jg.skippingchristmas-第19部分

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ckly　across　the　Beckers'　front　lawn　and　yelled；　〃Hey；　Wes！〃
　〃Hello；　Luther；〃　he　said　hurriedly。　〃Merry　Christmas。〃
　〃Yeah；　Merry　Christmas　to　you。〃　They　met　behind　Trogdon's　van。　Luther　knew　he　had　to　be　quick。
　〃Look；　Wes；　I'm　in　a　bit　of　a　jam。〃
　〃Luther；　we're　late。　We　should've　been　on　the　road　two　hours　ago。〃　A　small　Trogdon　darted　around　the　van；　firing　a　space　gun　at　an　unseen　target。
　〃Just　take　a　minute；〃　Luther　said；　trying　to　be　cool　but　hating　the　fact　that　he　was　begging。　〃Blair　called　an　hour　ago。　She'll　be　home　tonight。　I　need　a　Christmas　tree。〃
　The　hurried　and　stressed　look　on　Wes's　face　relaxed；　then　a　smile　broke　out。　Then　he　laughed。
　〃I　know；　I　know；〃　Luther　said；　defeated。
　〃What're　you　going　to　do　with　that　tan？〃　Wes　asked　between　laughs。
　〃Okay；　okay。　Look；　Wes；　I　need　a　tree。　There　are　no　more　trees　for　sale。　Can　I　borrow　yours？〃
　Trish　screamed　from　somewhere　inside　the　garage；　〃Wes！　Where　are　you？〃
　〃Out　here！〃　he　yelled　back。　〃You　want　my　tree？〃
　〃Yes；　I'll　return　it　before　you　get　home。　I　swear。〃
　〃That's　ridiculous。〃
　〃Yes；　it　is；　but　I　have　no　choice。　Everybody　else'll　be　using　their　trees　tonight；　and　tomorrow。〃
　〃You're　serious；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Dead　serious。　e　on；　Wes。〃
　Wes　pulled　a　key　ring　from　his　pocket　and　removed　the　ones　to　the　garage　door　and　the　house。　〃Don't　tell　Trish；〃　he　said。
　〃I　swear　I　won't。〃
　〃And　if　you　break　an　ornament　then　we're　both　dead。〃
　〃Shell　never　know　it；　Wes；　I　promise。〃
　〃This　is　funny；　you　know。〃
　〃Why　am　I　not　laughing？〃
　They　shook　hands；　and　Luther　hurried　back　to　his　house。　He'd　almost　made　it　when　Spike　Frohmeyer　wheeled　into　his　driveway　on　his　bike。　〃What　was　that　all　about？〃　he　demanded。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　Luther　said。
　〃You　and　Mr。　Trogdon。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　mind　your　own…〃Luther　caught　himself；　and　saw　opportunity。　He　needed　allies　at　the　moment；　not　enemies；　and　Spike　was　just　the　type。
　〃Hey；　Spike　buddy；〃　he　said　warmly；　〃I　need　a　little　help。〃
　〃What's　the　deal？〃
　〃The　Trogdons　are　leaving　home　for　a　week；　and　I'm　going　to　keep　their　tree　for　them。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Trees　catch　on　fire　a　lot；　especially　ones　loaded　with　lights。　Mr。　Trogdon　is　worried　about　the　tree　getting　too　hot；　so　I'm　going　to　move　it　over　to　my　house　for　a　few　days。〃
　〃Just　turn　the　lights　off。〃
　〃Still　got　all　those　wires　and　stuff。　It's　pretty　dangerous。　Think　you　could　give　me　a　hand？　I'll　pay　you　forty　bucks。〃
　〃Forty　bucks！　You　gotta　deal。〃
　〃We　need　a　small　wagon。〃
　〃I'll　borrow　Clem's。〃
　〃Hurry。　And　don't　tell　anybody。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃It's　part　of　the　deal；　okay？〃
　〃Sure。　Whatever。〃
　Spike　sped　away；　off　on　a　mission。　Luther　took　a　deep　breath　and　gazed　up　and　down　Hemlock。　Eyes　were　watching　him；　he　felt　sure；　the　way　they'd　been　peeking　at　him　for　weeks　now。　How　did　he　bee　such　a　villain　in　his　own　neighborhood？　Why　was　it　so　hard　to　dance　to　his　own　beat　once　in　a　great　while？　To　do　something　no　one　had　dared？　Why　all　this　resentment　from　people　he'd　known　and　liked　for　years？
　Regardless　of　what　happened　in　the　next　few　hours；　he　vowed　that　he　would　not　be　reduced　to　begging　his　neighbors　to　e　to　the　party。　First；　they　wouldn't　e　because　they　were　ticked　off。　Second；　he　wouldn't　give　them　the　satisfaction　of　saying　no。
　
　
　Fourteen
　
　His　second　call　was　to　the　Albrittons；　old　friends　from　church　who　lived　an　hour　away。　Luther　spilled　his　guts；　and　by　the　time　he　finished　Riley　Albritton　was　roaring　with　laughter。　〃It's　Luther；〃　Riley　said　to　someone　in　the　background；　probably　Doris。　〃Blair　just　called。　She'll　be　home　tonight。〃　And　with　that；　Doris　or　whoever　it　was　broke　into　hysterics。
　Luther　wished　he　hadn't　called。　〃Help　me　out　here；　Riley；〃　he　pleaded。　〃Can　you　guys　stop　by？〃
　〃Sorry；　bud。　We're　going　to　the　MacIlvaines　for　dinner。　They　invited　us　a　bit　earlier；　you　know。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Luther　said　and　hung　up。　
　The　phone　rang　immediately。　It　was　Nora；　her　voice　as　edgy　as　Luther'd　ever　heard　it。　〃Where　are　you？〃　she　demanded。
　〃Well；　I'm　in　the　kitchen。　Where　are　you？〃
　〃I'm　sitting　in　traffic　on　Broad；　near　the　mall。〃
　〃Why　are　you　going　to　the　mall？〃
　〃Because　I　couldn't　park　at　the　District；　couldn't　even　get　in　off　the　street。　I've　bought　nothing。　Do　you　have　a　tree？〃
　〃Yes；　a　real　beauty。〃
　〃Are　you　decorating　it？〃
　〃Yes；　I　have　Perry　o　crooning　'Jingle　Bells'　in　the　background　while　I'm　sipping　eggnog　and　trimming　our　tree。　Wish　you　were　here？〃
　〃Have　you　called　anyone？〃
　〃Yes；　the　Lairds　and　Albrittons；　neither　can　make　it。〃
　〃I've　called　the　Pinkertons；　Harts；　Malones；　and　Burklands。　They're　all　busy。　Pete　Hart　laughed　at　me；　the　bore。〃
　〃I'll　beat　him　up　for　you。〃　Spike　was　knocking　on　the　door。　〃I　gotta　get　busy。〃
　〃I　guess　you'd　better　start　calling　the　neighbors；〃　she　said；　her　hyper　voice　faltering。
　〃Why？〃　
　〃To　invite　them。〃
　〃Not　in　a　million　years；　Nora。　I'm　hanging　up　now。〃
　〃No　word　from　Blair。〃
　〃She's　on　an　airplane；　Nora。　Call　me　later。〃
　Spike's　borrowed　wagon　was　a　red　Radio　Flyer　that　had　seen　its　better　years。　With　one　look；　Luther　deemed　it　too　small　and　too　old；　but　they　had　no　choice。　〃I'll　go　over　first；〃　he　explained；　as　if　he　knew　exactly　what　he　was　doing。　〃Wait　five　minutes；　then　bring　the　wagon　over。　Don't　let　anyone　see　you；　okay？〃
　〃Where's　my　forty　bucks？〃
　Luther　handed　him　a　twenty。　〃Half　now；　half　when　the　job　is　done。〃
　He　entered　the　Trogdon　home　through　the　side　door　of　the　garage；　and　felt　like　a　burglar　for　the　first　time　in　memory。　When　he　opened　the　door　to　the　house；　an　alarm　beeped　for　a　few　seconds；　very　long　seconds　in　which　Luther's　heart　froze　and　his　entire　life　and　career　flashed　before　him。　Caught；　arrested；　convicted；　his　license　revoked；　banished　by　Wiley　&　Beck；　disgraced。　Then　it　stopped；　and　he　waited　another　few　seconds　before　he　could　breathe。　A　panel　by　the　rear　door　said　things　were　Clear。
　What　a　mess。　The　house　was　a　landfill　with　debris　strewn　everywhere；　clear　evidence　of　another　successful　visit　by　Ole　St。　Nick。　Trish　Trogdon　would　choke　her　husband　if　she　knew　he'd　given　Luther　the　keys。　In　the　living　room；　he　stopped　and　stared　at　the　tree。
　It　was　well　known　on　Hemlock　that　the　Trogdons　took　little　care　in　decorating　their　tree。　They　allowed　their　children　to　hang　anything　they　could　find。　There　were　a　million　lights；　strands　of　mismatched　garlands；　tacky　ornaments　by　the　boxload；　red　and　green　icicles；　even　strings　of　popcorn。
　Nora　will　kill　me；　Luther　thought；　but　he　had　no　choice。　The　plan　was　so　simple　it　had　to　work。　He　and　Spike　would　remove　the　breakable　ornaments；　and　the　garlands；　and　for　sure　the　popcorn；　lay　them　all　on　the　sofa　and　chairs；　ease　the　tree　out　of　the　house　with　lights　intact；　haul　it　over　to　Luther's；　and　dress　it　with　real　decorations。　Then；　at　some　point　in　the　near　future；　Luther　and　perhaps　Spike　would　strip　it　again；　haul　it　across　the　street；　put　the　Trogdon　junk　back　on　it；　and　everybody　would　be　happy。
　He　dropped　the　first　ornament　and　it　shattered　into　a　dozen　pieces。　Spike　showed　up。　〃Don't　break　anything；〃　Luther　said；　as　he　cleaned　up　the　ornament。
　〃Are　we　getting　in　trouble　for　this？〃　Spike　asked。　〃Of　course　not。　Now　get　to　work。　And　fast。〃
　Twenty　minutes　later　the　tree　was　stripped　of　anything　breakable。　Luther　found　a　dirty　towel　in　the　laundry；　and　lying　flat　on　his　stomach；　under　the　tree；　he　managed　to　work　the　metal　tree　stand　onto　the　towel。　Spike　leaned　in　above　him；　gently　shoving　the　tree　to　one　side；　then　the　other。　On　hands　and　knees；　Luther　managed　to　slide　the　tree　toward　Spike；　across　the　wood　floor；　across　the　tile　of　the　kitchen；　down　the　narrow　hall　to　the　laundry；　where　the　branches　scraped　the　walls　and　dead　spruce　needles　trailed　behind
　〃You're　making　a　mess；〃　Spike　said；　helpfully。
　〃I'll　clean　it　later；〃　said　Luther；　who　was　sweating　like　a　sprinter。
　The　tree；　of　course；　was　wider　than　the　door　to　the　garage；　as　all　trees　are。　Spike　pulled　the　wagon　close。　Luther　grabbed　the　trunk　of　the　tree；　lifted　it　with　a　strain；　swung；　the　bottom　through　the　door　and　pulled　the　whole　thing　through。　When　it　was　sitting　safely　in　the　garage；　Luther　caught　his　breath；　hit　the　garage　d