sk.thewastelands-第28节

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nd　they　would　be　doing　things　he　remembered　in　advance。
　　Instead；　he　came　to　the　bookstore。
　　
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　　THE　MANHATTAN　RESTAURANT　OF　THE　MIND；　the　sign　painted　in　the　window　read。　Jake　went　to　the　d（x》r。　There　was　a　chalkboard　hung　there；　it　looked　like　the　kind　you　saw　on　the　wall　in　diners　and　lunchrooms。
　　
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　　Jake　went　in；　aware　that　he　had；　for　the　first　time　in　three　weeks；　opened　a　door　without　hoping　madly　to　find　another　world　on　the　other　side。　A　bell　jingled　overhead。　The　mild；　spicy　smell　of　old　books　hit　him；　and　the　smell　was　somehow　like　ing　home。
　　The　restaurant　motif　continued　inside。　Although　the　walls　were　lined　with　shelves　of　books；　a　fountain…style　counter　bisected　the　room。　On　Jake's　side　of　the　counter　were　a　number　of　small　tables　with　wire…backed　Malt　Shoppe　chairs。　Each　table　had　been　arranged　to　display　the　day's　specials：　Travis　McGee　novels　by　John　D。　Mac…Donald；　Philip　Marlowe　novels　by　Raymond　Chandler；　Snopes　novels　by　William　Faulkner。　A　small　sign　on　the　Faulkner　table　said：　Some　rare　1st　eds　available…pls　ask。　Another　sign；　this　one　on　the　counter；　read　simply：　BROWSE！　A　couple　of　customers　were　doing　just　that。　They　sat　at　the　counter；　drinking　coffee　and　reading。　Jake　thought　this　was　without　a　doubt　the　best　bookstore　he'd　ever　been　in。
　　The　question　was；　why　was　he　here？　Was　it　luck；　or　was　it　part　of　that　soft；　insistent　feeling　that　he　was　following　a　trail…a　land　of　force…beam…that　had　been　left　for　him　to　find？
　　He　glanced　at　the　display　on　a　small　table　to　his　left　and　knew　the　answer。
　　
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　　IT　WAS　A　DISPLAY　of　children's　books。　There　wasn't　much　room　on　the　table；　so　there　were　only　about　a　dozen　of　them…Alice's　Adventures　in　Wonderland；　The　Hobbit；　Tom　Sawyer；　things　like　that。　Jake　had　been　attracted　by　a　storybook　obviously　meant　for　very　young　children。　On　the　bright　green　cover　was　an　anthropomorphic　lootive　puffing　its　way　up　a　hill。　Its　cowcatcher　（which　was　bright　pink）　wore　a　happy　grin　and　its　headlight　was　a　cheerful　eye　which　seemed　to　invite　Jake　Cham…bers　to　e　inside　and　read　all　about　it。　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo；　the　title　proclaimed；　Story　and　Pictures　by　Beryl　Evans。　Jake's　mind　flashed　back　to　his　Final　Essay；　with　the　picture　of　the　Amtrak　train　on　the　title…page　and　the　words　choo…choo　written　over　and　over　again　inside。
　　He　grabbed　the　book　and　clutched　it　tightly；　as　if　it　might　fly　away　if　he　relaxed　his　grip。　And　as　he　looked　down　at　the　cover；　Jake　found　that　he　did　not　trust　the　smile　on　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo's　face。　YOM　look　happy；　but　I　think　that's　just　the　mask　you　wear；　he　thought。　I　don't　think　you're　happy　at　all。　And　I　don't　think　Charlie's　your　real　name；　either。
　　These　were　crazy　thoughts　to　be　having；　undoubtedly　crazy；　but　they　did　not　feel　crazy。　They　felt　sane。　They　felt　true。
　　Standing　next　to　the　place　where　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo　had　been　was　a　tattered　paperback。　The　cover　was　quite　badly　torn　and　had　been　mended　with　Scotch　tape　now　yellow　with　age。　The　picture　showed　a　puzzled…looking　boy　and　girl　with　a　forest　of　question…marks　over　their　heads。　The　title　of　this　book　was　Riddle…De…Dum！　Brain…Twisters　and　Puzzles　for　Everyone！　No　author　was　credited。
　　Jake　tucked　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo　under　his　arm　and　picked　up　the　riddle　book。　He　opened　it　at　random　and　saw　this。
　　When　is　a　door　not　a　door？
　　〃When　it's　a　jar；〃　Jake　muttered。　He　could　feel　sweat　popping　out　on　his　forehead　。　。　。　his　arms　。。。　all　over　his　body。
　　〃When　it's　ajar！〃
　　〃Find　something；　son？〃　a　mild　voice　inquired。
　　Jake　turned　around　and　saw　a　fat　guy　in　an　open…throated　white　shirt　standing　at　the　end　of　the　counter。　His　hands　were　stuffed　in　the　pockets　of　his　old　gabardine　slacks。　A　pair　of　half…glasses　were　pushed　up　on　the　bright　dome　of　his　bald　head。
　　〃Yes；〃　Jake　said　feverishly。　〃These　two。　Are　they　for　sale？〃
　　〃Everything　you　see　is　for　sale；〃　the　fat　guy　said。　〃The　building　itself　would　be　for　sale；　if　I　owned　it。　Alas；　I　only　lease。〃　He　held　out　his　hand　for　the　books　and　for　a　moment　Jake　balked。　Then；　reluctantly；　he　handed　them　over。　Part　of　him　expected　the　fat　guy　to　flee　with　them；　and　if　he　did…if　he　gave　the　slightest　indication　ol　trying　it…Jake　meant　to　tackle　him；　rip　the　books　out　of　his　hands；　and　boogie。　He　needed　those　books。
　　〃Okay；　let's　see　what　yon　got；〃　the　fat　man　said。　〃By　the　way；　I'm　Tower。　Calvin　Tower。〃　He　stuck　out　his　hand。
　　Jake's　eyes　widened；　and　he　took　an　involuntary　step　backward。　〃What？〃
　　The　fat　guy　looked　at　him　with　some　interest。　〃Calvin　Tower。　Which　word　is　profanity　in　your　language；　O　Hyperborean　Wanderer？〃
　　〃Huh？〃
　　〃I　just　mean　you　look　like　someone　goosed　you；　kid。〃
　　〃Oh。　Sorry。〃　He　clasped　Mr。　Tower's　large；　soft　hand；　hoping　the　man　wouldn't　pursue　it。　The　name　had　given　him　a　jump；　but　he　didn't　know　why。　〃I'm　Jake　Chambers。〃
　　Calvin　Tower　shook　his　hand。　〃Good　handle；　pard。　Sounds　like　the　footloose　hero　in　a　Western　novel…the　guy　who　blows　into　Black　Fork；　Arizona；　cleans　up　the　town；　and　then　travels　on。　Something　by　Wayne　D。　Overholser；　maybe。　Except　you　don't　look　footloose；　Jake。　You　look　like　you　decided　the　day　was　a　little　too　nice　to　spend　in　school。〃
　　〃Oh　。。。　no。　We　finished　up　last　Friday。〃
　　Tower　grinned。　〃Uh…huh。　I　bet。　And　you've　gotta　have　these　two　items；　huh？　It's　sort　of　funny；　what　people　have　to　have。　Now　you…I　would　have　pegged　you　as　a　Robert　Howard　land　of　kid　from　the　jump；　looking　for　a　good　deal　on　one　of　those　nice　old　Donald　M。　Grant　editions…the　ones　with　the　Roy　Krenkel　paintings。　Dripping　swords；　mighty　thews；　and　Conan　the　Barbarian　hacking　his　way　through　the　Stygian　hordes。〃
　　〃That　sounds　pretty　good；　actually。　These　are　for　。　。　。　uh；　for　my　little　brother。　It's　his　birthday　next　week。〃
　　Calvin　Tower　used　his　thumb　to　flip　his　glasses　down　onto　his　nose　and　had　a　closer　look　at　Jake。　〃Really？　You　look　like　an　only　child　to　me。　An　only　child　if　I　ever　saw　one；　enjoying　a　day　of　French　leave　as　Mistress　May　trembles　in　her　green　gown　just　outside　the　bosky　dell　of　June。〃
　　〃e　again？〃
　　〃Never　mind。　Spring　always　puts　me　in　a　William　Cowper…ish　mood。　People　are　weird　but　interesting；　Tex…am　I　right？〃
　　〃I　guess　so；〃　Jake　said　cautiously。　He　couldn't　decide　if　he　liked　this　odd　man　or　not。
　　One　of　the　counter…browsers　spun　on　his　stool。　He　was　holding　a　cup　of　coffee　in　one　hand　and　a　bartered　paperback　copy　of　The　Plague　in　the　other。　〃Quit　pulling　the　kid's　chain　and　sell　him　the　books；　Cal；〃　he　said。　〃We've　still　got　time　to　finish　this　game　of　chess　before　the　end　of　the　world；　if　you　hurry　up。〃
　　〃Hurry　is　antithetical　to　my　nature；〃　Cal　said；　hut　he　opened　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo　and　peered　at　the　price　pencilled　on　the　flyleaf。　〃A　fairly　mon　book；　but　this　copy's　in　unusually　fine　condition。　Little　kids　usually　rack　the　hell　out　of　the　ones　they　like。　I　should　get　twelve　dollars　for　it…〃
　　〃Goddam　thief；〃　the　man　who　was　reading　The　Plague　said；　and　the　other　browser　laughed。　Calvin　Tower　paid　no　notice。
　　〃…but　I　can't　bear　to　dock　you　that　much　on　a　day　like　this。　Seven　bucks　and　it's　yours。　Plus　tax；　of　course。　The　riddle　book　you　can　have　for　free。　Consider　it　my　gift　to　a　boy　wise　enough　to　saddle　up　and　light　out　for　the　territories　on　the　last　real　day　of　spring。〃
　　Jake　dug　out　his　wallet　and　opened　it　anxiously；　afraid　he　had　left　the　house　with　only　three　or　four　dollars。　He　was　in　luck；　however。　He　had　a　five　and　three　ones。　He　held　the　money　out　to　Tower；　who　folded　the　bills　casually　into　one　pocket　and　made　change　out　of　the　other。
　　〃Don't　hurry　off；　Jake。　Now　that　you're　here；　e　on　over　to　the　counter　and　have　a　cup　of　coffee。　Your　eyes　will　widen　with　amazement　as　I　cut　Aaron　Deepneau's　spavined　old　Kiev　Defense　to　ribbons。〃
　　〃Don't　you　wish；〃　said　the　man　who　was　reading　The　Plague…Aaron　Deepneau；　presumably。
　　〃I'd　like　to；　but　I　can't。　I　。。。　there's　someplace　I　have　to　be。〃
　　〃Okay。　As　long　as　it's　not　back　to　school。〃
　　Jake　grinned。　〃No…not　school。　That　way　lies　madness。〃
　　Tower　laughed　out　loud　and　flipped　his　glasses　up　to　the　top　of　his　head　again。　〃Not　bad！　Not　bad　at　all！　Maybe　the　younger　generation　isn't　going　to　hell　after　all；　Aaron…what　do　you　think？〃
　　〃Oh；　they're　going　to　hell；　all　right；〃　Aaron　said。　〃This　boy's　just　an　exception　to　the　rule。　Maybe。〃
　　〃Don't　mind　that　cynical　old　fart；〃　Calvin　Tower　said。　〃Motor　on；　O　Hyperborean　Wanderer。　I　wish　I　were　ten　or　eleven　again；　with　a　beautiful　day　like　this　ahead　of　me。〃
　　〃Thanks　for　the　books；〃　Jake　said。
　　〃No　problem。　That's　what　we're　here　for。　e　on　back　sometime。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to。〃
　　〃Well；　you　know　where　we　are。〃
　　Yes；　Jake　thought。　Now　if　I　only　knew　where　I　am。
　　
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　　HE　STOPPED　JUST　OUTSIDE　the　bookstore　and　flipped　open　the　riddle　book　again；　this　t