jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第13节

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reast　to　keep　people　interested；　and　she　only　hoped　she　wouldn't　live　long　enough　to　have　that　on　her　TV　screen。　She　clucked　her　tongue　at　the　half…naked　couple；　then　turned　the　channel　just　as　the　couple　fell　onto　a　bed。　She　tried　the　rest　of　the　channels　but　it　was　more　of　the　same。
　Mariel　turned　off　the　TV　and　turned　on　the　radio。　There　was　lots　of　filth　on　the　radio　now　too；　but　you　could　still　find　something　worth　listening　to　if　you　searched。　They　ran　old　radio　shows　sometimes；　and　there　was　big　band　music　if　she　wanted　that。　Tonight；　though；　she　wanted　to　listen　to　talk；　and　there　was　lots　of　talk　on　the　New　York　City　airwaves。　Mariel　tuned　in　one　of　her　favorites。　She　wasn't　loyal　to　any　of　the　shows。　If　they　talked　of　sex　or　politics；　or　if　they　ran　down　religion；　she　would　tune　them　out。　Mariel　had　long　ago　settled　her　opinions　on　all　those　topics。
　Tonight　people　were　calling　in　with　movie　trivia　questions　or　just　to　talk　about　favorite　scenes　from　films。　Mariel　settled　in　to　listen。　For　a　while　they　talked　about　last　lines　in　movies。　Mariel　knew　the　last　line　in　The　Wizard　of　Oz　right　away；　it　was　〃Oh；　Auntie　Em；　there's　no　place　like　home。〃　She　also　knew　the　last　line　from　Gone　With　the　Wind；　but　it　took　three　callers　to　get　〃tomorrow　is　another　day。〃　Everyone　kept　guessing　〃Frankly；　my　dear；　I　don't　give　a　damn。〃　Mariel　was　enjoying　the　movie　memories；　trying　to　remember　where　and　with　whom　she　had　seen　the　movie。　Then　someone　changed　the　topic　to　actors　who　played　James　Bond。　Mariel　had　seen　some　of　the　James　Bond　movies　with　Phillip　but　never　liked　them。　They　were　too　violent；　and　Mr。　Bond　was　certainly　oversexed。　Still；　she　remembered　both　Sean　Connery　and　Roger　Moore　had　played　James　Bond。　Someone　called　in　to　say　that　David　Niven　had　played　James　Bond　too；　in　a　movie　called　Casino　Royal。　She'd　never　seen　it　but　couldn't　imagine　David　Niven　as　James　Bond。　David　Niven　was　a　gentleman；　he　wouldn't　behave　like　that　secret　agent。　She　would　have　searched　for　another　station；　but　she　was　waiting　to　hear　who　the　fourth　actor　was　who　played　James　Bond。　She　was　still　rocking；　crocheting；　and　listening　by　her　open　window　when　she　drifted　off　to　sleep。
　
　Mariel　woke　when　her　head　hit　the　floor；　but　she　kept　her　eyes　tightly　shut　till　the　pain　and　shock　subsided。　Opening　her　eyes　to　total　darkness；　Mariel　found　herself　and　her　chair　tipped　over　onto　the　floor；　and　the　only　light　was　moonlight　from　the　window。　The　power　was　out　again。　Mariel　still　hurt　from　the　fall…　and　because　she　was　old；　she　admitted　it　to　herself；　she　knew　there　was　real　danger　of　breaking　bones　from　even　a　small　fall。
　She　lay　still；　waiting　for　the　pain　to　seep　away　so　she　could　feel　her　bones；　but　now　she　began　to　think　she　was　deaf。　There　were　no　city　sounds　as　there　should　be　outside　her　window。　Mariel　felt　her　legs　and　arms。　She　would　be　sore　for　a　month　but　nothing　was　broken。　She　felt　around　on　the　floor　for　her　glasses；　found　them　in　one　piece；　and　put　them　on。　Then　she　got　slowly　to　her　feet。
　She　needed　candles　and　they　were　in　the　hall　linen　closet。　Mariel　started　forward；　confident　of　her　footing　even　in　the　dark；　but　she　took　only　two　steps　before　she　kicked　something　on　the　floor。　She　bent　down　and　picked　up　the　blue　vase　from　her　end　table。　Whatever　had　knocked　Mariel　over　had　knocked　off　her　vase；　Mariel　proceeded　cautiously　after　that　and　found　the　floor　littered　with　lamps；　pillows；　and　knickknacks。　The　contents　of　her　apartment　had　been　tossed　around；　as　if　by　a　hurricane。　Slowly　she　walked　down　the　hall　to　the　closet；　carefully　testing　the　floor　before　she　placed　each　foot。
　The　candles　were　where　they　should　be　and　she　found　a　holder　with　them。　Unfortunately　the　matches　were　in　the　kitchen。
　The　candlelight　lit　up　the　room　like　a　search　light。　It　was　a　mess。　Dishes　and　canned　goods　had　fallen　from　the　cupboards；　littering　the　floor　and　counters。　Mariel　lit　another　candle；　securing　it　with　dripped　wax　on　a　plate。　In　the　living　room　she　set　up　two　more　candles　and　then　used　the　one　in　the　holder　to　look　for　her　portable　radio　in　her　bedroom。
　There　she　found　broken　glass　all　over　her　bedspread　and　on　the　floor。　The　window　frame　was　empty。　Mariel　shook　her　head　in　disbelief。　What　could　have　happened？　She　clucked　her　tongue　at　the　work　it　would　take　to　make　her　apartment　neat　again　and　then　found　her　radio　along　with　her　flashlight；　which　she　decided　to　save　in　case　she　had　to　go　outside。
　Mariel　tried　the　radio。　Most　of　the　local　stations　were　off。　Those　still　broadcasting　weren't　talking　about　the　power　loss　yet。　Back　in　the　kitchen　she　tried　the　phone。　It　was　out　too。　That　concerned　Mariel　a　little。　Usually　the　phones　still　worked　when　the　power　went　out。　But　she　picked　her　rocker　up　and　sat　down　by　her　window；　listening　to　her　portable　radio。
　When　she　turned　to　look　outside　she　got　the　shock　of　her　life。　The　office　building　that　had　replaced　Gertie's　apartment　building　was　gone；　and　so　were　the　buildings　behind　that。　As　far　as　Mariel　could　see　in　the　moonlight　there　was　nothing　but　grass。
　Mariel　stood　at　her　window　like　thousands　of　other　New　Yorkers；　trying　to　understand　what　she　was　seeing。　She　had　fallen　out　of　her　chair；　she　was　sure　of　that。　She　didn't　remember　hitting　her　head；　but　maybe　she　did。　She　felt　her　face　and　skull　but　found　no　lumps　or　blood。　But　if　she　wasn't　delirious　what　had　happened　to　the　building？　To　the　city？　Mariel　was　thinking　of　walking　across　the　hall　to　ask　Mr。　Moreno　if　there　was　city　on　his　side　of　the　building　when　there　were　loud　footsteps　outside　her　door　followed　by　a　pounding。　Mariel　took　her　candle　and　walked　to　the　door　and　peered　through　the　peephole。　It　was　too　dark　to　see；　so　Mariel　shouted；　asking　who　was　there。　Luis　Ibarra　responded；　and　Mariel　opened　the　door　to　see　him　wearing　only　a　pair　of　jeans。
　〃Are　you　all　right；　Mrs。　Weatherby？〃
　〃Yes；　Luis。　Thanks　for　asking。　Luis；　as　long　as　you're　here；　would　you　mind　looking　out　my　window？　I　can't　seem　to　see　the　city　anymore。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know；　Mrs。　Weatherby。　You're　not　crazy。　We　can't　see　it　either。　I　checked　out　the　other　side　of　the　building。　It's　still　there。　Man；　this　is　some　kind　of　weird。　We're　thinking　of　getting　the　kids　out。　If　we　go　I'll　e　for　you。〃
　〃No　thank　you；　Luis。　I'll　be　fine。〃
　〃It's　too　weird　to　stay；　Mrs；　Weatherby。〃
　〃I'm　staying。　By　the　way；　I　couldn't　help　but　overhear　the　argument　you　and　Melinda　were　having。　1　do　hope　you　settled　it。　You're　such　a　good　couple。　I　told　my　daughter　she　should　be　so　lucky　to　be　as　happy　as　you　and　Melinda。〃
　〃Oh　yeah；　it's　all　forgotten。　You've　got　to　e　with　us；　Mrs。　Weatherby。〃
　〃Get　back　to　your　family；　Luis。　No；　wait　a　minute。〃
　Mrs。　Weatherby　used　her　candle　to　get　back　to　the　kitchen　and　emptied　her　cookie　jar　into　a　paper　sack。　Then　she　took　them　back　to　Luis。
　〃Give　these　to　your　children。　If　they're　scared　it　will　calm　them　down。〃
　Luis　took　the　bag　without　protest。　〃I'll　e　back　for　you　if　we　leave。〃
　〃I　won't　leave　my　home。　Good　night；　Luis。〃
　Mrs。　Weatherby　returned　to　her　window　and　sat　looking　out　into　the　new　meadow。　She　found　she　wasn't　afraid。　Mariel　had　once　heard　a　talk　show　guest　say　people　are　afraid　of　only　two　things：　death　and　the　unknown。　Mariel　disagreed。　People　her　age　were　not　afraid　of　death；　they　had　seen　too　much　of　it　and　lived　with　it　too　long。　As　for　the　unknown；　Mariel　relished　it。　Her　life　had　been　one　of　unrelenting　sameness　for　nearly　a　decade。
　　　　She　could　hear　the　sounds　of　the　city　from　the　other　side　of　the　building；　but　the　meadow　made　no　sounds。　It　looked　to　be　an　endless　sea　of　grass。　No；　not　just　grass。　Mariel　cursed　her　old　eyes　and　the　darkness〃　and　strained　to　see　better。　She　removed　her　glasses　and　cleaned　them　but　to　no　avail。　Something　was　sparkling　in　the　grass　in　the　distance。　It　was　water。　The　meadow　ended　in　a　swamp。　Mariel　wished　she　hadn't　given　Phillip's　binoculars　to　Phil　junior。　There　was　much　to　see　in　this　meadow；　and　even　more　just　out　of　her　visual　reach。
　Mariel　turned　on　the　radio。　None　of　her　favorite　stations　were　on；　but　she　found　a　station　carrying　the　Gene　Diamond　show。　He　was　obnoxious　and　profane；　and　Mariel　seldom　listened　to　his　Night　Talk　show；　but　they　interrupted　it　often　with　news　and　that's　what　she　wanted　to　hear。　Gene　was　talking　to　someone　named　Roland　from　Salt　Lake　City；　Utah。
　〃Gene；　we're　never　gonna　get　the　truth　about　cold　fusion；　because　they'll　never　let　the　truth　out。　They've　got　too　much　to　lose。〃
　〃Who's　'they；'　Roland？〃
　〃The　power　panies；　of　course。　You　think　the　nuclear　panies　and　big　oil；　not　to　mention　coal；　are　going　to　let　the　working　man　get　access　to　cheap　power？　Uh…uh。　Won't　happen。　That's　why　the　government's；　trying　so　hard　to　ruin　the　reps　of　the　inventors。〃
　〃So　the　government；　the　power　panies；　the　oil　panies；　and　whoever　owns　the　coal　reserves　in　this　country　all　got　together　and　conspired　to　discredit　the　inventors　of　cold　fusion？〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃So　why　is　it　no　one　seems　to　be　able　to　replicate　the　cold　fusion　experiments；　Roland？〃
　〃The　government　bought　off　all　the　scientists。〃
　〃Even　the　scientists　in　the　former　Soviet　Union？〃
　〃They　need　the　money　worst　of　all。〃
　〃Makes　sense。　Makes　sense　if　you're　a　paranoid