatIthink."

    "Yourenotgoingtotalkisthatit?"

    "Hither."

    "Imnotgoingtohithershesasisteryoucanthitasisterevenabadsisterthatsoneoftheeternalrulesnotevenaterribly,terriblybadsister.LikeVeronica."

    "ImaboutasbadasIwanttobe,sofar.IhaventthoughtabouthaventgraspedhowbadImightwanttobeinthefuturewhenmyshipcomesinorsomething.Something,then,maybereleasedinmethatwillallow——"

    "Idontthinkshesgoingtoacknowledgetheclearfacts.Idontthinkshehasthehumility.IgiveupIab?solutelygiveup."

    "HangmeifyouwanttoIdontcare.Wherestherope?Gettherope.Hangme."

    "OhhithergoaheadandhitherIcantstandthismewling."

    "Idontwanttohither."

    "Hitme."

    "Hither."

    "Whatwith?"

    "GodIdontknowuseyourfistkickherwhatdoIcareitsnotmyproblemisit.Hither."

    "Youdontthinkthatsalittlesevere?"

    "Itsgonnatakeagoddamnpresidentialordertogetyoutohither?"

    "Whyme?"

    "OkayIvebeenbad.Iadmitit.Butothershavebeenworse.Icouldpointsomefingers."

    "LordImtiredoflisteningtothisdrivelifyoudontgetittogetherinthenextthreetofiveminutesImgoingto——"

    "What?"

    SIMONSfatherdiedandheflewbacktoCaliforniaforthefuneral.Hehadtobuyadarksuit,wenttoBarneysandpickedthefirsthatseemedtofithim.InSanFranciscohestoodnexttohismother,theirarmsentwined,whilethePresbyterianministersaidwhathecould.Thechapelwasemptyex?ceptforthetwoofthemandanelderlycouplehismotherhadintroducedasConnieandBillandwhoturnedouttobegolfers,partofamixedfoursomehisfatherhadplayedwithonceaweek.TheotherwomanwasunabletobepresentbecauseofadaughtergivingbirthinCorvallis,Oregon.Hismotherdidntplay.

    Afterward,backatherhandsomePacificHeightshouse,hismothersaid:"Whatareyoudoing?"

    "Takingalittletimeoff."

    "Itsbeenmonthsnow."

    "Excellentmonths."

    "Justasking."

    "Whatsthemoneysituation?"

    "Yourfatherwasverygoodaboutthat,asyouknow.ThatCarbideheboughtyearsagoattwelve?Hesolditjustbeforehediedatseventy-three.Whentheywerehavingthattrouble.Hehadalmosttenthousandshares.Actuallyitwentuptoseventy-eightlastweekbuthedidverywell,verywell.Wehavesomeotherstuffthatslookinggood."

    "HowaboutcomingtoNewYork?Ihaveaplaceyoudlike.Needsfurniture.Wecouldgooutandbuyalotoffurniture."

    "Idontwanttobuyanymorefurniture,"hismothersaid."Ilikeithere.Illhavetoseehowitfeels.IfIneedyouIllcallyou,relyonit."

    "Nothingmorefunthanbuyingfurniture."

    "Iagree.Butithastobegoingtowardsomething."

    Nothingtosaytothat.

    Hisfatherhadbeenalumberman,aprophetofred?wood.Redwoodwaslight,easilymilled,plentiful,tookastainwell,weatheredbeautifully.TensofhundredsofthousandsofboardfeetofCaliforniaredwoodhadpassedthroughthefamilysloggingandmillingopera?tions,hisfathernotthebiggestlumbermaninthestate,butnotthesmallest.Simonrememberedoddmo?ments:puttingahugedollopofWorcestershiresauceonahamburgerinarestaurantandhisfathertellinghim,"Dontdothat,son,itwhipsupthebody."Sit?tingbytheradioin1938listeningtothesecondLouis-Schmelingfight,sittingbytheradioallnightlongin1939listeningtoaccountsoftheGermaninvasionofPoland.WhenSimonhadbeenexpelledfromUSC,beforehewenttoPenn,hehadcomehomeandtoldhisfatheraboutit,andhisfathersonlycommentwas,"Whatarewegoingtotellyourmother?"Thedeathofthefatherissupposedtoreleaseaburstofnewcreativeenergy,heremembered.Hefeltnothingbutsadnessandadmiration.

    BackinNewYorkhereceivesanoticeforjuryduty.Howcanthisbe?Hesnotregisteredtovote.Neverthe?lesshedutifullyhaulshimselfdownto60CentreStreetoneMondaymorning.ThebenchesonthefifteenthflooroftheCriminalCourtsBuildingarefilledwithreaders.HespotsatleasttwentypaperbackcopiesofleCarresTheLittleDrummerGirl,whichhehimselfhasreadandgreatlyenjoyed.Hefallsintoconversationwithayoungwomanwhois,helearns,theeditorofatradejournaldealingwithlingerie.Shesknittingfuriously,asleevelesssweater,asshetalks."Wemakeninehundredthousandayearforthecompany,profit,"shesays."Canyoubelieveit?"Sheproducesfourteenissuesayear,witheachissuerunningtony-sixpagesofeditorialandGodknowshowmanyofads."Itshardtothinkofthingstofeatureafterawhile,"sheconfesses."Howmanywaysofbifurcatingbreastsarethere?Wetakealotofcluesfromtheartists.Memphisisinnow,spatterandclatter."

    Thelingerieeditortellshimthatherassistantisaberserkoandthatitsimpossibletogetgoodsubordi?natesthesedays.Simon,empaneled,isknockedoffamurdercase,empaneledagain,isknockedoffarapecase."Thedefendantisaccusedofsexualmisconduct,"theblondwomanjudgetellsthejurors."Willthedefendantstandupsothatthejurorscanseehim?"Thedefendantstandsandalmostinvoluntarilytakesalittlebow.Whentheattorneys,questioningSimoninthejurybox,askhimwhatheis,hesaysheisanarchitect.Atthelunchbreakonthethirdday,hemeets,inaclusteroffastfoodstandsinalittleparknearthecourt?houses,ared-hairedwomanwhosayssheisapoet.

    THEthreewomenlookedforjobsbutwereturneddownbyBendel,Bergdorf,Bloomingdales,Lord&Taylor,CharlesJourdan,Ungaro,Altmans,Saks,Macys.Theytriedallthemodelingagencies,startingwithFordandworkingtheirwaydownthelist.Simondesignedandhadprintedcompositesforthemandtheylefttheseateveryadagencyofanysizeinthecity.Theyappliedforsubstituteteacherpositionsbutfoundthisaclosedshop,theyneededNewYorkStatecredentialswhichtheydidnthave.Inamomentofdes?perationtheyfiledapplicationsfortheFireDepart?mentbutweretoldtheyweresofardownonthelistthattheyhadnoreasonablehopeofconsiderationbe?fore1999,whentheywouldbetoooldtobegintrain?ing.

    AnneandVeronicaarefighting.

    "Stupidbitch!"

    "Asshole!"

    "Cmon,guys,"Simonsays."Whatsthedeal?"

    "Shesamother**erandadumbmother**er,"Annesays."Crummycheaposlut."

    "Lookwhostalking,"Veronicasays,jumpingoutofAnnesreach."MissCuntof1986."

    "Whatsthisabout?Whatstheissue?"

    "Simonyoureso**ingreasonable,"Veronicasays,sittingdownonthecouch.

    "Isay,whatsgoingon?"

    "Shegotusajob,"Annesays.

    "Terrific,"saysSimon."Whatsthejob?"

    "Convention.TheNationalSprinklerAssociation.AttheAmericana.Wehavetostandunderthesethingsandgetsprinkled.Iwontdoit."

    "Whatiftheygaveusraincoats?"

    "Itsnotraincoatstheywanttosee."

    "WhatifIsaidtransparentplasticraincoats?"

    "Imightdoitwithtransparentplasticraincoats."

    "Illcalltheguyandseewhathesays.Itstwohun?dredeach."

    "Raincoatsandbodystockings."

    "Nothrillinbodystockings."

    "Letthemusetheirvileimaginations."

    "Ijustfeellikeabody."

    "WhatinGodsnamedoyouthinktheywant?"

    "Iknow,Iknow."

    "Lookatitthisway,"Simonsays."Abodyisagift.Agreatbodyisagreatgift."

    "AllIneed.AUnitarianminister."

    "Youdonthavetotakethejob."

    "Wedonthaveanymoney."

    "Youwantmetomakealittlepileofmoneyandburnitrighthereonthefloor?Theresenoughmoneyaround.Takeiteasy.Waituntilyoufindsomethingyouwant."

    "Wereconcubines."

    "Youcanmakeeverythingsoundasterribleasyouwant,"Simonsays."Imgoingtobed."

    "Whowith?"

    Simonswifeslawyersletterarrivesandoutlinesherdemands:Shewantsfullcustodyofthechild,thePineStreethouse,bothcars,sixty-fivethousanddollarsayearinalimony,childsupportatalevelconsonantwiththechildspreviousstyleoflife,fiftypercentofallre?tirementfunds,IRA,Keoghandthefirms,fiftyper?centofhispartnershipinterestinthefirminperpetuity,andfiftypercentofalloddsandendsofstocks,bonds,cashandrealpropertynotsubsumableunderoneofthepreviousrubrics.TheclienthasbeenseverelydamagedinallwaysbySimonsdesertionandtheyearsoffiendishabusethathadprecededit,thelet?tersuggests.

    "Whatareyougoingtodo?"Veronicaasks.

    "Giveittoher,Iguess."

    "Wereyoureallythatbad?"

    "Hemaybeoverstatingitabit."

    "Wearepureskin."

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