sk.cujo-第49部分

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　that　on　an　SPCA　handout　somewhere；　explaining　why　you　shouldn't　shut　your　dog　up　in　your　car　for　any　length　of　time　when　it　was　hot　like　this。　The　greenhouse　effect。　The　pamphlet　had　said　that　the　temperature　in　a　car　that　was　parked　in　the　sun　could　go　as　high　as　140　degrees　Fahrenheit　if　the　windows　were　rolled　up；　so　it　was　cruel　and　dangerous　to　lock　up　a　pet　while　you　did　your　shopping　or　went　to　see　a　movie。　Donna　uttered　a　short；　cracked…sounding　chuckle。　The　shoe　certainly　was　on　the　other　foot　here；　wasn't　it？　it　was　the　dog　that　had　the　people　locked　up。
Well；　the　mailman　was　ing。　The　mailman　was　ing　and　that　would　end　it。　It　wouldn't　matter　that　they　had　only　a　quarter　of　a　Thermos　of　milk　left；　or　that　early　this　morning　she　had　to　go　to　the　bathroom　and　she　had　used　Tad's　smaller　Thermos　…　or　had　tried　to　…　and　it　had　overflowed　and　now　the　Pinto　smelled　of　urine；　an　unpleasant　smell　that　only　seemed　to　grow　stronger　with　the　heat。　She　had　capped　the　Thermos　and　thrown　it　out　the　window。　She　had　heard　it　shatter　as　it　hit　the　gravel。　Then　she　had　cried。
But　none　of　it　mattered。　It　was　humiliating　and　demeaning　to　have　to　try　and　pee　into　a　Thermos　bottle；　sure　it　was；　but　it　didn't　matter　because　the　mailman　was　ing　…　even　now　he　would　be　loading　his　small　blue…and…white　truck　at　the　ivy…covered　brick　post　office　on　Carbine　Street　。。。　or　maybe　he　had　already　begun　his　route；　working　his　way　out　Route　117　toward　the　Maple　Sugar　Road。　Soon　it　would　end。　She　would　take　Tad　home；　and　they　would　go　upstairs。　They　would　strip　and　shower　together；　but　before　she　got　into　the　tub　with　him　and　under　the　shower；　she　would　take　the　bottle　of　shampoo　from　the　shelf　and　put　the　cap　neatly　on　the　edge　of　the　sink；　and　she　would　wash　first　Tad's　hair　and　then　her　own。
Tad　was　reading　the　yellow　paper　again；　his　lips　moving　soundlessly。　Not　real　reading；　not　the　way　he　would　be　reading　in　a　couple　of　years　（if　we　get　out　of　this；　her　traitorous　mind　insisted　on　adding　senselessly　but　instantly）；　but　the　kind　that　came　from　rote　memorization。　The　way　driving　schools　prepared　functional　illiterates　for　the　written　part　of　the　driver's　exam。　She　had　read　that　somewhere　too；　or　maybe　seen　it　on　a　TV　news　story；　and　wasn't　it　amazing；　the　amount　of　crud　the　human　mind　was　capable　of　storing　up？　And　wasn't　it　amazing　how　easily　it　all　came　spewing　out　when　there　was　nothing　else　to　engage　it？　Like　a　subconscious　garbage　disposal　running　in　reverse。
That　made　her　think　of　something　that　had　happened　in　her　parents'　house；　back　when　it　had　still　been　her　house　too。　Less　than　two　hours　before　one　of　her　mother's　Famous　Cocktail　Parties　（that　was　how　'　Donna's　father　always　referred　to　them；　with　a　satirical　tone　that　automatically　conferred　the　capital　letters　…　the　same　satirical　tone　that　could　sometimes　drive　Samantha　into　a　frenzy）；　the　disposal　in　the　kitchen　sink　had　somehow　backed　up　into　the　bar　sink；　and　when　her　mother　turned　the　gadget　on　again　in　an　effort　to　get　rid　of　everything；　green　goo　had　exploded　all　over　the　ceiling。　Donna　had　been　about　fourteen　at　the　time；　and　she　remembered　that　her　mother's　utter；　hysterical　rage　had　both　frighened　and　sickened　her。　She　had　been　sickened　because　her　mother　was　throwing　a　tantrum　in　front　of　the　people　who　loved　and　needed　her　most　over　the　opinion　of　a　group　of　casual　acquaintances　who　were　ing　over　to　drink　free　booze　and　munch　up　a　lot　of　free　canapes。　She　had　been　frightened　because　she　could　see　no　logic　in　her　mother's　tantrum　。。。　and　because　of　the　expression　she　had　seen　in　her　father's　eyes。　It　had　been　a　kind　of　resigned　disgust。　That　had　been　the　first　time　she　had　really　believed　…　believed　in　her　gut　…　that　she　was　going　to　grow　up　and　bee　a　woman；　a　woman　with　at　least　a　fighting　chance　to　be　a　better　woman　than　her　own　mother；　who　could　get　into　such　a　frightening　state　over　what　was　really　such　a　little　thing。。。。
She　dosed　her　eyes　and　tried　to　dismiss　the　whole　train　of　thought；　uneasy　at　the　vivid　emotions　that　memory　called　up。　SPCA；　greenhouse　effect；　garbage　disposals；　what　next？　How　I　Lost　My　Virginity？　Six　Well…Loved　Vacations？　The　mailman；　that　was　the　thing　to　think　about；　the　goddam　mailman。
'Mommy；　maybe　the　car　will　start　now。'
'Honey；　I'm　scared　to　try　it　because　the　battery　is　so　low。'
'But　we're　just　sitting　here；'　he　said；　sounding　petulant　and　tired　and　cross。　'What　does　it　matter　if　the　battery's　low　or　not　if　we're　just　sitting　here？　Try　it！'
'Don't　you　go　giving　me　Orders；　kiddo；　or　I'll。　whack　your　ass　for　you！'
He　cringed　away　from　her　hoarse；　angry　voice　and　she　cursed　herself　again。　He　was　scratchy　。。。　so；　who　could　blame　him？　Besides；　he　was　right。　That　was　what　had　really　made　her　angry。　But　Tad　didn't　understand；　the　real　reason　she　didn't　want　to　try　the　engine　again　was　because　she　was　afraid　it　would　bring　the　dog。　She　was　afraid　it　would　bring　Cujo；　and　more　than　anything　else　she　didn't　want　that。
Grimly；　she　turned　the　key　in　the　ignition。　The　Pinto's　engine　cranked　very　slowly　now；　with　a　draggy；　protesting　sound。　h　coughed　twice　but　did　not　fire。　She　turned　the　key　off　and　tapped　the　horn。　It　gave　a　foggy；　low　honk　that　probably　didn't　carry　fifty　yards；　let　alone　to　that　house　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill。
'Mere；'　she　said　briskly　and　cruelly。　'Are　you　happy？　Good。'
Tad　began　to　cry。　He　began　the　way　she　always　remembered　it　beginning　when　he　was　a　baby：　his　mouth　drawing　into　a　trembling　bow；　the　tears　spilling　down　his　cheeks　even　before　the　first　sobs　came。　She　pulled　him　to　her　then；　saying　she　was　sorry；　saying　she　didn't　mean　to　be　mean；　it　was　just　that　she　was　upset　too；　telling　him　that　it　would　be　over　as　soon　as　the　madman　got　there；　that　she　would　take　him　home　and　wash　his　hair。　And　thought：　A　fighting　chance　to　be　a　better　woman　than　your　mother。　Sure。　Sure；　kid。　You're　just　like　her。　That's　just　the　kind　of　thing　she　would　have　said　in　a　situation　like　this。　When　you're　feeling　bad；　what　you　do　is　spread　the　misery；　share　the　wealth。　Well；　like　mother　like　daughter；　right？　And　maybe　when　Tad　grows　up；　he'll　feel　the　same　way　about　you　as　you　feel　about　
'Why　is　it　so　hot；　Mommy？'　Tad　asked　dully。
'The　greenhouse　effect；'　she　answered；　without　even　thinking　about　it。　She　wasn't　up　to　this；　and　she　knew　it　now。　If　this　was；　in　any　sense；　a　final　examination　on　motherhood　…　or　on　adulthood　itself　…　then　she　was　flagging　the　test。　How　long　had　they　been　stuck　in　this　driveway？　Fifteen　hours　at　the　very　most。　And　she　was　cracking　up；　falling　apart。
'Can　I　have　a　Dr　Pepper　when　we　get　home；　Mommy？'　The　Monster　Words；　sweaty　and　wrinkled；　lay　limply　on　his　lap。
'All　you　can　drink；'　she　said；　and　hugged　him　tight。　But　the　feel　of　his　body　was　frighteningly　wooden。　I　shouldn't　have　shouted　at　him；　she　thought　distractedly。　If　only　I　hadn't　shouted。
But　she　would　do　better；　she　promised　herself。　Because　the　madman　would　be　along　soon。
'I　think　the　muh　…　I　think　the　doggy's　going　to　eat　us；'　Tad　said。
She　started　to　reply　and　then　didn't。　Cujo　still　wasn't　around。　The　sound　of　the　Pinto's　engine　turning　over　hadn't　brought　him。　Maybe　he　was　asleep。　Maybe　he　had　had　a　convulsion　and　died。　That　would　be　wonderful　。。。　especially　if　it　had　been　a　slow　convulsion。　A　painful　one。　She　looked　at　the　back　door　again。　It　was　so　temptingly　near。　It　was　locked。　She　was　sure　of　that　now。　When　people　went　away；　they　locked　up。　It　would　be　foolhardy　to　try　for　the　door；　especially　with　the　mailman　due　so　soon。　Play　it　as　though　it　were　real；　Vic　sometimes　said。　She　would　have　to。　because　it　was　real。　Better　to　assume　the　dog　was　still　alive；　and　lying　just　inside　those　half…open　garage　doors。　Lying　in　the　shade。
The　thought　of　shade　made　her　mouth　water。
It　was　almost　eleven　o'clock　then。　It　was　about　forty…five　minutes　later　when　she　spotted　something　in　the　grass　beyond　the　edge　of　Tad's　side　of　the　car。　Another　fifteen　minutes　of　examination　convinced　her　that　it　was　an　old　baseball　bat　with　a　friction…taped　handle；　half　obscured　by　witch　grass　and　timothy。
A　few　minutes　after　that；　just　before　noon；　Cujo　stumbled　out　of　the　barn；　blinking　his　red；　rheumy　eyes　stupidly　in　the　hot　sun。
When　they　e　to　take　you　down；
When　the