ch.nativetongue-第24章

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egan　to　pass　gas　relentlessly。　Each　time　somebody　tried　to　lure　him　up；　Samson　shot　from　the　depths　with　his　mouth　open；　the　great　black…and…white　jaws　clacking　like　a　truck　door。　The　crowd　loved　it。　They　thought　it　was　part　of　the　act。
　Reluctantly　the　curators　of　the　California　marine　park　concluded　that　this　whale　was　one　dangerous　rogue。　They　attempted　to　peddle　him　to　another　marine　park；　far　away　on　the　western　coast　of　Florida；　but　first　they　changed　his　name　to　Ramu。　The　transaction　took　place　at　a　time　when　ocean…theme　parks　around　the　country　were　reporting　various　troubles　with　trained　killer　whales；　and　animal…rights　groups　were　seeking　legislation　to　prevent　capturing　them　for　exhibit。　Word　of　Samson's　behavioral　quirks　had　spread　throughout　the　marine…park　industry；　which　is　why　it　was　necessary　to　change　his　name　before　trying　to　sell　him。
　The　day　the　deal　was　done；　Samson　was　tranquilized；　lashed　to　a　canvas　litter　and　placed　aboard　a　chartered　Sikorsky　helicopter。　There　workers　took　turns　sponging　him　with　salt　water　during　the　arduous　cross…country　flight；　which　lasted　seventeen　hours；　including　stops　for　refueling。　By　the　time　Samson　arrived　in　Sarasota；　he　was　in　a　vile　and　vindictive　mood。　During　his　first　fifteen　minutes　in　the　new　tank；　he　savagely　foreshortened　a　pectoral　fin　on　another　male　orca　and　destroyed　the　floating　basket　through　which　he　was　supposed　to　slam…dunk　beach　balls。　Weeks　passed　with　little　improvement　in　the　new　whale's　temperament。　One　fateful　Sunday；　the　animal　abruptly　awakened　from　its　funk；　tail…walked　across　the　tank　and　did　a　dazzling　double　somersault　before　hundreds　of　delighted　tourists。　When　a　stubby　woman　in　a　green　plaid　sundress　leaned　too　close　with　her　Nikon；　the　whale　seized　her　in　his　teeth；　dragged　her　once　around　the　tank；　then　spit　her　out　like　an　olive　pit。
　It　was　then　that　Samson's　new　owners　realized　that　they　had　been　duped；　they'd　bought　themselves　a　bum　whale。　Ramu　was　in　fact　the　infamous　and　incorrigible　Samson。　Immediately　the　beast　was　quarantined　as　a　repeat　offender；　while　the　Sarasota　theme　park　made　plans　to　resell　him　under　the　misleadingly　gentle　name　of　Orky。
　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　was　the　ideal　chump。　The　soon…to…be…opened　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills　was　shopping　for　a　major　ocean　attraction　to　pete　with　Disney　World's　〃living　reef。〃　Kingsbury　saw　the　Orky　offer　as　a　bargain　of　a　lifetime…a　trained　killer　whale　for　only　nine　hundred　bucks；　plus　freight！　Kingsbury　snapped　at　it。
　Orky　was　more　than　a　disappointment；　he　was　a　dud。　No　one　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　could　train　the　whale　to　do　a　single　trick　on　cue；　capable　of　wondrous　gymnastic　feats；　the　animal　remained　oblivious　of　regimen　and　performed　only　when　he　damn　well　felt　like　it。　Often　he　did　his　best　work　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　when　the　stadium　was　empty。　But　on　those　nocturnal　occasions；　when　the　park　was　closed　and　there　was　no　one　to　reward　him　with　buckets　of　dead　mullet；　Orky　furiously　would　ram　the　sides　of　the　whale　tank　until　the　Plexiglas　cracked　and　the　plaster　buckled。
　Because　it　was　impossible　to　predict　his　moods；　Orky's　shows　were　not　posted　in　a　regular　schedule。　Tourists　paid　their　money；　took　their　seats　and　hoped　for　the　best。　Once　in　a　great　while；　the　killer　whale　would　explode　in　exuberant　ballet；　but　more　often　he　just　sulked　or　blew　water　aimlessly。
　One　time　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　had　suggested　punishing　the　mammoth　creature　by　withholding　supper。　Orky　retaliated　by　breaking　into　the　pelican　pool　and　wolfing　down　nine　of　the　slow…moving　birds。　After　that；　Kingsbury　said　to　hell　with　the　goddamn　whale　and　gave　up　on　training　the　beast。　He　knew　he'd　been　scammed　but　was　too　proud　to　admit　it。　Kingsbury's　corporate　underlings　sensed　that　Orky　was　a　sore　spot　with　the　boss；　and　avoided　mentioning　the　whale　exhibit　in　his　presence。
　Until　today。
　With　Orky　unexpectedly　dead；　the　subject　was　bound　to　e　up。　Charles　Chelsea　decided　on　a　pre…emptive　strike。　He　broke　the　news　as　Francis　Kingsbury　was　munching　his　regular　breakfast　bagel。　〃Good；〃　Kingsbury　said；　spraying　crumbs。　〃Hated　that　fucking　load。〃
　〃Sir；　it's　not　good；〃　said　Charles　Chelsea；　〃publicity…wise。〃
　〃How　do　you　figure；〃　Kingsbury　said。　〃I　mean；　shit；　what's　a　lousy　whale　to　these　people。　You　know　who　I　mean…the　media。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　said　he　would　try　to　explain　it　on　the　way　to　the　autopsy。
　
　Joe　Winder's　vision　returned　to　normal　after　making　love　to　Nina；　he　regarded　this　as　providential。　He　took　a　cab　to　Card　Sound　Road　and　retrieved　his　car。　When　he　got　back　to　the　apartment；　he　changed　to　a　long…sleeved　shirt；　charcoal　trousers　and　a　navy　necktie；　in　the　hope　that　high　fashion　would　divert　attention　from　his　pulverized　face。　When　he　got　to　the　Amazing　Kingdom；　he　saw　he　had　nothing　to　worry　about。　Everybody　was　staring　at　the　dead　killer　whale。
　They　had　hauled　the　remains　to　one　of　the　parking　lots；　and　roped　a　perimeter　to　keep　out　nosy　customers。　To　conceal　Orky's　corpse；　which　was　as　large　as　a　boxcar；　Charles　Chelsea　had　rented　an　immense　tent　from　an　auto　dealership　in　Homestead。　The　tent　was　brilliantly　striped　and　decorated　with　the　legend　〃SOUTH　FLORIDA　TOYOTA…THON。〃　A　dozen　or　so　electric　fans　had　been　requisitioned　to　circulate　the　air；　which　had　grown　heavy　with　the　tang　of　dead　whale。　The　staff　veterinarian；　a　man　named　Kukor；　was　up　to　his　knees　in　Orky's　abdomen　when　Joe　Winder　arrived。
　〃Joe；　thank　God；〃　said　Chelsea；　with　an　air　of　grave　urgency。　He　led　Winder　to　a　corner　and　said；　〃Mr。　X　is　here；　to　give　you　some　idea。〃
　〃Some　idea　of　what？〃
　〃Of　how　serious　this　is。〃
　Joe　Winder　said；　〃Charlie；　I　don't　mean　to　be　disrespectful　but　I'm　not　sure　why　I'm　needed。〃　Over　his　shoulder；　he　heard　somebody　crank　up　a　chain　saw。
　〃Joey；　think！　First　the　damn　mango　voles　and　now　Orky。　It's　gonna　look　like　we're　neglecting　the　wildlife。　And　this　whole　killer…whale　thing；　it's　gotten　very　controversial。　There　was　a　piece　in　Newsweek　three　weeks　ago。〃　Charles　Chelsea　was　sweating　extravagantly；　and　Winder　assumed　it　had　something　to　do　with　the　presence　of　Francis　X。　Kingsbury。
　Chelsea　went　on；　〃I　know　it's　unpleasant；　Joe；　but　you　can　leave　as　soon　as　Doc　Kukor　gives　us　a　cause　of　death。〃
　Joe　Winder　nodded。　〃How　many　words？〃
　〃Three　hundred。　And　I　need　it　for　the　early　news。〃
　〃Fine；　Charlie。　Later　you　and　I　need　to　talk。〃
　Chelsea　was　peering　through　the　flaps　in　the　tent；　making　sure　that　no　gawkers　had　sneaked　past　the　security　men。
　〃Listen　to　me；〃　Joe　Winder　said。　〃There's　some　big　trouble　in　this　park。　I　got　the　shit　kicked　out　of　me　last　night　because　of　it。〃
　For　the　first　time　Chelsea　noticed　the　battered　condition　of　Joe　Winder's　face。　He　said；　〃What　the　hell　happened？　No；　wait；　not　now。　Not　with　Mr。　X　around。　We'll　chat　later；　I　promise。〃
　Winder　grabbed　his　elbow。　〃I　need　to　know　everything　about　the　dead　man　at　the　bridge。〃
　Chelsea　shook　free　and　said；　〃Later；　Joe；　for　heaven's　sake。　Let's　tackle　the　crisis　at　hand；　shall　we？〃
　Together　they　returned　to　the　autopsy。　Instead　of　concentrating　on　Orky's　entrails；　Joe　Winder　scanned　the　small　group　of　official　observers：　a　state　wildlife　officer；　taking　notes；　the　tow…truck　drivers　who　had　hauled　the　whale　corpse　to　the　tent；　three　of　Uncle　Ely's　Elves；　apparently　recruited　as　extra　manpower；　and　Francis　X。　Kingsbury　himself；　mouthing　obscenities　over　the　gruesome　ceremony。
　Nervously　Chelsea　directed　Joe　Winder　to　Kingsbury's　side　and　introduced　him。　〃This　is　the　fellow　I　told　you　about；〃　said　the　PR　man。。　〃Our　ace　in　the　hole。〃
　Kingsbury　chuckled　darkly。　〃Blame　us　for　this？　Some　fucking　fish　croaks；　how　can　they　blame　us？〃
　Joe　Winder　shrugged。　〃Why　not？〃　he　said。
　Cutting　in　quickly；　Chelsea　said：　〃Don't　worry；　sir；　it'll　die　down。　It's　just　the　crazy　pro…animal　types；　that's　all。〃　He　planted　a　moist　hand　on　Winder's　shoulder。　〃Joe's　got　the　perfect　touch　for　this。〃
　〃Hope　so；〃　said　Francis　X。　Kingsbury。　〃Meanwhile；　the　stink；　holy　Christ！　Don't　we　have　some　Glade。　I　mean；　this　is　fucking　rank。〃
　〃Right　away；〃　said　Chelsea；　dashing　off　in　search　of　air　freshener。
　Kingsbury　gestured　at　the　billowing　tent；　the　murmuring　onlookers；　the　husk　of　deceased　behemoth。