ch.nativetongue-第50章

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ntle　Tequesta　Indians　shared　wild　turkey　and　fresh　coconut　milk　under　the　palms。　It　was　a　testament　to　Charles　Chelsea's　imagination　（and　mortal　fear　of　Kingsbury）　that　even　the　most　shameful　episodes　were　reinterpreted　with　a　positive　mercial　spin。　A　float　titled　〃Migrants　on　a　Mission〃　depicted　a　dozen　cheery；　healthful　farm　workers　singing　Jamaican　folk　songs　and　swinging　their　machetes　in　a　precisely　choreographed　break…dance　through　the　cane　fields。　Tourists　loved　it。　So　did　the　Okeechobee　Sugar　Federation；　which　had　bankrolled　the　production　in　order　to　improve　its　image。
　One　of　the　highlights　of　the　pageant　was　the　arrival　of　〃the　legendary　Seminole　maiden〃　known　as　Princess　Golden　Sun。　No　such　woman　and　no　such　lore　ever　existed；　Charles　Chelsea　had　invented　her　basically　as　an　excuse　to　show　tits　and　ass；　and　pass　it　off　as　ethnic　culture。　Traditional　Seminole　garb　was　deemed　too　dowdy　for　the　parade；　so　Princess　Golden　Sun　appeared　in　a　micro…bikini　made　of　simulated　deerskin。　The　authentic　Green　Corn　Dance；　a　sacred　Seminole　rite；　was　politely　discarded　as　too　solemn　and　repetitious；　instead　Golden　Sun　danced　the　lambada；　a　pelvic…intensive　Latin　step。　Surrounded　by　ersatz　Indian　warriors　wearing　bright　Brazilian　slingshots；　the　princess　proclaimed　in　song　and　mime　her　passionate　love　for　the　famous　Seminole　chieftain　Osceola。　At　the　news　of　his　death；　she　broke　into　tears　and　vowed　to　haunt　the　Everglades　forever　in　search　of　his　spirit。　The　peak　of　the　drama；　and　the　parade；　was　the　moment　when　Golden　Sun　mounted　a　wild　panther　（in　this　case；　a　heavily　drugged　African　lioness）　and　disappeared　from　sight　in　a　rising　fog　of　dry　ice。
　It　was　the　role　most　coveted　among　the　female　actors　employed　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom；　and　for　six　months　it　had　belonged　to　Annette　Fury；　a　dancer　of　mountainous　dimensions　whose　previous　job　was　as　a　waitress　at　a　topless　doughnut　shop　in　Fort　Lauderdale。　A　petent　singer；　Miss　Fury　had　done　so　well　with　the　role　of　Princess　Golden　Sun　that　the　newspaper　in　Key　Largo　had　done　a　nice　write…up；　including　a　photograph　of　Miss　Fury　straddling　the　bleary…eyed　cat。　The　reporter　had　been　careful　to　explain　that　the　spavined　animal　was　not　actually　a　Florida　panther；　since　real　panthers　were　all　but　extinct。　Given　Princess　Golden　Sun's　appearance；　it　was　doubtful　that　a　single　reader　even　noticed　the　lion　in　the　picture。　Miss　Fury's　pose…head　flung　back；　eyes　closed；　tongue　between　the　teeth…was　suggestive　enough　to　provoke　indignant　outcries　from　a　fundamentalist　church　in　Big　Pine　Key；　as　well　as　the　entire　Seminole　Nation；　or　what　was　left　of　it。　At　the　first　whiff　of　controversy；　Charles　Chelsea　swiftly　purchased　the　negatives　from　the　newspaper　and　converted　the　most　provocative　one　to　a　color　postcard；　which　went　on　sale　for　1。95　in　all　gift　shops　in　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　As　far　as　Chelsea　was　concerned；　a　star　had　been　born。
　On　the　night　of　July　25；　however；　Annette　Fury's　stint　as　Princess　Golden　Sun　ended　abruptly　in　a　scandal　that　defied　even　Chelsea's　talents　for　cosmetic　counter…publicity。　Shortly　before　the　pageant；　the　dancer　had　ingested　what　were　probably　the　last　three　Quaalude　tablets　in　the　entire　continental　United　States。　She　had　scrounged　the　dusty　pills　from　the　stale　linty　recesses　of　her　purse；　and　washed　them　down　with　a　warm　bottle　of　Squirt。　They　had　kicked　in　just　as　the　float　made　the　wide　horseshoe　turn　onto　Kingsbury　Lane。　By　the　time　it　rolled　past　the　Cimarron　Saloon；　Annette　Fury　was　bottomless；　having　surrendered　her　deerskin　costume　to　a　retired　postal　worker　who　had　brought　his　wife　and　family　all　the　way　from　Providence；　Rhode　Island。　By　the　time　the　float　reached　the　Wet　Willy；　the　stone…faced　Indian　entourage　of　Princess　Golden　Sun　had　been　augmented　by　nine　rowdy　Florida　State　fraternity　men；　who　were　taking　turns　balancing　the　drowsy　young　maiden　on　their　noses；　or　so　it　must　have　appeared　to　the　children　in　the　audience。　Afterwards；　several　parents　threatened　to　file　criminal　obscenity　charges　against　the　park。　They　were　appeased　by　a　prompt　written　apology　signed　by　Francis　X。　Kingsbury；　and　a　gift　of　laminated　lifetime　passes　to　the　Amazing　Kingdom。　Reluctantly；　Charles　Chelsea　advised　the　Talent　Manager　to　inform　Annette　Fury　that　her　services　were　no　longer　required。　The　following　day；　Carrie　Lanier　was　told　that　the　role　of　Princess　Golden　Sun　was　hers　if　she　wanted　it。　This　was　after　they'd　asked　for　her　measurements。
　So　tonight　she'd　splurged　on　a　bottle　of　Mondavi。
　〃To　the　late　Robbie　Raccoon；〃　Carrie　said；　raising　her　glass。
　〃No　one　did　him　better；〃　said　Joe　Winder。
　He　put　on　a　tape　of　Dire　Straits　and　they　both　agreed　that　it　sounded　pretty　darn　good；　even　with　only　one　speaker。　The　wine　was　tolerable；　as　well。
　Carrie　said；　〃I　told　them　I　want　a　new　costume。〃
　〃Something　in　beads　and　grass　would　be　authentic。〃
　〃Also；　no　lip…synching；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　care　if　the　music's　canned；　but　I　want　to　do　my　own　singing。〃
　〃What　about　the　lion？〃　Joe　Winder　asked。
　〃They　swear　she's　harmless。〃
　〃Tranked　out　of　her　mind　is　more　like　it。　I'd　be　concerned；　if　I　were　you。〃
　〃If　she　didn't　maul　Annette；　I　can't　imagine　why　she'd　go　after　me。〃
　A　police　siren　penetrated　the　aluminum　husk　of　the　trailer；　Joe　Winder　could　hear　it　even　over　the　guitar　music　and　the　tubercular　groan　of　the　ancient　air　conditioner。　Parting　the　drapes；　he　watched　one　Metro　squad　car；　and　then　another；　enter　the　trailer　park　at　high　speed。　Throwing　dust；　they　sped　past　the　turnoff　to　Carrie's　place。
　〃Another　domestic；〃　Winder　surmised。
　〃We　average　about　four　a　week。〃　Carrie　refilled　the　wineglasses。　〃People　who　take　love　too　damn　seriously。〃
　〃Which　reminds　me。〃　He　opened　his　wallet　and　removed　twelve　dollars　and　placed　it　on　a　wicker　table。　〃I　was　a　very　bad　boy。　I　called　her　three　times。〃
　〃You　shmuck。〃
　The　Nina　Situation。　Every　time　he　picked　up　the　phone；　it　added　four　bucks　to　Carrie　Lanier's　bill。　Worse；　Nina　pretended　not　to　recognize　his　voice…stuck　to　the　script　to　the　bitter　end；　no　matter　how　much　he　pleaded　for　her　to　shut　up　and　listen。
　〃It　is　pathetic；〃　Winder　conceded。
　〃No　other　word　for　it。〃
　〃Haven't　you　ever　been　like　this？〃　Obsessed　is　what　he　meant。
　〃Nope。〃　Carrie　shrugged。　〃I've　got　to　be　honest。〃
　〃So　what's　the　matter　with　me？〃
　〃You're　just　having　a　bad　week。〃
　She　went　to　the　bedroom　and　changed　to　a　lavender　nightshirt　that　came　down　to　the　knees…actually；　a　good　four　inches　above　the　knees。　Her　hair　was　pulled　back　in　a　loose；　sandy…colored　ponytail。
　Winder　said；　〃You　look　sixteen　years　old。〃　Only　about　three　dozen　other　guys　must　have　told　her　the　same　thing。　His　heart　was　pounding　a　little　harder　than　he　expected。　〃Tomorrow　I'll　get　a　motel　room；〃　he　said。
　〃No；　you're　staying　here。〃
　〃I　appreciate　it　but…〃
　〃Please；〃　Carrie　said。　〃Please　stay。〃
　〃I've　got　serious　plans。　You　won't　approve。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？　Besides；　I'm　a　little　nervous　about　this　new　job。　It's　nice　to　have　someone　here　at　the　end　of　the　day；　someone　to　talk　with。〃
　Gazing　at　her；　Winder　thought：　God；　don't　do　this　to　me。　Don't　make　me　say　it。
　But　he　did：　〃You　just　want　to　keep　an　eye　on　me。　You're　afraid　I'll　screw　everything　up。〃
　〃You're　off　to　a　pretty　good　start。〃
　〃It's　only　fair　to　warn　you：　I'm　going　after　Kingsbury。〃
　〃That's　what　I　figured；　Joe。　Call　it　a　wild　hunch。〃　She　took　his　hand　and　led　him　toward　the　bedroom。
　I'm　not　ready　for　this；　Winder　thought。　Sweat　broke　out　in　a　linear　pattern　on　the　nape　of　his　neck。　He　felt　as　if　he　were　back　in　high　school；　the　day　the　prettiest　cheerleader　winked　at　him　in　biology　class；　at　the　time；　he'd　been　examining　frog　sperm　under　a　microscope；　and　the　wink　from　Pamela　Shaughnessy　had　fractured　his　concentration。　It　had　taken　a　month　or　two　for　Joe　Winder　to　recover；　and　by　then　Pamela　was　knocked　up　by　the　co…captain　of　the　junior　wrestling　squad。　The　teacher　said　that's　what　she　got　for　not　paying　attention　in　class。
　The　sheets　in　Carrie　Lanier's　bedroom　were　rose；　the　blanket　was　plum。　A　novel　by　Anne　Tyler　was　open　on　the　bedstand；　next　to　a　bottle　of　nose　drops。
　A　fuzzy　stuffed　animal　sat　propped　on　the　pillow：　shoe…button　e