sidneysheldon.astrangerinthemirror-第21节
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the big limousines and the beautiful women。 He had made it； and he was as lonely now as he had been then。 Who was it who had said； 〃When you get there； there is no there 。。。〃？ He was dedicated to being Number One and he knew he would make it。 His one regret was that his mother would not be there to watch her prediction e true。 The only reminder left of her was his father。
The nursing home in Detroit was an ugly brick building from another century。 Its walls held the sweet stench of old age and sickness and death。 Toby Temple's father had suffered a stroke and was almost a vegetable now； a man with listless； apathetic eyes and a mind that cared for nothing except Toby's visits。 Toby stood in the dingy green…carpeted hall of the home that now held his father。 The nurses and inmates crowded adoringly around him。
〃I saw you on the Harold Hobson show last week； Toby。 I thought you were just marvelous。 How do you think of all those clever things to say？〃
〃My writers think of them；〃
Toby said； and they laughed at his modesty。 A male nurse was ing down the corridor； wheeling Toby's father。 He was freshly shaved and had his hair slicked down。 He had let them dress him in a suit in honor of his son's visit。
〃Hey； it's Beau Brummel！〃 Toby called； and everyone turned to look at Mr。 Temple with envy； wishing that they had a wonderful； famous son like Toby to e and visit them。 Toby walked over to his father； leaned down and gave him a hug。
〃Who you trying to kid？〃 Toby asked。 He pointed to the male nurse。 〃You should be wheeling him around； Pop。〃 Everyone laughed； filing the quip away in their minds so that they could tell their friends what they had heard Toby Temple say。 I was with Toby Temple the other day and he said。。 。I was standing as close as I am to you； and I heard him。。。 He stood around entertaining them； insulting them gently； and they loved it。 He kidded them about their sex lives and their health and their children； and for a little while they were able to laugh at their own problems。 Finally； Toby said ruefully； 〃I hate to leave you； you're the best…looking audience I've had in years〃 they would remember that； too 〃but I have to spend a little time alone with Pop。 He promised to give me some new jokes。〃 They smiled and laughed and adored him。
Toby was alone in the small visitors room with his father。 Even this room had the smell of death； and yet； that was what this place was all about； wasn't it？ Toby thought。 Death？ It was filled with used…up mothers and fathers who were in the way。 They had been taken out of the small back bedrooms at home； out of the dining rooms and parlors where they were being an embarrassment whenever there were guests； and had been sent to this nursing home by their children； nieces and nephews。 Believe me； it's for your own good。 Father； Mother； Uncle George； Aunt Bess。 You'll be with a lot of very nice people your own age。 You'll have pany all the time。 You know what I mean？ What they really meant was； I'm sending you there to die with all the other useless old people。 I'm sick of your drooling at the table and telling the same stories over and over and pestering the children and wetting your bed。 The Eskimos were more honest about it。 They sent their old people out onto the ice and abandoned them there。
〃I'm sure glad you came today；〃 Toby's father said。 His speech was slow。 〃I wanted to talk to you。 I got some good news。 Old Art Riley next door died yesterday。〃
Toby stared at him。 〃That's good news？〃
〃It means I can move into his room；〃 his father explained。 〃It's a single。〃 And that was what old age was all about： survival； hanging on to the few creature forts that still remained。 Toby had seen people here who would have been better off dead； but they clung to life； fiercely。 Happy birthday； Mr。 Dorset。 How do you feel about being ninety…five years old today？。。 。 When I think of the alternative； I feel great。
At last； it was time for Toby to leave。
〃I'll be back to see you as soon as I can；〃 Toby promised。 He gave his father some cash and handed out lavish tips to all the nurses and attendants。 〃You take good care of him； huh？ I need the old man for my act。〃 And Toby was gone。 The moment he walked out the door； he had forgotten them all。 He was thinking about his performance that evening。 For weeks they would talk about nothing but his visit。
At seventeen； Josephine Czinski was the most beautiful girl in Odessa； Texas。 She had a golden； tanned plexion and her long black hair showed a hint of auburn in the sunlight； and her deep brown eyes held flecks of gold。 She had a stunning figure； with a full； rounded bosom； a narrow waist that tapered to gently swelling hips； and long； shapely legs。 Josephine did not socialize with the Oil People anymore。 She went out with the others now。 After school she worked as a waitress at the Golden Derrick； a popular drive…in。 Mary Lou and Cissy Topping and their friends came there with their dates。 Josephine always greeted them politely； but everything had changed。 Josephine was filled with a restlessness； a yearning for something she had never known。 It was nameless； but it was there。 She wanted to leave this ugly town； but she did not know where she wanted to go or what she wanted to do。 Thinking about it too long made her headaches begin。 She went out with a dozen different boys and men。 Her mother's favorite was Warren Huffman。
〃Warren'd make you a fine husband。 He's a regular church…goer； he earns good money as a plumber and he's half out of his head about you。〃
〃He's twenty…five years old and he's fat。〃
Her mother studied Josephine。 〃Poor Polack girls don't find no knights in shinin' armor。 Not in Texas and not no…place else。 Stop foolin' yourself。〃
Josephine would permit Warren Hofl'man to take her to the movies once a week。 He would hold her hand in his big； sweaty； calloused palms and keep squeezing it throughout the picture。 Josephine hardly noticed。 She was too engrossed in what was happening on the screen。 What was up there was an extension of the world of beautiful people and things that she had grown up with； only it was even bigger and even more exciting。 In some dim recess of her mind； Josephine felt that Hollywood could give her everything she wanted： the beauty； the fun； the laughter and happiness。 Aside from marrying a rich man； she knew there was no other way she would ever be able to have that kind of life。 And the rich boys were all taken by the rich girls。 Except for one。 David Kenyon。 Josephine thought of him often。 She had stolen a snapshot of him from Mary Lou's house long ago。 She kept it hidden in her closet and took it out to look at whenever she was unhappy。 It brought back the memory of David standing by the side of the pool saying； I apologize for all of them； and the feeling of hurt had gradually disappeared and been replaced by his gentle warmth。 She had seen David only once after that terrible day at his swimming pool when he had brought her a robe。 He had been in a car with his family； and Josephine later heard that he had been driven to the train depot。 He was on his way to Oxford； England。 That had been four years ago； in 1952。 David had returned home for summer vacations and at Christmas； but their paths had never crossed。 Josephine often heard the other girls discussing him。 In addition to the estate David had inherited from his father； his grandmother had left him a trust fund of five million dollars。 He was a real catch。 But not for the Polish daughter of a seamstress。
Josephine did not know that David Kenyon had returned from Europe。 It was a late Saturday evening in July； and Josephine was working at the Golden Derrick。 It seemed to her that half the population of Odessa had e to the drive…in to defeat the hot spell with gallons of lemonade and ice cream and sodas。 It had been so busy that Josephine had been unable to take a break。 A ring of autos constantly circled the neon…lighted drive…in like metallic animals lined up at some surrealistic water hole。 Josephine delivered a car tray with what seemed to her to be her millionth order of cheeseburgers and Cokes； pulled out a menu and walked over to a white sports car that had just driven up。
〃Good evening；〃 Josephine said cheerfully。 〃Would you like to look at a menu？〃
〃Hello； stranger。〃
At the sound of David Kenyon's voice； Josephine's heart suddenly began to pound。 He looked exactly as she remembered him； only he seemed even more handsome。 There was a maturity now； a sureness； that being abroad had given him。 Cissy Topping was seated next to him； looking cool and beautiful in an expensive silk skirt and blouse。 Cissy said；
〃Hi； Josie。 You shouldn't be working on a hot night like this； honey。〃
As though it was something Josephine had chosen to do instead of going to an air…conditioned theater or riding around in a sports car with David Kenyon。 Josephine said evenly；
〃It keeps me off the streets〃； and she saw that David Kenyon was smiling at her。 She knew that he understood。 Long after they had gone； Josephine thought about David。 She went over every word Hello； stranger。。。 I'll have a pig in a blanket and a root beer make that coffee。 Cold drinks are bad on a hot night。。。。 How
