demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第99部分
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at the height of the cold war； at a time when the Army was engaged in a massive land war in Asia。 I had done my duty； and gone beyond my two years of required national service； and had seen two tumultuous decades pass。 The nation had changed； the world had changed。 The Army was engaged now in a drawdown； which means； 〃Thanks for everything； good job； we won； please turn out the lights when you leave。〃
Fine。 This was what it was all about； anyway。 It was not meant to be a war without end； though it seemed so at times。 It was not meant to give employment to men and women who had few career prospects； though it did。
The American flag was being lowered on military installations all over the world； and all over the nation。 bat units were being dissolved； and their battle flags and streamers were being put into storage。 Maybe someday they'd close up NATO Headquarters in Brussels。 Truly； a new era was dawning； and； truly； I was happy to see it； and happier that I didn't have to deal with it。
My generation； I think； was shaped and molded by events that are no longer relevant； and perhaps； too； our values and opinions are no longer relevant。 So； even if we do have a lot of fight left in us； we've bee； as Cynthia sort of suggested to me； anachronisms； like old horse cavalry。 Good job； thanks； half pay； good luck。
But twenty years is a lot of learning； and a lot of good times。 On balance； I wouldn't have done it any differently。 It was kind of interesting。
Willie was singing 〃Georgia on My Mind；〃 and I changed the tape to Buddy Holly。
I like driving； especially away from places； though I suppose if you're driving away from a place； you have to be driving to a place。 But I never see it like that。 It's always away。
A police car appeared in my rearview mirror； and I checked my speed； but I was only doing ten mph over the limit； which in Georgia means you're obstructing the flow of traffic。
The jerk put his red flasher on and motioned me over。 I pulled over to the shoulder and sat in the Blazer。
The officer got out of the police car and came over to my window； which I lowered。 I saw that he was a Midland cop； and I remarked； 〃You're a little far from home； aren't you？〃
〃License and registration； sir。〃
I showed him both； and he said； 〃Sir； we're going to get off at the next exit； e around； and you're going to follow me back to Midland。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Don't know。 Got it over the radio。〃
〃From Chief Yardley？〃
〃His orders； yes； sir。〃
〃And if I say no？〃
〃Then I have to take you in cuffs。 You pick。〃
〃Is there a third choice？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃All right。〃 I pulled back onto the highway。 The cop car stayed behind； we went around the cloverleaf； and I found myself heading south toward Midland。
We got off at an exit near the west edge of town； and I followed him to the town recycling center； which used to be called the dump。
The car stopped at the incinerator； and I stopped behind him and got out。
Burt Yardley was standing near a big conveyor belt； watching a truck being unloaded onto the moving belt。
I stood and watched； too； as Ann Campbell's basement bedroom headed into the flames。
Yardley was flipping through a stack of Polaroid photos and barely gave me a glance； but he said； 〃Hey； look at this； son。 You see that fat ass？ That's me。 Now look at that teeny weenie。 Who you suppose that is？〃 He threw a handful of the photos onto the conveyor； then picked up a stack of videotapes at his feet and also threw them onto the belt。 〃I thought we had an appointment。 You gonna make me do all this here work myself？ Grab some of that shit； son。〃
So I helped him throw furniture； sexual paraphernalia； linens； and such onto the belt。 He said； 〃I'm as good as my word； boy。 Didn't trust me； did you？〃
〃Sure I do。 You're a cop。〃
〃Right。 What a fucked…up week。 Hey； you know what？ I cried all through that funeral。〃
〃I didn't notice。〃
〃Cryin' on the inside。 Lots of fellas there cryin' on the inside。 Hey； did you get rid of that puter stuff？〃
〃I burned the disk myself。〃
〃Yeah？ None of that shit floatin' around； is there？〃
〃No。 Everyone is clean again。〃
〃Until next time。〃 He laughed and pitched a black leather mask onto the conveyor。 〃God bless us； we're all gonna sleep better now。 Includin' her。〃
I didn't reply。
He said； 〃Hey； sorry to hear about Bill。〃
〃Me； too。〃
〃Maybe them two are talkin' it out now； up there at the pearly gates。〃 He looked into the incinerator。 〃Or someplace。〃
〃Is that it； Chief？〃
He looked around。 〃Pretty much。〃 He took a photo out of his pocket and looked at it； then handed it to me。 〃Souvenir。〃
It was a full frontal nude of Ann Campbell standing； or actually jumping； on the bed in the basement room； her hair billowing； her legs parted； her arms outstretched； and a big smile on her face。
Yardley said； 〃She was a lot of woman。 But I never understood a goddamned thing about her head。 You figure her out？〃
〃No。 But I think she told us more about ourselves than we wanted to know。〃 I threw the photo onto the conveyor belt and headed back toward my Blazer。
Yardley called out； 〃You take care； now。〃
〃You； too； Chief。 Regards to your kinfolk。〃
I opened the car door and Yardley called out again； 〃Almost forgot。 Your lady friend…she told me you'd be headin' north on the interstate。〃
I looked at him over the roof of my car。
He said； 〃She asked me to tell you good…bye。 Said she'd see you down the road。〃
〃Thanks。〃 I got into the Blazer and drove out of the dump。 I turned right and retraced my route to the interstate； along the road lined with warehouses and light industry； a perfectly squalid area to match my mood。
Down the road； a red Mustang fell in behind me。 We got onto the interstate together； and she stayed with me past the exit that would have taken her west to Fort Benning。
I pulled off onto the shoulder and she did the same。 We got out of our vehicles and stood near them； about ten feet apart。 She was wearing blue jeans； a white T…shirt； and running shoes； and it occurred to me that we weren't in the same generation。 I said to her； 〃You missed your exit。〃
〃Better than missing my chance。〃
〃You lied to me。〃
〃Well 。。。 yes。 But what would you have said if I told you I was still living with him； but that I was seriously thinking about ending it？〃
〃I'd have told you to call me when you got your act together。〃
〃See？ You're too passive。〃
〃I don't take other people's wives。〃
A big semi rolled by； and I couldn't hear what she said。 〃What？〃
〃You did the same thing in Brussels！〃
〃Never heard of the place。〃
〃Capital of Belgium。〃
〃What about Panama？〃
〃I told Kiefer to tell you that to get you to do something。〃
〃You lied again。〃
〃Right。 Why do I bother？〃
A state trooper pulled over and got out of his car。 He touched his hat to Cynthia and asked； 〃Everything okay； ma'am？〃
〃No。 This man is an idiot。〃
He looked at me。 〃What's your problem； fella？〃
〃She's following me。〃
He looked back at Cynthia。
Cynthia said to him； 〃What do you think of a man who spends three days with a woman and doesn't even say goodbye？〃
〃Well 。。。 that's mighty low 。。。〃
〃I never touched her。 We only shared a bathroom。〃
〃Oh 。。。 well 。。。〃
〃He invited me to his house in Virginia for the weekend and never bothered to give me his phone number or address。〃
The state trooper looked at me。 〃That true？〃
I said to him； 〃I just found out she's still married。〃
The trooper nodded。 〃Don't need that kind of trouble。〃
Cynthia asked him； 〃Don't you think a man should fight for what he wants？〃
〃Sure do。〃
I said； 〃So does her husband。 He tried to kill me。〃
〃Gotta watch that。〃
〃I'm not afraid of him；〃 Cynthia said。 〃I'm going to Benning to tell him it's over。〃
The trooper said to her； 〃You be careful； now。〃
〃Make him give me his phone number。〃
〃Well 。。。 I don't 。。。〃 He turned to me。 〃Why don't you just give her your phone number and we can all get out of the sun； here。〃
〃Oh； all right。 Do you have a pencil？〃
He took a pad and pencil out of his pocket； and I told him my phone number and address。 He ripped off the page and handed it to Cynthia。 〃There you are； ma'am。 Now； let's ever
