sk.everythingseventual-第60节

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ks　from　the　day　when　I　e　home　and　found　Lulubelle　gone。
　　'Anyway；　Lucy　came　pelting　in　from　the　kitchen；　did　a　kind　of　racing　slide　on　the　wood　floor；　jumped　over　Frank；　and　went　skittering　up　the　living　room　drapes；　paw　over　paw。　Left　some　pretty　good　holes　in　them；　with　threads　hanging　down。　Then　she　just　perched　at　the　top　on　the　rod；　staring　around　the　room　with　her　blue　eyes　all　big　and　wild　and　the　tip　of　her　tail　snapping　back　and　forth。
　　'Frank　only　jumped　a　little　and　then　put　his　muzzle　back　on　Lulubelle's　shoe；　but　the　cat　scared　the　hell　out　of　Lulubelle；　who　was　deep　in　her　book；　and　when　she　looked　up　at　the　cat；　I　could　see　that　outright　hate　in　her　eyes　again。
　　'　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　〃that's　enough。　Everybody　out　of　the　goddam　pool。　We're　going　to　find　a　good　home　for　that　little　blue…eyed　bitch；　and　if　we're　not　smart　enough　to　find　a　home　for　a　purebred　Siamese；　we're　going　to　take　her　to　the　animal　shelter。　I've　had　enough。〃
　　'　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　ask　her。
　　'　〃Are　you　blind？〃　she　asks。　〃Look　what　she　did　to　my　drapes！　They're　full　of　holes！〃
　　'　〃You　want　to　see　drapes　with　holes　in　them；〃　I　say；　〃why　don't　you　go　upstairs　and　look　at　the　ones　on　my　side　of　the　bed。　The　bottoms　are　all　ragged。　Because　he　chews　them。〃
　　'　〃That's　different；〃　she　says；　glaring　at　me。　〃That's　different　and　you　know　it。〃
　　'Well；　I　wasn't　going　to　let　that　lie。　No　way　I　was　going　to　let　that　one　lie。　〃The　only　reason　you　think　it's　different　is　because　you　like　the　dog　you　gave　me　and　you　don't　like　the　cat　I　gave　you；〃　I　says。　〃But　I'll　tell　you　one　thing；　Mrs。　DeWitt：　you　take　the　cat　to　the　animal　shelter　for　clawing　the　living　room　drapes　on　Tuesday；　I　guarantee　you　I'll　take　the　dog　to　the　animal　shelter　for　chewing　the　bedroom　drapes　on　Wednesday。　You　got　that？〃
　　'She　looked　at　me　and　started　to　cry。　She　threw　her　book　at　me　and　called　me　a　bastard。　A　mean　bastard。　I　tried　to　grab　hold　of　her；　make　her　stay　long　enough　for　me　to　at　least　try　to　make　up…if　there　was　a　way　to　make　up　without　backing　down；　which　I　didn't　mean　to　do　that　time…but　she　pulled　her　arm　out　of　my　hand　and　ran　out　of　the　room。　Frank　ran　out　after　her。　They　went　upstairs　and　the　bedroom　door　slammed。
　　'I　gave　her　half　an　hour　or　so　to　cool　off；　then　I　went　upstairs　myself。　The　bedroom　door　was　still　shut；　and　when　I　started　to　open　it；　I　was　pushing　against　Frank。　I　could　move　him；　but　it　was　slow　work　with　him　sliding　across　the　floor；　and　also　noisy　work。　He　was　growling。　And　I　mean　growling；　my　friends；　that　was　no　fucking　purr。　If　I'd　gone　in　there；　I　believe　he　would　have　tried　his　solemn　best　to　bite　my　manhood　off。　I　slept　on　the　couch　that　night。　First　time。
　　'A　month　later；　give　or　take；　she　was　gone。'
　　If　L。T。　had　timed　his　story　right　（most　times　he　did；　practice　makes　perfect）；　the　bell　signaling　back　to　work　at　the　W。S。　Hepperton　Processed　Meats　Plant　of　Ames；　Iowa；　would　ring　just　about　then；　sparing　him　any　questions　from　the　new　men　（the　old　hands　knew　。　。　。　and　knew　better　than　to　ask）　about　whether　or　not　L。T。　and　Lulubelle　had　reconciled；　or　if　he　knew　where　she　was　today；　or…the　all…time　sixty…four…thousand…dollar　question…if　she　and　Frank　were　still　together。　There's　nothing　like　the　back…to…work　bell　to　close　off　life's　more　embarrassing　questions。
　　'Well；'　L。T。　would　say；　putting　away　his　Thermos　and　then　standing　up　and　giving　a　stretch；　'it　has　all　led　me　to　create　what　I　call　L。T。　DeWitt's　Theory　of　Pets。'
　　They'd　look　at　him　expectantly；　just　as　I　had　the　first　time　I　heard　him　use　that　grand　phrase；　but　they　would　always　end　up　feeling　let　down；　just　as　I　always　had；　a　story　that　good　deserved　a　better　punchline；　but　L。T。's　never　changed。
　　'If　your　dog　and　cat　are　getting　along　better　than　you　and　your　wife；'　he'd　say；　'you　better　expect　to　e　home　some　night　and　find　a　Dear　John　note　on　your　refrigerator　door。'
　　
　　He　told　that　story　a　lot；　as　I've　said；　and　one　night　when　he　came　to　my　house　for　dinner；　he　told　it　for　my　wife　and　my　wife's　sister。　My　wife　had　invited　Holly；　who　had　been　divorced　almost　two　years；　so　the　boys　and　the　girls　would　balance　up。　I'm　sure　that's　all　it　was；　because　Roslyn　never　liked　L。T。　DeWitt。　Most　people　do；　most　people　take　to　him　like　hands　take　to　warm　water；　but　Roslyn　has　never　been　most　people。　She　didn't　like　the　story　of　the　note　on　the　fridge　and　the　pets；　either…I　could　tell　she　didn't；　although　she　chuckled　in　the　right　places。　Holly　。　。　。　shit；　I　don't　know。　I've　never　been　able　to　tell　what　that　girl's　thinking。　Mostly　just　sits　there　with　her　hands　in　her　lap；　smiling　like　Mona　Lisa。　It　was　my　fault　that　time；　though；　and　I　admit　it。　L。T。　didn't　want　to　tell　it；　but　I　kind　of　egged　him　on　because　it　was　so　quiet　around　the　dinner　table；　just　the　click　of　silverware　and　the　clink　of　glasses；　and　I　could　almost　feel　my　wife　disliking　L。T。　It　seemed　to　be　ing　off　her　in　waves。　And　if　L。T。　had　been　able　to　feel　that　little　Jack　Russell　terrier　disliking　him；　he　would　probably　be　able　to　feel　my　wife　doing　the　same。　That's　what　I　figured；　anyhow。
　　So　he　told　it；　mostly　to　please　me；　I　suppose；　and　he　rolled　his　eyeballs　in　all　the　right　places；　as　if　saying　'Gosh；　she　fooled　me　right　and　proper；　didn't　she？'　and　my　wife　chuckled　here　and　there…they　sounded　as　phony　to　me　as　Monopoly　money　looks…and　Holly　smiled　her　little　Mona　Lisa　smile　with　her　eyes　downcast。　Otherwise　the　dinner　went　off　all　right；　and　when　it　was　over　L。T。　told　Roslyn　that　he　thanked　her　for　'a　sportin…fine　meal'　（whatever　that　is）　and　she　told　him　to　e　any　time；　she　and　I　liked　to　see　his　face　in　the　place。　That　was　a　lie　on　her　part；　but　I　doubt　there　was　ever　a　dinner　party　in　this　history　of　the　world　where　a　few　lies　weren't　told。　So　it　went　off　all　right；　at　least　until　I　was　driving　him　home。　L。T。　started　to　talk　about　how　it　would　be　a　year　Lulubelle　had　been　gone　in　just　another　week　or　so；　their　fourth　anniversary；　which　is　flowers　if　you're　old…fashioned　and　electrical　appliances　if　you're　newfangled。　Then　he　said　as　how　Lulubelle's　mother…at　whose　house　Lulubelle　had　never　shown　up…was　going　to　put　up　a　marker　with　Lulubelle's　name　on　it　at　the　local　cemetery。　'Mrs。　Simms　says　we　have　to　consider　her　as　one　dead；'　L。T。　said；　and　then　he　began　to　bawl。　I　was　so　shocked　I　nearly　ran　off　the　goddam　road。
　　He　cried　so　hard　that　when　I　was　done　being　shocked；　I　began　to　be　afraid　all　that　pent…up　grief　might　kill　him　with　a　stroke　or　a　burst　blood　vessel　or　something。　He　rocked　back　and　forth　in　the　seat　and　slammed　his　open　hands　down　on　the　dashboard。　It　was　like　there　was　a　twister　loose　inside　him。　Finally　I　pulled　over　to　the　side　of　the　road　and　began　patting　his　shoulder。　I　could　feel　the　heat　of　his　skin　right　through　his　shirt；　so　hot　it　was　baking。
　　'e　on；　L。T。；'　I　said。　'That's　enough。'
　　'I　just　miss　her；'　he　said　in　a　voice　so　thick　with　tears　I　could　barely　understand　what　he　was　saying。　'Just　so　goddam　much。　I　e　home　and　there's　no　one　but　the　cat；　crying　and　crying；　and　pretty　soon　I'm　crying；　too；　both　of　us　crying　while　I　fill　up　her　dish　with　that　goddam　muck　she　eats。'
　　He　turned　his　flushed；　streaming　face　full　on　me。　Looking　back　into　it　was　almost　more　than　I　could　take；　but　I　did　take　it；　felt　I　had　to　take　it。　Who　had　gotten　him　telling　the　story　about　Lucy　and　Frank　and　the　note　on　the　refrigerator　that　night；　after　all？　It　hadn't　been　Mike　Wallace；　or　Dan　Rather；　that　was　for　sure。　So　I　looked　back　at　him。　I　didn't　quite　dare　hug　him；　in　case　that　twister　should　somehow　jump　from　him　to　me；　but　I　kept　patting　his　arm。
　　'I　think　she's　alive　somewhere；　that's　what　I　think；'　he　said。　His　voice　was　still　thick　and　wavery；　but　there　was　a　kind　of　pitiful　weak　defiance　in　it　as　well。　He　wasn't　telling　me　what　he　believed；　but　what　he　wished　he　could　believe。　I'm　pretty　sure　of　that。
　　'Well；'　I　said；　'you　can　believe　that。　No　law　against　it；　is　there？　And　it　isn't　as　if　they　found　her　body；　or　anything。'
　　'I　like　to　think　of　her　out　there　in　Nevada　singing　in　some　little　casino　hotel；'　he　said。　'Not　in　Vegas　or　Reno；　she　couldn't　make　it　in　one　of　the　big　towns；　but　in　Winnemucca　or　Ely　I'm　pretty　sure　she　could　get　by。　Some　place　like　that。　She　just　saw　a　SINGER　WANTED　sign　and　give　up　her　idea　of　going　home　to　her　mother。　Hell；　the　two　of　them　never　got　on　worth　a　shit　anyway；　that's　what　Lu　used　to　say。　And　she　could　sing；　you　know。　I　don't　know　if　you　ever　heard　her；　but　she　could。　I　don't　guess　she　was　great；　but　she　was　good。　The　first　time　I　saw　her；　she　was　singing　in　the　lounge　of　the　Marriott　Hotel。　In　Columbus；　Ohio；　that　was。　Or；　another　possibility　。　。　。　'
　　He　hesitated；　then　went　on　in　a　lower　voice。
　　'Prostitution　is　legal　out　there　in　Nevada；　you　know。　Not　in　all　the　counties；　but　in　most　of　them。　She　could　be　working　one　of　them　Green　Lantern　trailers　or　the　Mustang　Ranch。　Lots　of　women　have　got　a　streak　of　whore　in　them。　Lu　had　one。　I　don't　mean　she　stepped　around　on　me；　or　slept　around　on　me；　so　I　can't　say　how　I　know；　but　I　do。　She　。　。　。　yes；　she　could　be　in　one　of　those　places。'
　　He　stopped；　eyes　distant；　maybe　imagining　Lulubelle　on　a　bed　in　the　back　room　of　a　Nevada