sk.thewastelands-第35节

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　　〃Who　is　in　the　cab　with　me？〃　Engineer　Bob　said　sternly。
　　〃You　need　to　see　a　shrink；　Engineer　Bob；〃　Jake　murmured；　and　turned　the　page。　Here　was　a　picture　of　Bob　bending　over　to　look　beneath；　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo's　automatic　firebox。　Jake　wondered　who　was　driv…ing　the　train　and　watching　out　for　cows　（not　to　mention　boys　and　girls）　on　the　tracks　while　Bob　was　checking　for　stowaways；　and　guessed　that　Beryl　Evans　hadn't　known　a　lot　about　trains。
　　〃Don't　worry；〃　said　a　small；　gruff　voice。　〃It　is　only　I。〃
　　〃Who's　I？〃　Engineer　Bob　asked。　He　spoke　in　his　big…gest；　sternest　voice；　because　he　still　thought　someone　was　playing　a　joke　on　him。
　　〃Charlie；〃　said　the　small；　gruff　voice。
　　〃Hardy　har…har！〃　said　Engineer　Bob。　〃Trains　can't　talk！　I　may　not　know　much；　but　I　know　that！　If　you're　Charlie；　I　suppose　you　can　blow　your　own　whistle！〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　said　the　small；　gruff　voice；　and　just　then　the　whistle　made　its　big　noise；　rolling　out　across　the　Mis…souri　plains：　WHOOO…OOOO！
　　〃Goodness！〃　said　Engineer　Bob。　〃It　really　is　you！〃
　　〃I　told　you；〃　said　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo。
　　〃How　e　I　never　knew　you　were　alive　before？〃　asked　Engineer　Bob。　〃Why　didn't　you　ever　talk　to　me　before？〃
　　Then　Charlie　sang　this　song　to　Engineer　Bob　in　his　small；　gruff　voice。
　　Don't　ask　me　silly　questions；
　　I　won't　play　silly　games。
　　I'm　just　a　simple　choo…choo　train
　　And　I'll　always　be　the　same。
　　I　only　want　to　race　along
　　Beneath　the　bright　blue　sky；
　　And　be　a　happy　choo…choo　train
　　Until　the　day　I　die。
　　〃Will　you　talk　to　me　some　more　when　we're　making　our　run？〃　asked　Engineer　Bob。　〃I'd　like　that。〃
　　〃I　would；　too；〃　said　Charlie。　〃I　love　you；　Engineer　Bob。〃
　　〃I　love　you　too；　Charlie；〃　said　Engineer　Bob；　and　then　he　blew　the　whistle　himself；　just　to　show　how　happy　he　was。
　　WHOOO…OOO！　It　was　the　biggest　and　best　Charlie　had　ever　whistled；　and　everyone　who　heard　it　came　out　to　see。
　　The　picture　which　illustrated　this　last　was　similar　to　the　one　on　the　cover　of　the　book。　In　the　previous　pictures　（they　were　rough　drawings　which　reminded　Jake　of　the　pictures　in　his　favorite　kindergarten　book；　Mike　Mulligan　and　His　Steam　Shovel）；　the　lootive　had　been　just　a　lootive…cheery；　undoubtedly　interesting　to　the　'40s…era　boys　who　had　been　this　book's　intended　audience；　but　still　only　a　piece　of　machin…ery。　In　this　picture；　however；　it　had　clearly　human　features；　and　this　gave　Jake　a　deep　chill　despite　Charlie's　smile　and　the　rather　heavy…handed　cuteness　of　the　story。
　　He　didn't　trust　that　smile。
　　He　turned　to　his　Final　Essay　and　scanned　down　the　lines。　I'm　pretty　sure　Blame　is　dangerous；　he　read；　and　that　is　the　truth。
　　He　closed　the　folder；　tapped　his　fingers　on　it　thoughtfully　for　a　few　moments；　then　returned　to　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo。
　　Engineer　Bob　and　Charlie　spent　many　happy　days　together　and　talked　of　many　things。　Engineer　Bob　lived　alone；　and　Charlie　was　the　first　real　friend　he'd　had　since　his　wife　died；　long　ago；　in　New　York。
　　Then　one　day；　when　Charlie　and　Engineer　Bob　returned　to　the　roundhouse　in　St。　Louis；　they　found　a　new　diesel　lootive　in　Charlie's　berth。　And　what　a　diesel　lootive　it　was！　5；000　horsepower！　Stainless　steel　cou…plers！　Traction　motors　from　the　Utica　Engine　Works　in　Utica；　New　York！　And　sitting　on　top；　behind　the　genera…tor；　were　three　bright　yellow　radiator　cooling　fans。
　　〃What　is　this？〃　Engineer　Bob　asked　in　a　worried　voice；　but　Charlie　only　sang　his　song　in　his　smallest；　gruffest　voice：
　　
　　Don't　ask　me　silly　questions；
　　I　won't　play　silly　games。
　　I'm　just　a　simple　choo…choo　train
　　And　I'll　always　be　the　same。
　　
　　I　only　want　to　race　along
　　Beneath　the　bright　blue　sky；
　　And　be　a　happy　choo…choo　train
　　Until　the　day　I　die。
　　
　　Mr。　Briggs；　the　Roundhouse　Manager；　came　over。
　　〃That　is　a　beautiful　diesel　lootive；〃　said　Engineer　Bob；　〃but　you　will　have　to　move　it　out　of　Charlie's　berth；　Mr。　Briggs。　Charlie　needs　a　lube　job　this　very　afternoon。〃
　　〃Charlie　won't　be　needing　any　more　lube　jobs；　Engi…neer　Bob；〃　said　Mr。　Briggs　sadly。　〃This　is　his　replace…ment…a　brand…new　Burlington　Zephyr　diesel　loco。　Once；　Charlie　was　the　best　lootive　in　the　world；　but　now　he　is　old　and　his　boiler　leaks。　I　am　afraid　the　time　has　e　for　Charlie　to　retire。〃
　　〃Nonsense！〃　Engineer　Bob　was　mad！　〃Charlie　is　still　full　of　zip　and　zowie！　I　will　telegraph　the　head　office　of　The　Mid…World　Railway　pany！　I　will　telegraph　the　President；　Mr。　Raymond　Martin；　myself！　I　know　him；　because　he　once　gave　me　a　Good　Service　Award；　and　afterwards　Charlie　and　I　took　his　little　daughter　for　a　ride。　I　let　her　pull　the　lanyard；　and　Charlie　whistled　his　loudest　for　her！〃
　　〃I　am　sorry；　Bob；〃　said　Mr。　Briggs；　'Taut　it　was　Mr。　Martin　himself　who　ordered　the　new　diesel　loco。〃
　　It　was　true。　And　so　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo　was　shunted　off　to　a　siding　in　the　furthest　corner　of　Mid…World's　St。　Louis　yard　to　rust　in　the　weeds。　Now　the　HONNNK！　HONNNK！　of　the　Burlington　Zephyr　was　heard　on　the　St。　Louis　to　Topeka　run；　and　Charlie's　blew　no　more。　A　family　of　mice　nested　in　the　seat　where　Engi…neer　Bob　once　sat　so　proudly；　watching　the　countryside　speed　past；　a　family　of　swallows　nested　in　his　smoke…stack。　Charlie　was　lonely　and　very　sad。　He　missed　the　steel　tracks　and　bright　blue　skies　and　wide　open　spaces。　Sometimes；　late　at　night；　he　thought　of　these　things　and　cried　dark；　oily　tears。　This　rusted　his　fine　Stratham　head…light；　but　he　didn't　care；　because　now　the　Stratham　head…light　was　old；　and　it　was　always　dark。
　　Mr。　Martin；　the　President　of　The　Mid…World　Railway　pany；　wrote　and　offered　to　put　Engineer　Bob　in　the　peak…seat　of　the　new　Burlington　Zephyr。　〃It　is　a　fine　loco；　Engineer　Bob；〃　said　Mr。　Martin；　〃chock…full　of　zip　and　zowie；　and　you　should　be　the　one　to　pilot　it！　Of　all　the　Engineers　who　work　for　Mid…World；　you　are　the　best。　And　my　daughter　Susannah　has　never　forgotten　that　you　let　her　pull　old　Charlie's　whistle。〃
　　But　Engineer　Bob　said　that　if　he　couldn't　pilot　Char…lie；　his　days　as　a　trainman　were　done。　〃I　wouldn't　under…stand　such　a　fine　new　diesel　loco；〃　said　Engineer　Bob；　〃and　it　wouldn't　understand　me。〃
　　He　was　given　a　job　cleaning　the　engines　in　the　St。　Louis　yards；　and　Engineer　Bob　became　Wiper　Bob。　Some…times　the　other　engineers　who　drove　the　fine　new　diesels　would　laugh　at　him。　〃Look　at　that　old　fool！〃　they　said。　〃He　cannot　understand　that　the　world　has　moved　on！〃
　　Sometimes；　late　at　night；　Engineer　Bob　would　go　to　the　far　side　of　the　rail　yard；　where　Charlie　the　Choo…Choo　stood　on　the　rusty　rails　of　the　lonely　siding　which　had　bee　his　home。　Weeds　had　twined　in　his　wheels；　his　headlight　was　rusty　and　dark。　Engineer　Bob　always　talked　to　Charlie；　but　Charlie　replied　less　and　less。　Many　nights　he　would　not　talk　at　all。
　　One　night；　a　terrible　idea　came　into　Engineer　Bob's　head。　〃Charlie；　are　you　dying？〃　he　asked；　and　in　his　smallest；　gruffest　voice；　Charlie　replied
　　
　　Don't　ask　me　silly　questions；
　　I　won't　play　silly　games；
　　I'm　just　a　simple　choo…choo　train
　　And　I'll　always　be　the　same。
　　
　　Now　that　I　can't　race　along
　　Beneath　the　bright　blue　sky
　　I　guess　that　I'll　just　sit　right　here
　　Until　I　finally　die。
　　
　　Jake　looked　at　the　picture　acpanying　this　not…exactly…unexpected　turn　of　events　for　a　long　time。　Rough　drawing　it　might　be；　but　it　was　still　definitely　a　three…handkerchief　job。　Charlie　looked　old；　beaten；　and　forgotten。　Engineer　Bob　looked　like　he　had　lost　his　last　friend　。　。　。　which；　according　to　the　story；　he　had。　Jake　could　imagine　children　all　over　America　blatting　their　heads　off　at　this　point；　and　it　occurred　to　him　that　there　were　a　lot　of　stories　for　lads　with　stuff　like　this　in　them；　stuff　that　threw　acid　all　over　your　emotions。　Hansel　and　Gretel　being　turned　out　into　the　forest；　Bambi's　mother　getting　scragged　by　a　hunter；　the　death　of　Old　Yeller。　It　was　easy　to　hurt　little　kids；　easy　to　make　them　cry；　and　this　seemed　to　bring　out　a　strangely　sadistic　streak　in　many　story…tellers　。　。　。　including；　it　seemed；　Beryl　Evans。
　　But；　Jake　found；　he　was　not　saddened　by　Charlie's　relegation　to　the　weedy　wastelands　at　the　outer　edge　of　the　Mid…World　trainyards　in　St。　Louis。　Quite　the　opposite。　Good；　he　thought。　That's　the　place　for　him。　That's　the　place；　because　he's　dangerous。　Let　him　rot　there；　and　don't　trust　that　tear　in　his　eye…they　say　crocodiles　cry；　too。
　　He　read　the　rest　rapidly。　It　had　a　happy　ending；　of　course；　although　it　was　undoubtedly　that　moment　of　despair　on　the　edge　of　the　trainyards　which　children　remembered　long　after　the　happy　ending　had　slipped　their　minds。
　　Mr。　Martin；　the　President　of　The　Mid…World　Railway　pany；　came　to　St。　Louis　to　check　on　the　operation。　His　plan　was　to　ride　the　Burlington　Zephyr　to　Topeka；　where　his　daughter　was　giving　her　first　piano　recital；　that　very　afternoon。　Only　the　Zephyr　wouldn't　start。　There　was　water　in　the　diesel　fuel；　it　seemed。
　　（Were　you　the　one　who　watered　the　diesel；　Engineer　Bob？　Jake　wondered。　I　bet　it　was；　you　sly　dog；　you！）
　　All　the　other　trains　were　out　on　their　runs！　What　to　do？
　　Someone　tugged　Mr。　Martin's　arm。　It　was　Wiper　Bob；　only　he　no　longer　looked　like　an　engine…wiper。　He