ch.nativetongue-第40章

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　a　week。　Twenty…five　bucks　each；　it　could　really　add　up。〃
　〃That's　great。〃　He　was　proud　of　her；　that　was　the　hell　of　it。　She'd　never　believe　that　he　could　be　proud　of　her。
　Pen　in　mouth；　Nina　said：　〃I　wrote　about　an　out…of…body　experience。　Like　when　you're　about　to　die　and　you　can　actually　see　yourself　lying　there…but　then　you　get　saved　at　the　very　last　minute。　Only　my　script　was　about　making　love；　about　floating　out　of　yourself　just　as　you're　about　to　e。　Suspended　in　air；　I　looked　down　at　the　bed　and　saw　myself　shudder　violently；　my　fingernails　raking　across　your　broad　tan　shoulders。　I　gave　it　to　the　new　girl；　Addie；　and　she　tried　it　Friday　night。　One　guy；　she　said；　he　called　back　eleven　times。〃
　〃Is　that　a　new　record？〃
　〃It　just　so　happens；　yes。　But　the　point　is；　I'm　looking　at　a　major　opportunity。　If　I　start　selling　enough　scripts；　maybe　I　can　get　off　the　phones。　Just　stay　home　and　write…wouldn't　that　be　better？〃
　〃Sure　would。〃　Winder　put　his　arm　around　her。　〃You　can　still　do　that；　honey。　It　would　be　great。〃
　〃Not　with　you　sitting　here　every　day。　Playing　your　damn　Warren　Zevon。〃
　〃I'll　get　another　job。〃
　〃No；　Joe；　it'll　be　the　same　old　shit。〃　She　pulled　away　and　got　up　from　the　floor。　〃I　can't　write　when　my　life　is　in　turmoil。　I　need　a　stabilizer。　Peacefulness。　Quiet。〃
　Winder　felt　wounded。　〃For　God's　sake；　Nina；　I　know　a　little　something　about　writing。　This　place　is　plenty　quiet。〃
　〃There　is　tension；〃　she　said　grimly；　〃and　don't　deny　it。〃
　〃Writers　thrive　on　domestic　tension。　Look　at　Poe；　Hemingway…and　Mailer　in　his　younger　days；　you　talk　about　tense。〃　He　hoped　Nina　would　appreciate　being　included　on　such　an　eminent　roster；　but　she　didn't。　Impatiently　he　said；　〃It　isn't　exactly　epic　literature；　anyway。　It's　phone　porn。〃
　Her　expression　clouded。　〃Phone　porn？　Thanks；　Joe。〃
　〃Well；　Christ；　that's　what　it　is。〃
　Coldly　she　folded　her　arms　and　leaned　against　one　of　the　tall　speakers。　〃It's　still　writing；　and　writing　is　hard　work。　If　I'm　going　to　make　a　go　of　it；　I　need　some　space。　And　some　security。〃
　〃If　you're　talking　about　groceries；　don't　worry。　I　intend　to　pull　my　own　weight。〃
　Nina　raised　her　hands　in　exasperation。　〃Where　can　you　find　another　job　that　pays　so　much？〃
　Joe　Winder　couldn't　believe　what　he　was　hearing。　Why　the　sudden　anxiety？　The　laying　on　of　guilt？　If　he'd　known　he　was　in　for　a　full…blown　argument；　he　indeed　would　have　put　on　some　pants。
　Nina　said；　〃It's　not　just　the　money。　I　need　someone　reliable；　someone　who　will　be　here　for　me。〃
　〃Have　I　ever　let　you　down？〃
　〃No；　but　you　will。〃
　Winder　didn't　say　anything　because　she　was　absolutely　correct；　nothing　in　his　immediate　plans　would　please　her。
　〃I　know　you；〃　Nina　added；　in　a　sad　voice。　〃You　aren't　going　to　let　go　of　this　thing。〃
　〃Probably　not。〃
　〃Then　I　think　we're　definitely　heading　in　different　directions。　I　think　you're　going　to　end　up　in　jail；　or　maybe　dead。〃
　〃Have　some　faith；〃　Joe　Winder　said。
　〃It's　not　that　easy。〃　Nina　stalked　to　the　closet；　flung　open　the　door　and　stared　at　the　clutter。　〃Where〃d　you　put　my　suitcase？〃
　
　In　the　mid…1970s；　Florida　elected　a　crusading　young　governor　named　Clinton　Tyree；　an　ex…football　star　and　Vietnam　War　veteran。　At　six　feet　six；　he　was　the　tallest　chief　executive　in　the　history　of　the　state。　In　all　likelihood　he　was　also　the　most　honest。　When　a　ravenous　and　politically　connected　land…development　pany　attempted　to　bribe　Clinton　Tyree；　he　tape…recorded　their　offers；　turned　the　evidence　over　to　the　FBI　and　volunteered　to　testify　at　the　trial。　By　taking　a　public　stand　against　such　omnipotent　forces；　Clinton　Tyree　became　something　of　a　folk　hero　in　the　Sunshine　State　and　beyond。　The　faint　scent　of　integrity　attracted　the　national　media；　which　roared　into　Florida　and　anointed　the　young　governor　a　star　of　the　new　political　vanguard。
　It　was；　unfortunately；　a　vanguard　of　one。　Clinton　Tyree　spoke　with　a　blistering　candor　that　terrified　his　fellow　politicians。　While　others　reveled　in　Florida's　boom　times；　Clinton　Tyree　warned　that　the　state　was　on　the　brink　of　an　environmental　cataclysm。　The　Everglades　were　drying　up；　the　coral　reefs　were　dying；　Lake　Okeechobee　was　choking　on　man…made　poisons　and　the　bluegills　were　loaded　with　mercury。　While　other　officeholders　touted　Florida　as　a　tropical　dreamland；　the　governor　called　it　a　toxic　dump　with　palm　trees。　On　a　popular　call…in　radio　show；　he　asked　visitors　to　stay　away　for　a　couple　of　years。　He　spoke　not　of　managing　the　state's　breakneck　growth；　but　of　halting　it　altogether。　This；　he　declared；　was　the　only　way　to　save　the　place。
　The　day　Clinton　Tyree　got　his　picture　on　the　cover　of　a　national　newsmagazine；　some　of　the　most　powerful　special　interests　in　Florida…bankers；　builders；　highway　contractors；　sugar　barons；　phosphate…mining　executives…congealed　in　an　informal　conspiracy　to　thwart　the　new　governor's　reforms　by　stepping　around　him；　as　if　he　were　a　small　lump　of　dogshit　on　an　otherwise　luxuriant　carpet。
　Bypassing　Clinton　Tyree　was　relatively　easy　to　do；　all　it　took　was　money。　In　a　matter　of　months；　everyone　who　could　be　promised；　intimidated　or　bought　off　was。　The　governor　found　himself　isolated　from　even　his　own　political　party；　which　had　no　stake　in　his　radical　bluster　because　it　was　alienating　all　the　big　campaign　contributors。　Save　Florida？　Why？　And　from　what？　The　support　that　Clinton　Tyree　enjoyed　among　voters　didn't　help　him　one　bit　in　the　back　rooms　of　Tallahassee；　every　bill　he　wanted　passed　got　gutted；　buried　or　rebuffed。　The　fact　that　he　was　popular　with　the　media　didn't　deter　his　enemies；　it　merely　softened　their　strategy。　Rather　than　attack　the　governor's　agenda；　they　did　something　worse…they　ignored　it。　Only　the　most　gentlemanly　words　were　publicly　spoken　about　young　Clint；　the　handsome　war　hero；　and　about　his　idealism　and　courage　to　speak　out。　Any　reporter　who　came　to　town　could　fill　two　or　three　notebooks　with　admiring　quotes…so　many　（and　so　effusive）　that　someone　new　to　the　state　might　have　assumed　that　Clinton　Tyree　had　already　died；　which　he　had；　in　a　way。
　On　the　morning　the　Florida　Cabinet　decided　to　shut　down　a　coastal　wildlife　preserve　and　sell　it　dirt　cheap　to　a　powerful　land…sales　firm；　the　lone　dissenting　vote　trudged　from　the　Capitol　Building　in　disgust　and　vanished　from　the　political　landscape　in　the　back　of　a　limousine。
　At　first　authorities　presumed　that　the　governor　was　the　victim　of　a　kidnapping　or　other　foul　play。　A　nationwide　manhunt　was　suspended　only　after　a　notarized　resignation　letter　was　analyzed　by　the　FBI　and　found　to　be　authentic。　It　was　true；　the　crazy　bastard　had　up　and　quit。
　Journalists；　authors　and　screenwriters　flocked　to　Florida　with　hopes　of　securing　exclusive　rights　to　the　renegade　governor's　story；　but　none　could　find　him。　Consequently；　nothing　was　written　that　even　bordered　on　the　truth。
　Which　was　this：　Clinton　Tyree　now　went　by　the　name　of　Skink；　and　lived　in　those　steamy　clawing　places　where　he　was　least　likely　to　be　bothered　by　human　life…forms。　For　fifteen　years　the　governor　had　been　submerged　in　an　expatriation　that　was　deliberately　remote　and　anonymous；　if　not　entirely　tranquil。
　
　Joe　Winder　wanted　to　talk　about　what　happened　in　Tallahassee。　〃I　read　all　the　stories；〃　he　said。　〃I　went　back　and　looked　up　the　microfiche。〃
　〃Then　you　know　all　there　is　to　know。〃　Skink　was　on　his　haunches；　poking　the　embers　with　a　stick。　Winder　refused　to　look　at　what　was　frying　in　the　pan。
　He　said；　〃All　this　time　and　they　never　found　you。〃
　〃They　quit　searching；〃　Skink　said。　A　hot　ash　caught　in　a　wisp　of　his　beard。　He　snuffed　it　with　two　fingers。　〃I　don't　normally　eat　soft…shell　turtle；〃　he　allowed。
　〃Me　neither；〃　said　Joe　Winder。
　〃The　flavor　makes　up　for　the　texture。〃
　〃I　bet。〃　Winder　knelt　on　the　other　side　of　the　fire。
　Out　of　the　blue　Skink　said；　〃Your　old　man　wasn't　a　bad　guy；　but　he　was　in　a　bad　business。〃
　Winder　heard　himself　agree。　〃He　never　understood　what　was　so　wrong　about　it。　Or　why　I　was　so　goddamn　mad。　He　died　not　having　a　clue。〃
　Skink　lifted　the　turtle　by　the　tail　and　stuck　a　fork　in　it。　〃Ten　more　minutes；〃　he　said；　〃at　least。〃
　It　wasn't　easy　trying　to　talk　with　him　this　way；　but　Winder　wouldn't　give　up：　〃It's　been　an　interesting　day。