jg.skippingchristmas-第7节

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's　orders。　Sue　Kropp　on　the　west　end　outfitted　her　kitchen　with　designer　appliances…8；000　was　the　rumor…and　Bev　Scheel　spent　9；000　six　months　later。
　A　hopeless　cook；　Bev's　cuisine　tasted　worse　after　the　renovation；　according　to　witnesses。
　Their　haughtiness　had　been　stopped　cold；　however；　with　the　breast　cancer　eighteen　months　earlier。　The　Scheels　had　been　humbled　mightily。　Keeping　ahead　of　the　neighbors　didn't　matter　anymore。　Things　were　useless。　They　had　endured　the　disease　with　a　quiet　dignity；　and；　as　usual；　Hemlock　had　supported　them　like　family。　A　year　after　the　first　chemo；　the　Belgian　conglom　had　reshuffled　itself。　Whatever　Walt's　job　had　been；　it　was　now　something　less。
　The　Christmas　before　the　Scheels　had　been　too　distracted　to　decorate。　No　Frosty　for　them；　not　much　of　a　tree；　just　a　few　lights　strung　around　the　front　window；　almost　an　afterthought。
　A　year　earlier；　two　houses　on　Hemlock　had　gone　without　Frostys…the　Scheels'　and　one　on　the　west　end　owned　by　a　Pakistani　couple　who'd　lived　there　three　months　then　moved　away。　It　had　been　for　sale；　and　Frohmeyer　had　actually　considered　ordering　another　Frosty　and　conducting　a　nighttime　raid　on　the　premises　to　erect　it。　
　〃e　on；　Scheel；〃　Luther　mumbled　in　traffic。　〃Keep　your　Frosty　in　the　basement。〃
　The　Frosty　idea　had　been　cute　six　years　earlier　when　first　hatched　by　Frohmeyer。　Now　it　was　tedious。　But；　Luther　confessed；　certainly　not　tedious　to　the　kids　on　Hemlock。　He　had　been　secretly　delighted　two　years　before　when　the　storm　gusts　cleared　the　roofs　and　sent　Frostys　flying　over　half　the　city。
　He　turned　onto　Hemlock；　and　as　far　as　he　could　see　the　street　was　lined　with　identical　snowmen　sitting　like　glowing　sentries　above　the　houses。　Just　two　gaps　in　their　ranks…the　Scheels　and　the　Kranks。　〃Thank　you；　Scheel；〃　Luther　whispered。　Kids　were　riding　bikes。　Neighbors　were　outside；　stringing　lights；　chatting　across　hedgerows。
　A　street　gang　was　meeting　in　Scheel's　garage；　Luther　noticed　as　he　parked　and　walked　hurriedly　into　his　house。　Sure　enough；　within　minutes　a　ladder　went　up　and　Frohmeyer　scurried　up　like　a　veteran　roofer。　Luther　peeked　through　the　blinds　on　his　front　door。　There　was　Walt　Scheel　standing　in　the　front　yard　with　a　dozen　people；　Bev；　bundled　up　in　a　warm　coat；　on　the　front　steps。　Spike　Frohmeyer　was　wrestling　with　an　extension　cord。　There　were　shouts　and　laughter；　everyone　seemed　to　be　hurling　instructions　to　Frohmeyer　as　the　next　to　the　last　Frosty　on　Hemlock　was　heaved　up。
　Little　was　said　over　a　dinner　of　sauceless　pasta　and　cottage　cheese。　Nora　was　down　three　pounds；　Luther　four。　After　the　dishes；　he　went　to　the　treadmill　in　the　basement　where　he　walked　for　fifty　minutes；　burning　340　calories；　more　than　he　had　just　consumed。　He　took　a　shower　and　tried　to　read。
　When　the　street　was　clear；　he　went　for　a　walk。　He　would　not　be　a　prisoner　in　his　home。　He　would　not　hide　from　his　neighbors。　He　had　nothing；　to　fear　from　these　people。
　There　was　a　twinge　of　guilt　as　he　admired　the　two　neat　lines　of　snowmen　guarding　their　quiet　street。　The　Trogdons　were　piling　more　ornaments　on　their　tree；　and　it　brought　back　a　few　distant　memories　of　Blair's　childhood　and　those　faraway　times。　He　was　not　the　nostalgic　type。　You　live　life　today；　not　tomorrow；　certainly　not　yesterday；　he　always　said。　The　warm　memories　were　quickly　erased　with　thoughts　of　shopping　and　traffic　and　burning　money。　Luther　was　quite　proud　of　his　decision　to　take　a　year　off。
　His　belt　was　a　bit　looser。　The　beaches　were　waiting。
　A　bike　rushed　in　from　nowhere　and　slid　to　a　stop。　〃Hi；　Mr。　Krank。〃
　It　was　Spike　Frohmeyer；　no　doubt　heading　home　after　some　clandestine　juvenile　meeting。　The　kid　slept　less　than　his　father；　and　the　neighborhood　was　full　of　stories　about　Spike's　nocturnal　ramblings。　He　was　a　nice　boy；　but　usually　unmedicated。
　〃Hello；　Spike；〃　Luther　said；　catching　his　breath。　〃What　brings　you　out？〃
　〃Just　checking　on　things；〃　he　said；　as　if　he　were　the　official　night　watchman。
　〃What　kind　of　things；　Spike？〃
　〃My　dad　sent　me　over　to　Stanton　Street　to　see　how　many　Rudolphs　are　up。〃
　〃How　many？〃　Luther　asked；　playing　along。
　〃None。　We　smoked　'em　again。〃
　What　a　victorious　night　the　Frohmeyers　would　have；　Luther　thought。　Silly。
　〃You　putting　yours　up；　Mr。　Krank？〃
　〃No；　I'm　not；　Spike。　We're　leaving　town　this　year；　no　Christmas　for　us。〃
　〃I　didn't　know　you　could　do　that。〃　
　〃This　is　a　free　country；　Spike；　you　can　do　almost　anything　you　want。〃
　〃You're　not　leaving　till　Christmas　Day；〃　Spike　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃Noon's　what　I　heard。　You　got　plenty　of　time　to　get　Frosty　up。　That　way　we　can　win　the　award　again。〃
　Luther　paused　for　a　second　and　once　more　marveled　at　the　speed　with　which　one　person's　private　business　could　be　so　thoroughly　kicked　around　the　neighborhood。
　〃Winning　is　overrated；　Spike；〃　he　said　wisely。　〃Let　another　street　have　the　award　this　year。〃
　〃I　guess　so。〃
　〃Now　run　along。〃
　He　rolled　away　and　said；　〃See　you　later；〃　over　his　shoulder。
　The　kid's　father　was　lying　in　ambush　when　Luther　came　strolling　by；　〃Evening；　Luther；〃　Vic　said；　as　if　the　encounter　was　purely　by　chance。　He　leaned　on　his　mailbox　at　the　end　of　his　drive。
　〃Evening；　Vic；〃　Luther　said；　almost　stopping。　But　at　the　last　second　he　decided　to　keep　walking。　He　stepped　around　Frohmeyer；　who　tagged　along。
　〃How's　Blair？〃
　〃Fine；　Vic；　thanks。　How　are　your　kids？〃
　〃In　great　spirits。　It's　the　best　time　of　the　year；　Luther。　Don't　you　think　so？〃　Frohmeyer　had　picked　up　the　pace　and　the　two　were　now　side　by　side。
　〃Absolutely。　I　couldn't　be　happier。　Do　miss　Blair；　though。　It　won't　be　the　same　without　her。〃
　〃Of　course　not。〃
　They　stopped　in　front　of　the　Beckers'；　next　door　to　Luther's；　and　watched　as　poor　Ned　teetered　on　the　top　step　of　the　ladder　in　a　vain　effort　to　mount　an　oversized　star　on　the　highest　branch　of　the　tree。　His　wife　stood　behind　him；　helping　mightily　with　her　instructions　but　not　once　holding　the　ladder；　and　his　mother…in…law　was　a　few　steps　back　for　the　wide　view。　A　fistfight　seemed　imminent。
　〃Some　things　about　Christmas　I'm　not　going　to　miss；〃　Luther　said。
　〃So　you're　really　skipping　out？〃
　〃You　got　it；　Vic。　I'd　appreciate　your　cooperation。〃
　〃Just　doesn't　seem　right　for　some　reason。〃
　〃That's　not　for　you　to　decide；　is　it？〃
　〃No；　it's　not。〃
　〃Good　night；　Vic。〃　Luther　left　him　there；　amused　by　the　Beckers。
　
　Six
　
　Nora's　late…morning　round…table　at　the　shelter　for　battered　women　ended　badly　when　Claudia；　a　casual　friend　at　best；　blurted　out　randomly；　〃So；　Nora；　no　Christmas　Eve　bash　this　year？〃
　Of　the　eight　women　present；　including　Nora；　exactly　five　had　been　invited　to　her　Christmas　parties　in　the　past。　Three　had　not；　and　at　the　moment　those　three　looked　for　a　hole　to　crawl　into；　as　did　Nora。
　You　crude　little　snot；　thought　Nora；　but　she　managed　to　say　quickly；　〃Afraid　not。　We're　taking　a　year　off。〃　To　which　she　wanted　to　add；　〃And　if　we　ever　have　another　party；　Claudia　dear；　don't　hold　your　breath　waiting　for　an　invitation。〃
　〃I　heard　you're　taking　a　cruise；〃　said　Jayne；　one　of　the　three　excluded；　trying　to　reroute　the　conversation。
　〃We　are；　leaving　Christmas　Day　in　fact。〃
　〃So　you're　just　eliminating　Christmas　altogether？〃　asked　Beth；　another　casual　acquaintance　who　got　invited　each　year　only　because　her　husband's　firm　did　business　with　Wiley　&　Beck。　
　〃Everything；〃　Nora　said　aggressively　as　her　stomach　tightened。
　〃That's　a　good　way　to　save　money；〃　said　Lila；　the　biggest　bitch　of　the　bunch。　Her　emphasis　on　the　word　〃money〃　implied　that　perhaps　things　were　a　bit　tight　around　the　Krank　household。　Nora's　cheeks　began　to　burn。　Lila's　husband　was　a　pediatrician。　Luther　knew　for　a　fact　that　they　were　heavily　in　debt…big　house；　big　cars；　country　clubs。　Earned　a　lot；　spent　even　more。
　Thinking　of　Luther；　where　was　he　in　these　awful　moments？　Why　was　she　taking　the　brunt　of　his　harebrained　scheme？　Why　was　she　on　the　front　lines　while　he　sat　smugly　in　his　quiet　office　dealing　with　people　who　either　worked　for　him　or　were　afraid　of　him？　It　was　a　good…old…boy　club；　Wiley　&　Beck；　a　bunch　of　stuffy　tight…fisted　accountants　who　were　probably　toasting　Luther　for　his　bravery　in　avoiding　Christmas　and　saving　a　few　bucks。　If　his　defiance　could　bee　a　trend　anywhere；　it　was　certainly　in　the　accounting　profession。
　Here　she　was　getting　scorched　again　while　Luther　was　safely　at　work；　probably　playing　the　hero。
　Women　handled　Christmas；　not　men。　They　shopped　and　decorated　and　cooked；　planned　parties　and　sent　cards　and　fretted　over　things　the　men　never　thought　about。　Why；　exactly；　was　Luther　so　keen　on　dodging　Christmas　when　he　put　so　little　effort　into　it？
　Nora　fumed　but　held　her　fire。　No　sense　starting　an　all…girl　rumble　at　the　center　for　battered　women。　
　Someone　mentioned　adjournment　and　Nora　was　the　first　out　of　the　room。　She　fumed　even　more　as　she　drove　home…unpleasant　thoughts　about　Lila　and　her　ment　about　money。　Even　uglier　thoughts　about　her　husband　and　his　selfishness。　She　was　sorely　tempted　to　cave　right　then；　go　on　a　spree　and　have　the　house　decorated　by　the　time　he　got　home。　She　could　have　a　tree　up　in　two　hours。　It　wasn't　too　late　to　plan　her　party。　Frohmeyer　would　be　happy　to　take　care　of　their　Frosty。