jg.skippingchristmas-第23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！


rkness。　It　wouldn't　work；　and　he　knew　it；　but　rational　thought　was　hard　to　grasp　and　hold。
　He　spent　a　few　moments　planning　the　project。　An　attack　from　the　rear　of　the　house　was　mandatory…no　way　would　he　allow　Walt　Scheel　or　Vic　Frohmeyer　or　anybody　else　to　see　him　in　action。
　Luther　wrestled　Frosty　out　of　the　basement　without　injuring　either　one　of　them；　but　he　was　cursing　vigorously　by　the　time　they　made　it　to　the　patio。　He　hauled　the　ladder　from　the　storage　shed　in　the　backyard。　So　far　he　had　not　been　seen；　or　at　least　he　didn't　think　so。
　The　roof　was　slightly　wet　with　a　patch　of　ice　or　two。　And　it　was　much　colder　up　there。　With　a　quarter…inch　nylon　rope　tied　around　his　waist；　Luther　crawled　upward；　catlike　and　terrified；　over　the　asphalt　shingles　until　he　reached　the　summit。　He　peeked　over　the　crown　of　the　roof　and　peered　below…the　Scheels　were　directly　in　front　of　him；　way　down　there。
　He　looped　the　rope　around　the　chimney；　then　inched　back　down；　backward；　until　he　hit　a　patch　of　ice　and　slid　for　two　feet。　Catching　himself；　he　paused　and　allowed　his　heart　to　start　working　again。　He　looked　down　in　terror。　If　by　some　tragedy　he　fell；　he'd　free…fall　for　a　very　brief　flight；　then　land　among　the　metal　patio　furniture　sitting　on　hard　brick。　Death　would　not　be　instant；　no　sir。　He'd　suffer；　and　if　he　didn't　die　he'd　have　a　broken　neck　or　maybe　brain　damage。
　How　utterly　ridiculous。　A　Fifty…four…year…old　man　playing　games　like　this。
　The　most　horrifying　trick　of　all　was　to　remount　the　ladder　from　above；　which　he　managed　to　do　by　digging　his　fingernails　into　the　shingles　while　dangling　one　foot　at　a　time　over　the　gutter。　Back　on　the　ground；　he　took　a　deep　breath　and　congratulated　himself　for　surviving　the　first　trip　to　the　top　and　back。
　There　were　four　parts　to　Frosty…a　wide；　round　base；　then　a　snowball；　then　the　trunk　with　one　arm　waving　and　one　hand　on　hip；　then　the　head　with　his　smiling　face；　corncob　pipe；　and　black　top　hat。　Luther　grumbled　as　he　put　the　damned　thing　together；　snapping　one　plastic　section　into　another。　He　screwed　the　lightbulb　into　the　midsection；　plugged　in　the　eighty…foot　extension　cord；　hooked　the　nylon　rope　around　Frosty's　waist；　and　maneuvered　him　into　position　for　the　ride　up。
　It　was　a　quarter　to　five。　His　daughter　and　her　brand…new　fiancé　would　land　in　an　hour　and　fifteen　minutes。　The　drive　to　the　airport　took　twenty　minutes；　plus　more　for　parking；　shuttling；　walking；　pushing；　shoving。
　Luther　wanted　to　give　up　and　start　drinking。
　But　he　pulled　the　rope　tight　around　the　chimney；　and　Frosty　started　up。　Luther　climbed　with　him；　up　the　ladder；　worked　him　over　the　gutter　and　onto　the　shingles。　Luther　would　pull；　Frosty　would　move　a　little。　He　was　no　more　than　forty　pounds　of　hard　plastic　but　soon　felt　much　heavier。　Slowly；　they　made　their　way　up；　side　by　side；　Luther　on　all　fours；　Frosty　inching　along　on　his　back。
　Just　a　hint　of　darkness；　but　no　real　relief　from　the　skies。　Once　the　little　team　reached　the　crown；　Luther　would　be　exposed。　He'd　be　forced　to　stand　while　he　grappled　with　his　snowman　and　attached　him　to　the　front　of　the　chimney；　and　once　in　place；　illuminated　with　the　two…hundred…watt；　old　Frosty　would　join　his　forty…one　panions　and　all　of　Hemlock　would　know　that　Luther　had　caved。　So　he　paused　for　a　moment；　just　below　the　summit；　and　tried　to　tell　himself　that　he　didn't　care　what　his　neighbors　thought　or　said。　He　clutched　the　rope　that　held　Frosty；　rested　on　his　back　and　looked　at　the　clouds　above　him；　and　realized　he　was　sweating　and　freezing。　They　would　laugh；　and　snicker；　and　tell　Luther's　skipping　Christmas　story　for　years　to　e；　and　he'd　be　the　butt　of　the　jokes；　but　what　did　it　really　matter？
　Blair　would　be　happy。　Enrique　would　see　a　real　American　Christmas。　Nora　would　hopefully　be　placated。
　Then　he　thought　of　the　Island　Princess　casting　off　tomorrow　from　Miami；　minus　two　passengers；　headed　for　the　beaches　and　the　islands　Luther　had　been　lusting　for。
　He　felt　like　throwing　up。
　Walt　Scheel　had　been　in　the　kitchen；　where　Bev　was　finishing　a　pie；　and；　out　of　habit　now；　he　walked　to　his　front　window　to　observe　the　Krank　house。　Nothing；　at　first；　then　he　froze。　Peeking　over　the　roof；　next　to　the　chimney；　was　Luther；　then　slowly　Walt　saw　Frosty's　black　hat；　then　his　face。　〃Bev！〃　he　yelled。
　Luther　dragged　himself　up；　looked　around　quickly　as　if　he　were　a　burglar；　braced　himself　on　the　chimney；　then　began　tugging　on　Frosty。
　〃You　must　be　kidding；〃　Bev　said；　wiping　her　hands　on　a　dish　towel。　Walt　was　laughing　too　hard　to　say　anything。　He　grabbed　the　phone　to　call　Frohmeyer　and　Becker。
　When　Frosty　was　in　full　view；　Luther　carefully　swung　him　around　to　the　front　of　the　chimney；　to　the　spot　where　he　wanted　him　to　stand。　His　plan　was　to　somehow　hold　him　there　for　a　second；　while　he　wrapped　a　two…inch…wide　canvas　band　around　his　rather　large　midsection　and　secured　it　firmly　around　the　chimney。　Just　like　last　year。　It　had　worked　fine　then。
　Vic　Frohmeyer　ran　to　his　basement；　where　his　children　were　watching　a　Christmas　movie。　〃Mr。　Krank's　putting　up　his　Frosty。　You　guys　go　watch；　but　stay　on　the　sidewalk。〃　The　basement　emptied。
　There　was　a　patch　of　ice　on　the　front　side　of　the　roof；　just　inches　from　the　chimney　and　virtually　invisible　to　Luther。　With　Frosty　in　place　but　not　attached；　and　while　Luther　was　struggling　to　remove　the　nylon　rope　and　pull　tight　the　electrical　cord　and　secure　the　canvas　band　around　the　chimney；　and　just　as　he　was　to　make　perhaps　the　most　dangerous　move　of　the　entire　operation；　he　heard　voices　below。　And　when　he　turned　to　see　who　was　watching　he　inadvertently　stepped　on　the　patch　of　ice　just　below　the　crown；　and　everything　fell　at　once。
　Frosty　tipped　over　and　was　gone；　careening　dawn　the　front　of　the　roof　with　nothing　to　hold　him　back…no　ropes；　cords；　bands；　nothing。　Luther　was　right　behind　him；　but；　fortunately；　Luther　had　managed　to　entangle　himself　with　everything。　Sliding　headfirst　down　the　steep　roof；　and　yelling　loud　enough　for　Walt　and　Bev　to　hear　indoors；　Luther　sped　like　an　avalanche　toward　certain　death。
　Later；　he　would　recall；　to　himself　of　course；　that　he　clearly　remembered　the　fall。　Evidently；　there　was　more　ice　on　the　front　of　the　roof　than　on　the　rear；　and　once　he　found　it　he　felt　like　a　hockey　puck。　He　well　remembered　flying　off　the　roof；　headfirst；　with　the　concrete　driveway　awaiting　him。　And　he　remembered　hearing　but　not　seeing　Frosty　crash　somewhere　nearby。　Then　the　sharp　pain　as　his　fall　was　stopped…pain　around　the　ankles　as　the　rope　and　extension　cord　abruptly　ran　out　of　slack；　jerking　poor　Luther　like　a　bullwhip；　but　no　doubt　saving　his　life。
　Watching　Luther　shoot　down　the　roof　on　his　stomach；　seemingly　in　pursuit　of　his　bouncing　Frosty；　was　more　than　Walt　Scheel　could　stand。　He　ached　with　laughter　until　he　bent　at　the　waist。　Bev　watched　in　horror。
　〃Shut　up；　Walt！〃　she　yelled；　then；　〃Do　something！〃　as　Luther　was　hanging　and　spinning　well　above　the　concrete；　his　feet　not　far　from　the　gutter。
　Luther　swung　and　spun　helplessly　above　his　driveway。　After　a　few　turns　the　cord　and　rope　were　tightly　braided　together；　and　the　spinning　stopped。　He　felt　sick　and　closed　his　eyes　for　a　second。　How　do　you　vomit　when　you're　upside　down？
　Wall　punched　911。　He　reported　that　a　man　had　been　injured　and　might　even　be　dying　on　Hemlock；　so　send　the　rescue　people　immediately。　Then　he　ran　out　of　his　house　and　across　the　street　where　the　Frohmeyer　children　were　gathering　under　Luther。　Vic　Frohmeyer　was　running　from　two　houses　down；　and　the　entire　Becker　clan　from　next　door　was　spilling　out　of　their　house。
　〃Poor　Frosty；〃　Luther　heard　one　of　the　children　say。　Poor　Frosty；　my　ass；　he　wanted　say。　
　The　nylon　rope　was　cutting　into　the　flesh　around　his　ankles。　He　was　afraid　to　move　because　the　rope　seemed　to　give　just　a　little。　He　was　still　eight　feet　above　the　ground；　and　a　fall　would　be　disastrous。　Inverted；　Luther　tried　to　breathe　and　collect　his　wits。　He　heard　Frohmeyer's　big　mouth。　Would　somebody　please　shoot　me？
　〃Luther；　you　okay？〃　asked　Frohmeyer。
　〃Swell；　Vic；　thanks；　and　you？〃　Luther　began　rotating　again；　slightly；　turning　very　slowly　in　the　wind。　Soon；　he　pivoted　back　toward　the　street；　and　came　face　to　face　with