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."Jason, who had helped us dock, was kneeling on the floor.He had lifted Mrs.Birdsong into a sitting position.Her head was a little loose on her neck, andher eyes were vacant.He was gentle with her, murmuring comfort to her."She okay, Jason?" an officer asked."I.I guess I'm all right," she said."How about you?" he asked me.I worked my arms, massaged the back of my neck.My head was clearing the restof the way, taking me out of slow motion.I felt of my forehead.It wasbeginning to puff."He hit me one good lick.""Why?""I haven't the faintest idea.I was checking in.""He brought his boat in a little while ago," Jason said.He helped CindyBirdsong to her feet.She pulled free of him and walked over to a canvas chairand sat down, looking gray-green under her heavy tan."Want to prefer charges?" the officer asked.I looked at Cindy.She lifted her head and gave a little negative shake."I guess not."The cop named Ralph sighed.He was young and heavy, with a Csonka mustache."Arthur and me figured he might head back here.We've been trying to catch upwith him for two hours, Cindy.We got all the charges we need.He run two carsoff the road.He busted up Dewey's Pizza Shack and broke Dewey's arm for him.""Oh, God.""Earlier he was out to the Gateway Bar on Route Seven eighty-seven, and hepure beat the living hell out of three truck drivers.They're in the hospital.I'm sorry, Cindy.It's since he got on the sauce so bad.And being onprobation from the last time.look, he's going to have to spend some timein the county jail.I'm sorry, but that's the way it is."She closed her eyes.She shuddered.Suddenly Cal Birdsong began to snore.There was a little puddle of blood under his face.The ambulance arrived.Thecuffs were removed.The attendants handled him with less difficulty than Iexpected.Cindy got a sweater and her purse and rode along with the snoringgigantic drunk, after asking Jason to take care of things.Jason leaned on the counter and said, "He was okay.You know? A nice guy up toabout a year ago.I've worked here since they opened.He drank, but likeanybody else.Then he started drinking more and more.Now it makes him crazy.She's really a very great person.It's really breaking her heart, you know?""Booze sneaks up on people.""It's made him crazy.The things he yells at her.""I heard some of them."The part of his face not covered by the Jesus beard turned redder."She's notlike that at all.I don't know what it is with him.""Where do they live?""Oh, right over there, in this end unit in the motel.They built the motel thesame time as the marina, and leased it out, and in the lease they get to usethe unit at this end, a little bigger than the others.Cal inherited somemoney and they bought this piece of waterfront and put up the marina and themotel.But they could lose it if it keeps up this way."He went and got a mop and a pail and swabbed up the blood.While he was at ithe mopped the rest of the floor.A good man.I stepped around the wet parts and went back to the Flush.Meyer was annoyed.Page 16ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlWhere had I been? What had happened to my forehead? What were we going to doabout lunch?I told him how I'd happened to meet the Birdsongs.Lovely couple.When we went to get a car and get lunch, I saw a different fellow in theoffice.This one was beardless and smaller and rounder, but just as muscular."Jason here?""He went to lunch.Can I help you?""I'm McGee.We're in Slip Sixty.""Oh, sure.We talked on the phone.I'm Oliver Tarbeck.I understand you andCal went around and around.""Sort of.If I can get a rental car, where should I park it?""In that row over there where it says Marina Only.If it's full, come here tothe office and we'll work something out.""Place to eat?""A block to the left, on this side.Gil's Kitchen.It's okay for lunch."We had lunch first.The place wasn't okay for lunch.Gil had a dirty kitchen.A fried egg sandwich was probably safe.We went from there to Texaco, whichhad some sort of budget rental deal, and I tested to see if I could get myknees under the wheel of the yellow Gremlin before giving him the Diner'sCard.Nobody will take a cash deposit on a car any more.It forces everybodyinto cards.As the world gets bigger, it gets a lot duller.I asked him if he could tell me how to find Junction Park.He gave me a citymap and marked the route.The Gremlin did not have air, but it had some big vents.Meyer read the mapand called the turns.It was easy to see the shape and history of Bayside,Florida.There had been a little town on the bay shore, a few hundred people,a sleepy downtown with live oaks and Spanish moss [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]