jg.skippingchristmas-第10部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　To　help　defray　the　costs　of　their　worthy　projects　this　year；　the　Police　Benevolent　Association　had　once　again　put　together　a　handsome　calendar　for　next　year；　one　that　again　featured　some　of　its　members　in　action　shots　as　they　served　the　people。　Treen　on　cue　whipped　out　Luther's　calendar；　unrolled　it；　and　flipped　the　rather　large　sheets　as　Salino　did　the　play　by　play。　For　January　it　was　a　traffic　cop　with　a　warm　smile　waving　little　kindergartners　across　the　street。　For　February；　it　was　a　cop　even　beefier　than　Treen　helping　a　stranded　motorist　change　a　tire。　Somehow　in　the　midst　of　the　effort　the　policeman　had　managed　a　smile。　For　March　it　was　a　rather　tense　scene　at　a　nighttime　accident　with　lights　flashing　all　around　and　three　men　in　blue　conferring　with　frowns。
　Luther　admired　the　photos　and　artwork　without　a　word　as　the　months　marched　along。
　What　about　the　leopard　print　briefs？　he　wanted　to　ask。　Or　the　steam　room？　Or　the　lifeguard　with　just　a　towel　around　his　waist？　Three　years　earlier；　the　PBA　had　succumbed　to　trendier　tastes　and　published　a　calendar　filled　with　photos　of　its　leaner　and　younger　members；　all　clad　in　virtually　nothing；　half　grinning　goofily　at　the　camera；　the　other　half　straining　with　the　tortured　I…hate…modeling　veneer　of　contemporary　fashion。　Practically　R…rated；　a　big　story　about　it　made　the　front　page。
　Quite　a　brouhaha　erupted　overnight。　The　Mayor　was　incensed　as　plaints　flooded　city　hall。　The　director　of　the　PBA　got　fired。　The　undistributed　calendars　were　pulled　and　burned　while　the　local　TV　station　recorded　it　Live！
　Nora　kept　theirs　in　the　basement；　where　she　secretly　enjoyed　it　all　year。　
　The　beefcake　calendar　was　a　financial　disaster　for　all　concerned；　but　it　created　more　interest　the　following　Christmas。　Sales　almost　doubled。
　Luther　bought　one　every　year；　but　only　because　it　was　expected。　Oddly；　there　was　no　price　attached　to　the　calendars；　at　least　not　to　the　ones　delivered　personally　by　the　likes　of　Salino　and　Treen。　Their　personal　touch　cost　something　more；　an　additional　layer　of　goodwill　that　people　like　Luther　were　expected　to　fork　over　simply　because　that　was　the　way　it　was　done。　It　was　this　coerced；　above…the…table　bribery　that　Luther　hated。　Last　year　he'd　written　a　check　for　a　hundred　bucks　to　the　PBA；　but　not　this　year。
　When　the　presentation　was　over；　Luther　stood　tall　and　said；　〃I　don't　need　one。〃　Salino　cocked　his　head　to　one　side　as　if　he'd　misunderstood。　Treen's　neck　puffed　out　another　inch。
　Salino's　face　turned　into　a　smirk。　You　may　not　need　one；　the　smirk　said；　but　you'll　buy　it　anyway。　〃Why's　that？〃　he　said。
　〃I　already　have　calendars　for　next　year。〃　That　was　news　to　Nora；　who　was　biting　a　fingernail　and　holding　her　breath。
　〃But　not　like　this；〃　Treen　managed　to　grunt。　Salino　shot　him　a　look　that　said；　〃Be　quiet！〃
　〃I　have　two　calendars　in　my　office　and　two　on　my　desk；〃　Luther　said。　〃We　have　one　by　the　phone　in　the　kitchen。　My　watch　tells　me　precisely　what　day　it　is；　as　does　my　puter。　Haven't　missed　a　day　in　years。〃
　〃We're　raising　money　for　crippled　children；　Mr。　Krank；〃　Salino　said；　his　voice　suddenly　soft　and　scratchy。　Nora　felt　a　tear　ing。
　〃We　give　to　crippled　children；　Officer；〃　Luther　shot　back。　〃Through　the　United　Way　and　our　church　and　our　taxes　we　give　to　every　needy　group　you　can　possibly　name。〃
　〃You're　not　proud　of　your　policemen？〃　Treen　said　roughly；　no　doubt　repeating　a　line　he'd　heard　Salino　use　on　others。
　Luther　caught　himself　for　a　second　and　allowed　his　anger　to　settle　in。　As　if　buying　a　calendar　was　the　only　measure　of　his　pride　in　the　local　police　force。　As　if　forking　over　a　bribe　in　the　middle　of　his　living　room　was　proof　that　he；　Luther　Krank；　stood　solidly　behind　the　boys　in　blue。
　〃I　paid　thirteen　hundred　bucks　in　city　taxes　last　year；〃　Luther　said；　his　eyes　flashing　hot　and　settling　on　young　Treen。　〃A　portion　of　which　went　to　pay　your　salary。　Another　portion　went　to　pay　the　firemen；　the　ambulance　drivers；　the　schoolteachers；　the　sanitation　workers；　the　street　cleaners；　the　Mayor　and　his　rather　prehensive　staff；　the　judges；　the　bailiffs；　the　jailers；　all　those　clerks　down　at　city　hall；　all　those　folks　down　at　Mercy　Hospital。　They　do　a　great　job。　You；　sir；　do　a　great　job。　I'm　proud　of　all　our　city　employees。　But　what's　a　calendar　got　to　do　with　anything？〃
　Of　course　Treen　had　never　had　it　put　to　him　in　such　a　logical　manner；　and　he　had　no　response。　Salino　either；　for　that　matter。　A　tense　pause　followed。
　Since　Treen　could　think　of　no　intelligent　retort；　he　grew　hot　too　and　decided　he　would　get　Krank's　license　plate　number　and　lie　in　ambush　somewhere；　maybe　catch　him　speeding　or　sneaking　through　a　stop　sign。　Pull　him　over；　wait　for　a　sarcastic　ment；　yank　him　out；　sprawl　him　across　the　hood　while　cars　eased　by；　slap　the　handcuffs　on　him；　haul　him　to　jail。
　Such　pleasant　thoughts　made　Treen　smile。　Salino；　however；　was　not　smiling。　He'd　heard　the　rumors　about　Luther　Krank　and　his　goofy　plans　for　Christmas。　Frohmeyer'd　told　him。　He'd　driven　by　the　night　before　and　seen　the　handsome　undecorated　house　with　no　Frosty；　just　sitting　alone；　peacefully　yet　oddly　so　different。
　〃I'm　sorry　you　feel　that　way；　Salino　said；　sadly。　〃We're　just　trying　to　raise　a　little　extra　to　help　needy　kids。〃
　Nora　wanted　to　burst　through　the　door　and　say；　〃Here's　a　check！　Give　me　the　calendar！
　But　she　didn't；　because　the　aftermath　would　not　be　pleasant。　
　Luther　nodded　with　jaws　clenched；　eyes　unflinching；　and　Treen　began　a　rather　dramatic　rerolling　of　the　calendar　that　would　now　be　hawked　to　someone　else。　Under　the　weight　of　his　large　paws　it　popped　and　crinkled　as　it　became　smaller　and　smaller。　Finally；　it　was　as　narrow　as　a　broomstick　and　Treen　slid　it　back　into　its　tube　and　stuck　a　cap　on　the　end。　Ceremony　over；　it　was　time　for　them　to　leave。
　〃Merry　Christmas；　Salino　said。　
　〃Do　the　police　still　sponsor　that　softball　team　for　orphans？〃　Luther　asked。
　〃We　certainly　do；〃　Treen　replied。
　〃Then　e　back　in　the　spring　and　I'll　give　you　a　hundred　bucks　for　uniforms。〃　
　This　did　nothing　to　appease　the　officers。　They　couldn't　bring　themselves　to　say；　〃Thanks。〃　Instead；　they　nodded　and　looked　at　each　other。
　Things　were　stiff　as　Luther　got　them　out　the　door；　nothing　said；　just　the　irritating　sound　of　Treen　tapping　the　tube　against　his　leg；　like　a　bored　cop　with　a　nightstick　looking　for　a　head　to　bash。
　〃It　was　only　a　hundred　dollars；〃　Nora　said　sharply　as　she　reentered　the　room。　Luther　was　peeking　around　the　curtains；　making　sure　they　were　indeed　leaving。
　〃No；　dear；　it　was　much　more；〃　he　said　smugly；　as　if　the　situation　had　been　plex　and　only　he　had　the　full　grasp　of　it。　〃How　about　some　yogurt？〃
　To　the　starving；　the　prospect　of　food　erased　all　other　thoughts。　Each　night　they　rewarded　themselves　with　a　small　container　of　bland；　fat…free；　imitation　fruit　yogurt；　which　they　savored　like　a　last　meal。　Luther　was　down　seven　pounds　and　Nora　six。　
　
　They　were　touring　the　neighborhood　in　a　pickup　truck；　looking　for　targets。　Ten　of　them　were　in　the　back；　resting　on　bales　of　hay；　singing　as　they　rolled　along。　Under　the　quilts　hands　were　being　held　and　thighs　groped；　but　harmless　fun；　at　least　for　the　moment。　They　were；　after　all；　from　the　Lutheran　church。　Their　leader　was　behind　the　wheel；　and　next　to　her　was　the　minister's　wife；　who　also　played　the　organ　on　Sunday　mornings。
　The　truck　turned　onto　Hemlock；　and　the　target　quickly　became　obvious。　They　slowed　as　they　neared　the　unadorned　home　of　the　Kranks。　Luckily；　Walt　Scheel　was　outside　wrestling　with　an　extension　cord　that　lacked　about　eight　feet　in　connecting　the　electricity　from　his　garage　to　his　boxwoods；　around　which　he　had　carefully　woven　four　hundred　new　green　lights。　Since　Krank　wasn't　decorating；　he；　Scheel；　had　decided　to　do　so　with　extra　gusto。
　〃Are　those　folks　home？〃　the　driver　asked　Walt　as　the　truck　came　to　a　stop。　She　was　nodding　at　the　Kranks'　place。
　〃Yes。　Why？〃
　〃Oh；　we're　out　caroling。　We　got　a　youth　group　here　from　the　Lutheran　church；　St。　Mark's。〃
　Walt　suddenly　smiled　and　dropped　the　extension　cord。　How　lovely；　he　thought。　Krank　just　thinks　he　can　run　from　Christmas。
　〃Are　they　Jewish？〃　she　asked。
　〃No。〃　
　〃Buddhist　or　anything　like　that？〃
　〃No；