ch.nativetongue-第2章

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　〃I'll　find　my　own　ride。〃
　〃It'll　look　hinky；　we　don't　show　up　together。〃
　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃I'm　not　riding　nowhere　with　a　guy　that　throws　rats　on　little　kids。　Understand？〃
　〃What　if　I　said　I　was　sorry；〃　Bud　Schwartz　said。　〃I'm　sorry；　all　right？　It　was　a　shitty　thing　to　do。　I　feel　terrible；　Danny；　honest　to　God。　I　feel　like　a　shit。〃
　Danny　Pogue　gave　him　a　sideways　look。
　〃I　mean　it；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。　〃You　got　me　feeling　so　bad　I　got　half　a　mind　to　cry。　Swear　to　God；　look　here…my　eyes　are　all　watered　up。　For　a　second　I　was　thinking　of　Bud；　Jr。；　about　what　I'd　do；　some　asshole　throwed　a　rat　or　any　other　damn　animal　at　my　boy。　Probably　kill　him；　that's　what　I'd　do。〃
　As　he　spun　through　this　routine；　Bud　Schwartz　was　thinking：　The　things　I　do　to　keep　him　steady。
　And　it　seemed　to　work。　In　no　time　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃It's　all　right；　Bud。　Least　nobody　got　hurt。〃
　〃That's　true。〃
　〃But　don't　scare　no　more　little　kids；　understand？〃
　Bud　Schwartz　said；　〃I　won't；　Danny。　That's　a　promise。〃
　Ten　minutes　later；　stopped　at　a　traffic　light　in　Cutler　Ridge；　Danny　Pogue　turned　in　the　passenger　seat　and　said；　〃Hey；　it　just　hit　me。〃
　He　was　grinning　so　wide　that　you　could　count　all　the　spaces　where　teeth　used　to　be。
　〃What？〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。
　〃I　remember　you　told　me　that　Bud　Schwartz　wasn't　your　real　name。　You　said　your　real　name　was　Mickey　Reilly。〃
　〃Mike。　Mike　Reilly；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz；　thinking；　Here　we　go。
　〃Okay；　then　how　could　you　have　a　kid　named　Bud；　Jr。？〃
　〃Well…〃
　〃If　your　name's　Mike。〃
　〃Simple。　I　changed　the　boy's　name　when　I　changed　mine。〃
　Danny　Pogue　looked　skeptical。　Bud　Schwartz　said；　〃A　boy　oughta　have　the　same　name　as　his　daddy；　don't　you　agree？〃
　〃So　his　real　name　was…〃
　〃Mike；　Jr。　Now　it's　Bud；　Jr。〃
　〃You　say　so；〃　said　Danny　Pogue；　grinning　again；　a　jack…o'…lantern　with　volcanic　acne。
　〃What；　you　don't　believe　me？〃
　〃No；　I　don't　believe　you；〃　said　Danny　Pogue；　〃but　it　was　a　damn　good　story。　Whatever　your　fucking　name　is。〃
　〃Bud　is　just　fine。　Bud　Schwartz。　And　let's　not　fight　no　more；　we're　gonna　be　rich。〃
　Danny　Pogue　got　two　beers　out　of　the　Styrofoam　cooler　in　the　back　of　the　cab。　He　popped　one　of　the　cans　for　his　partner　and　handed　it　to　him。　〃I　still　can't　believe　they're　payin'　us　ten　grand　apiece　to　steal　a　boxful　of　rats。〃
　〃This　is　Miami；〃　said　Bud　Schwartz。　〃Maybe　they're　voodoo　rats。　Or　maybe　they're　fulla　dope。　I　heard　where　they　smuggle　coke　in　French　rubbers；　so　why　not　rats。〃
　Danny　Pogue　lifted　the　box　from　behind　the　front　seat　and　placed　it　carefully　on　his　lap。　He　leaned　down　and　put　his　ear　to　the　lid。　〃Wonder　how　many's　in　there；〃　he　said。
　Bud　Schwartz　shrugged。　〃Didn't　ask。〃
　The　den　box　was　eighteen　inches　deep；　and　twice　the　size　of　a　briefcase。　It　was　made　of　plywood；　painted　dark　green；　with　small　hinged　doors　on　each　end。　Air　holes　had　been　drilled　through　the　side　panels；　the　holes　were　no　bigger　than　a　dime；　but　somehow　one　of　the　animals　had　managed　to　squeeze　out。　Then　it　had　scaled　the　front　seat　and　perched　on　Danny　Pogue's　headrest；　where　it　had　balanced　on　its　hind　legs　and　wiggled　its　velvety　snout　in　the　air。　Laughing；　Bud　Schwartz　had　deftly　snatched　it　by　the　tail　and　dangled　it　in　his　partner's　face。　Over　Danny　Pogue's　objections；　Bud　Schwartz　had　toyed　with　the　rodent　for　six　or　seven　miles；　until　he'd　spotted　the　red　convertible　ing　the　other　way　down　the　road。　Then　he　had　said；　〃Watch　this；〃　and　had　tossed　the　animal　out　the　window；　into　the　passing　car。
　Now　Danny　Pogue　lifted　the　green　box　off　his　lap　and　said；　〃Sure　don't　weigh　much。〃
　Bud　Schwartz　chuckled。　〃You　want　a　turn；　is　that　it？　Well；　go　ahead　then；　grab　one。〃
　〃But　I　don't　wanna　get　bit。〃
　〃You　got　to　do　it　real　fast；　way　I　did。　Hurry　now；　here　es　one　of　them　Winnebagos。　I'll　slow　down　when　we　go　by。〃
　Danny　Pogue　said；　〃The　top　of　this　box　ain't　even　locked。〃
　〃So　what're　you　waiting　for？〃　said　his　partner。　〃Pop　goes　the　weasel。〃
　
　After　the　rat　attack；　the　Whelper　family　rode　in　edgy　silence　until　they　arrived　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　They　parked　the　red　LeBaron　in　the　Mr。　Bump…a…Rump　lot；　Section　Jellybean；　and　took　the　tram　to　the　main　gate。　There　they　came　upon　a　chaotic　scene：　police　cars；　an　ambulance；　TV　trucks；　news　photographers。　The　ticket　turnstiles　were　all　blocked。
　〃Swell；〃　said　Terry　Whelper。　〃Beautiful。〃
　〃Maybe　they're　filming　a　movie；〃　his　wife　suggested。　〃Maybe　it's　not　real。〃
　But　it　was。　The　center　of　attention　was　a　supremely　tanned　young　man　in　a　blue　oxford　shirt　with　a　dark　red　club　tie；　loosened　fashionably　at　the　throat。　Once　all　the　TV　lights　were　on；　the　man　started　to　read　from　a　typed　sheet　of　paper。　He　said　he　was　a　spokesperson　for　the　pany。
　〃This　is　a　message　for　all　our　friends　and　visitors　to　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills；〃　the　man　began。　〃We　deeply　regret　the　incident　that　disturbed　today's　Summerfest　celebration。　We　are　proud　of　our　security　arrangements　here　at　the　park；　and　proud　of　our　safety　record。　Up　until　today；　there　had　been…and　I　say　this　unequivocally…no　serious　crimes　mitted　within　our　friendly　gates。〃
　In　the　swell　of　the　crowd；　Terry　Whelper　felt　his　wife's　chin　digging　into　his　shoulder　blade。　〃What　do　you　suppose　he's　talking　about？〃　she　said。
　The　man　in　the　oxford　shirt　continued：　〃We　believe　there　was　no　way　to　anticipate；　much　less　prevent；　what　happened　this　afternoon　in　the　Rare　Animal　Pavilion。〃
　Terry　Whelper　said；　〃This　oughta　be　good。〃　A　large　woman　wearing　a　damp　cotton　blouse　and　a　Nikkormat　around　her　neck　turned　and　shot　him　a　dirty　look。
　The　man　at　the　TV　microphones　was　saying；　〃At　approximately　2。15　p。m。；　two　men　entered　the　pound　and　attacked　one　of　the　wildlife　exhibits　with　a　sledgehammer；　breaking　the　glass。　One　of　our　park　employees　courageously　tried　to　stop　the　intruders；　but　was　overpowered　and　beaten。　The　two　men　then　grabbed　a　box　of　specimens　from　the　exhibit　arena　and　ran。　In　the　confusion；　the　suspects　managed　to　escape　from　the　park；　apparently　by　mingling　with　ordinary　tourists　aboard　the　Jungle　Jerry　Amazon　Boat　Cruise。〃
　Jason　Whelper　said；　〃Specimens？　What　kinda　specimens？〃
　Jennifer　announced；　〃I　don't　want　to　go　on　the　Jungle　Jerry　anymore。〃
　Terry　Whelper　told　the　children　to　be　quiet　and　listen。　The　tanned　man　in　the　blue　shirt　was　saying　that　the　park　employee　who　had　so　bravely　tried　to　stop　the　crime　was　being　rushed　to　the　hospital　for　X…rays。
　〃Hey；　look！〃　said　Jason；　pointing。
　Somebody　in　an　oversized　polyester　animal　outfit　was　being　loaded　into　the　ambulance。
　〃That's　Robbie　Raccoon！〃　cried　Jennifer　Whelper。　〃He　must　be　the　one　who　got　hurt。〃
　All　around　them　in　the　crowd；　other　tourist　children　began　to　whimper　and　sniffle　at　the　sight　of　Robbie　Raccoon　on　the　stretcher。　Jason　swore　he　saw　some　blood　on　Robbie　Raccoon's　nose。
　〃No；　he's　going　to　be　fine；〃　said　Gerri　Whelper。　〃See　there；　he's　waving　at　us！〃
　And；　indeed；　whoever　was　inside　the　Robbie　Raccoon　costume　managed　a　weak　salute　to　the　crowd　before　the　ambulance　doors　swung　closed。
　〃It's　gotta　be　ninety…eight　degrees　out　here；〃　marveled　Terry　Whelper。　〃You'd　think　they'd　get　the　poor　guy　out　of　that　raccoon　getup。〃
　Terry　Whelper's　wife　whispered　urgently　to　the　nape　of　his　neck；　〃Not　in　front　of　Jennifer。　She　thinks　he's　real。〃
　〃Oh；　you're　kidding；〃　Terry　said。
　Under　the　TV　lights；　the　tan　young　spokesperson　finally　was　revealing　what　had　been　stolen　in　the　daring　robbery。
　〃As　many　of　you　know；〃　he　said；　〃the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills　is　home　to　several　endangered　varieties　of　wildlife。　Unfortunately；　the　animals　that　were　stolen　this　afternoon　are　among　the　rarest；　and　most　treasured；　in　our　live…animal　collection。　In　fact；　they　were　believed　to　be　the　last　two　surviving　specimens　of　the　blue…tongued　mango　vole。〃　Here　the　handsome　spokesman　paused　dramatically。　Then：　〃The　animals　were　being　kept　here　in　a　specially　climatized　habitat；　in　the　hope　that　they　might　breed　and　keep　the　species　alive。　Tragically；　that　dream　came　to　an　end　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Mango　voles！〃　exclaimed　Jason　Whelper。　〃Dad；　did　you　hear？　Maybe　that's　what　landed　in　our　car。　Maybe　those　guys　in　the　pickup　truck　were　the　crooks！〃
　Terry　Whelper　too