thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第3章

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　　〃Say；〃　he　said。　〃Are　you　fellas　drinking？〃
　　〃Not　me；〃　I　said。
　　〃Just　fill　the　goddamn　tank；〃　my　attorney　snapped。　〃We're　in　a　hell　of　a　hurry。　We're　on　our　way　to　Las　Vegas　for　a　desert　race。
　　〃What？〃
　　〃Never　mind；〃　I　said。　〃We're　responsible　people。〃　I　watched　him　put　the　gas　cap　on；　then　I　jammed　the　thing　into　low　gear　and　we　lurched　into　traffic。
　　〃There's　another　worrier；〃　said　my　attorney。　〃He's　prob…ably　all　cranked　up　on　speed。〃
　　〃Yeah；　you　should　have　given　him　some　reds。〃
　　〃Reds　wouldn't　help　a　pig　like　that；〃　he　said。　〃To　hell　with　him。　We　have　a　lot　of　business　to　take　care　of；　before　we　can　get　on　the　road。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　get　hold　of　some　priests'　robes；〃　I　said。　〃They　might　e　in　handy　in　Las　Vegas。〃　But　there　were　no　costume　stores　open；　and　we　weren't　up　to　burglarizing　a　church。　〃Why　bother？〃　said　my　attorney。　〃And　you　have　to　remember　that　a　lot　of　cops　are　good　vicious　Catholics。　Can　you　imagine　what　those　bastards　would　do　to　us　if　we　got　busted　all　drugged…up　and　drunk　in　stolen　investments？　Jesus；　they'd　castrate　us！〃
　　〃You're　right；〃　I　said。　〃And　for　christ's　sake　don't　smoke　that　pipe　at　stoplights。　Keep　in　mind　that　we're　exposed。〃　He　nodded。　〃We　need　a　big　hookah。　Keep　it　down　here　on　the　seat；　out　of　sight。　If　anybody　sees　us；　they'll　think　we're　using　oxygen。〃　We　spent　the　rest　of　that　night　rounding　up　materials　and　packing　the　car。　Then　we　ate　the　mescaline　and　went　swimming　in　the　ocean。　Somewhere　around　dawn　we　had　breakfast　in　a　Malibu　coffee　shop；　then　drove　very　carefully　across　town　and　plunged　onto　the　smog…shrouded　Pasadena　Freeway；　heading　East。
　　
　　　3。　Strange　Medicine　On　The　Desert。。。A　Crisis　Of　Confidence
　　
　　I　am　still　vaguely　haunted　by　our　hitchhiker's　remark　about　how　he'd　〃never　rode　in　a　convertible　before。〃　Here's　this　poor　geek　living　in　a　world　of　convertibles　zipping　past　him　on　the　highways　all　the　time；　and　he's　never　even　ridden　in　one。　It　made　me　feel　like　King　Farouk。　I　was　tempted　to　have　my　attorney　pull　into　the　next　airport　and　arrange　some　kind　of　simple；　mon…law　contract　whereby　we　could　just　give　the　car　to　this　unfortunate　bastard。　Just　say：　〃Here；　sign　this　and　the　car's　yours。〃　Give　him　the　keys　and　then　use　the　credit　card　to　zap　off　on　a　jet　to　some　place　like　Miami　and　rent　another　huge　fireapple…red　convertible　for　a　drug…addled；　top…speed　run　across　the　water　all　the　way　out　to　the　last　stop　in　Key　West。。。and　then　trade　the　car　off　for　a　boat。　Keep　moving。
　　But　this　manic　notion　passed　quickly。　There　was　no　point　in　getting　this　harmless　kid　locked　up…and；　besides；　I　had　plans　for　this　car。　I　was　looking　forward　to　flashing　around　Las　Vegas　in　the　bugger。　Maybe　do　a　bit　of　serious　drag…racing　on　the　Strip：　Pull　up　to　that　big　stoplight　in　front　of　the　Flamingo　and　start　screaming　at　the　traffic：　〃Alright；　you　chickenshit　wimps！　You　pansies！　When　this　goddamn　light　flips　green；　I'm　gonna　stomp　down　on　this　thing　and　blow　every　one　of　you　gutless　punks　off　the　road！〃　Right。　Challenge　the　bastards　on　their　own　turf。　e　Screeching　up　to　the　crosswalk；　bucking　and　skidding　with　a　bottle　of　rum　in　one　hand　and　jamming　the　horn　to　drown　out　the　music。。。glazed　eyes　insanely　dilated　behind　tiny　black；　gold…rimmed　greaser　shades；　screaming　gibberish。。；　a　genuinely　dangerous　drunk；　reeking　of　ether　and　terminal　psychosis。　Revving　the　engine　up　to　a　terrible　high…pitched　chattering　whine；　waiting　for　the　light　to　change。。。
　　How　often　does　a　chance　like　that　e　around？　To　jangle　the　bastards　right　down　to　the　core　of　their　spleens。　Old　elephants　limp　off　to　the　hills　to　die；　old　Americans　go　out　to　the　highway　and　drive　themselves　to　death　with　huge　cars。
　　But　our　trip　was　different。　It　was　a　classic　affirmation　of　everything　right　and　true　and　decent　in　the　national　character。　It　was　a　gross；　physical　salute　to　the　fantastic　possibilities　of　life　in　this　country…but　only　for　those　with　true　grit。　And　we　were　chock　full　of　that。
　　My　attorney　understood　this　concept；　despite　his　racial　handicap；　but　our　hitchhiker　was　not　an　easy　person　to　reach。　He　said　he　understood；　but　I　could　see　in　his　eyes　that　he　didn't。　He　was　lying　to　me。
　　The　car　suddenly　veered　off　the　road　and　we　came　to　a　sliding　halt　in　the　gravel。　I　was　hurled　against　the　dashboard。　My　attorney　was　slumped　over　the　wheel。　〃What's　wrong？〃　I　yelled。　〃We　can't　stop　here。　This　is　bat　country！〃
　　〃My　heart；〃　he　groaned。　〃Where's　the　medicine？〃
　　〃Oh；〃　I　said。　〃The　medicine；　yes；　it's　right　here。〃　I　reached　into　the　kit…bag　for　the　amyls。　The　kid　seemed　petrified。　〃Don't　worry；〃　I　said。　〃This　man　has　a　bad　heart…Angina　Pectoris。　But　we　have　the　cure　for　it。　Yes；　here　they　are。〃　I　picked　four　amyls　out　of　the　tin　box　and　handed　two　of　them　to　my　attorney。　He　immediately　cracked　one　under　his　nose；　and　I　did　likewise。
　　He　took　a　long　snort　and　fell　back　on　the　seat；　staring　straight　up　at　the　sun。　〃Turn　up　the　fucking　music！〃　he　screamed。　〃My　heart　feels　like　an　alligator！
　　〃Volume！　Clarity！　Bass！　We　must　have　bass！〃　He　flailed　his　naked　arms　at　the　sky。　〃What's　wrong　with　us？　Are　we　god…damn　old　ladies？〃　I　turned　both　the　radio　and　the　tape　machine　up　full　bore。　〃You　scurvy　shyster　bastard；〃　I　said。　〃Watch　your　language！　You're　talking　to　a　doctor　of　journalism！〃　He　was　laughing　out　of　control。　〃What　the　fuck　are　we　doing　out　here　on　this　desert？〃　he　shouted。　〃Somebody　call　the　police！　We　need　help！〃
　　〃Pay　no　attention　to　this　swine；〃　I　said　to　the　hitchhiker。　〃He　can't　handle　the　medicine。　Actually；　we're　both　doctors　of　journalism；　and　we're　on　our　way　to　Las　Vegas　to　cover　the　main　story　of　our　generation。〃　And　then　I　began　laughing　。。。　。
　　My　attorney　hunched　around　to　face　the　hitchhiker。　〃The　truth　is；〃　he　said；　〃we're　going　to　Vegas　to　croak　a　scag　baron　named　Savage　Henry。　I've　known　him　for　years；　but　he　ripped　us　off…and　you　know　what　that　means；　right？〃　I　wanted　to　shut　him　off；　but　we　were　both　helpless　with　laughter。　What　the　fuck　were　we　doing　out　here　on　this　desert；　when　we　both　had　bad　hearts？
　　〃Savage　Henry　has　cashed　his　check！〃　My　attorney　snarled　at　the　kid　in　the　back　seat。　〃We're　going　to　rip　his　lungs　out！〃
　　〃And　eat　them！〃　I　blurted。　〃That　bastard　won't　get　away　with　this！　What's　going　on　in　this　country　when　a　scumsucker　like　that　can　get　away　with　sandbagging　a　doctor　of　journalism？〃　Nobody　answered。　My　attorney　was　cracking　another　amyl　and　the　kid　was　climbing　out　of　the　back　seat；　scrambling　down　the　trunk　lid。　〃Thanks　for　the　ride；〃　he　yelled。　〃Thanks　a　lot。　I　like　you　guys。　Don't　worry　about　me。〃　His　feet　hit　the　asphalt　and　he　started　running　back　towards　Baker。　Out　in　the　middle　of　the　desert；　not　a　tree　in　sight。
　　Wait　a　minute；〃　I　yelled。　〃e　back　and　get　a　beer。〃　But　apparently　he　couldn't　hear　me。　The　music　was　very　loud；　and　he　was　moving　away　from　us　at　good　speed。
　　〃Good　riddance；〃　said　my　attorney。　〃We　had　a　real　freak　on　our　hands。　That　boy　made　me　nervous。　Did　you　see　his　eyes？〃　He　was　still　laughing。　〃Jesus；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　good　medicine！〃　I　opened　the　door　and　reeled　around　to　the　driver's　side。　〃Move　over；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　drive。　We　have　to　get　out　of　Califor…nia　before　that　kid　finds　a　cop。〃
　　〃Shit；　that'll　be　hours；〃　said　my　attorney。　〃He's　a　hundred　miles　from　anywhere。〃
　　〃So　are　we；〃　I　said。
　　〃Let's　turn　around　and　drive　back　to　the　Polo　Lounge；〃　he　said。　〃They'll　never　look　for　us　there。〃　I　ignored　him。　〃Open　the　tequila；〃　I　yelled　as　the　wind…scream　took　over　again；　I　stomped　on　the　accelerator　as　we　hurtled　back　onto　the　highway。　Moments　later　he　leaned　over　with　a　map。　〃There's　a　place　up　ahead　called　Mescal　Springs；〃　he　said。　〃As　your　attorney；　I　advise　you　to　stop　and　take　a　swim。
　　I　shook　my　head。　〃It's　absolutely　imperative　that　we　get　to　the　Mint　Hotel　before　the　deadline　for　press　registration；〃　I　said。　〃Otherwise；　we　might　have　to　pay　for　our　suite。〃　He　nodded。　〃But　let's　forget　that　bullshit　about　the　American　Dream；〃　he　said。　〃The　important　thing　is　the　Great　Samoan　Dream。〃　He　was　rummaging　around　in　the　kit…bag。　〃I　think　it's　about　time　to　chew　up　a　blotter；〃　he　said。　〃That　cheap　mescaline　wore　off　a　long　time　ago；　and　I　don't　know　if