jg.skippingchristmas-第24部分

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　〃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　his　neighbors；　the　last　people　he　wanted　to　see。
　〃Get　a　ladder；〃　someone　said。
　〃Is　that　an　electrical　cord　around　his　feet？〃　asked　someone　else。
　〃Where　is　the　rope　attached？〃　asked　another。　All　the　voices　were　familiar；　but　Luther　couldn't　distinguish　them。
　〃I　called　nine…one…one；〃　he　heard　Walt　Scheel　say。
　〃Thanks；　Walt；〃　Luther　said　loudly；　in　the　direction　of　the　crowd。　But　he　was　revolving　back　toward　the　house。
　〃I　think　Frosty's　dead；〃　one　teenager　mumbled　to　another。
　Hanging　there；　waiting　for　death；　waiting　for　the　rope　to　slip　then　give　pletely　and　send　him　crashing　down；　Luther　hated　Christmas　with　a　renewed　passion。　Look　what　Christmas　was　doing　to　him。
　All　because　of　Christmas。
　And　he　hated　his　neighbors　too；　all　of　them；　young　and　old。　They　were　gathering　in　his　driveway　by　the　dozens　now；　he　could　hear　them　ing；　and　as　he　rotated　slowly　he　could　glimpse　them　running　down　the　street　to　see　this　sight。
　The　cord　and　the　rope　popped　somewhere　above　him；　then　gave；　and　Luther　fell　another　six　inches　before　he　was　jerked　to　another　stop。　The　crowd　gasped；　no　doubt；　some　of　them　wanted　to　cheer。
　Frohmeyer　was　barking　orders　as　if　he　handled　these　situations　every　day。　Two　ladders　arrived　and　one　was　placed　on　each　side　of　Lather。　Ned　Becker　yelled　from　the　back　patio　that　he'd　found　what　was　holding　the　electrical　cord　and　the　nylon　rope；　and；　in　his　very　experienced　opinion；　it　wouldn't　hold　much　longer。
　〃Did　you　plug　in　the　extension　cord？〃　Frohmeyer　asked。
　〃No；〃　answered　Luther。
　〃We're　gonna　get　you　down；　okay？〃
　〃Yes；　please。〃
　Frohmeyer　was　climbing　one　ladder；　Ned　Becker　the　other。　Luther　was　aware　that　Swade　Kerr　was　down　there；　as　were　Ralph　Brixley　and　John　Galdy；　and　some　of　the　older　boys　on　the　street。
　My　life　is　in　their　hands；　Luther　said　to　himself；　and　closed　his　eyes。　He　weighed　one　seventy…four；　down　eleven　for　the　cruise；　and　he　was　quite　concerned　with　how；　exactly；　they　planned　to　untangle　him；　then　lower　him　to　the　ground。　His　rescuers　were　middle…aged　men　who；　if　they　broke　a　sweat；　did　so　on　the　golf　course。　Certainly　not　power　lifting。　Swade　Kerr　was　a　frail　vegetarian　who　could　barely　pick　up　his　newspaper；　and　right　then　he　was　under　Luther　hoping　to　help　lower　him　to　the　ground。
　〃What's　the　plan　here；　Vic？〃　Luther　asked。　It　was　difficult　to　talk　with　his　feet　straight　above　him。　Gravity　was　pulling　all　the　blood　to　his　head；　and　it　was　pounding。
　Vic　hesitated。　They　really　didn't　have　a　plan。
　What　Luther　couldn't　see　was　that　a　group　of　men　was　standing　directly　under　him；　to　break　any　fall。
　What　Luther　could　hear；　though；　were　two　things。　First；　someone　said；　〃There's　Nora！〃
　Then　he　heard　sirens。
　
　
　Eighteen
　
　The　crowd　parted　to　allow　the　ambulance　through。　It　stopped　ten　feet　from　the　ladders；　from　the　man　hanging　by　his　feet　and　his　would…be　rescuers。　Two　medics　and　a　fireman　jumped　out；　removed　the　ladders；　shooed　back　Frohmeyer　and　his　cohorts；　then　one　of　them　drove　the　ambulance　carefully　under　Mr。　Krank。
　〃Luther；　what　are　you　doing　up　there？〃　Nora　yelled　as　she　rushed　through　the　crowd
　〃What　does　it　look　like？〃　he　yelled　back；　and　his　head　pounded　harder。
　〃Are　you　okay？〃
　〃Wonderful。〃
　The　medics　and　the　fireman　crawled　up　on　the　hood　of　the　ambulance；　quickly　lifted　Luther　a　few　inches；　unraveled　the　cord　and　the　rope；　then　eased　him　down。　A　few　folks　applauded；　but　most　seemed　indifferent。
　The　medics　checked　his　vitals；　then　lowered　him　to　the　ground　and　carried　him　to　the　back　of　the　ambulance；　where　the　doors　were　open。　Luther's　feet　were　numb　and　he　couldn't　stand。　He　was　shivering；　so　a　medic　draped　two　orange　blankets　over　him。　As　he　sat　there　in　the　back　of　the　ambulance；　looking　toward　the　street；　trying　to　ignore　the　gawking　mob　that　was　no　doubt　reveling　in　his　humiliation；　Luther　could　only　feel　relief。　His　headfirst　slide　down　the　roof　had　been　brief　but　horrifying。　He　was　lucky　to　be　conscious　right　now。
　Let　them　stare。　Let　them　gawk。　He　ached　too　much　to　care。
　Nora　was　there　to　inspect　him。　She　recognized　the　fireman　Kistler　and　the　medic　Kendall　as　the　two　fine　young　men　who'd　stopped　by　a　couple　of　weeks　ago　selling　fruitcakes　for　their　holiday　fund…raiser。　She　thanked　them　for　rescuing　her　husband。
　〃You　wanna　go　to　the　hospital？〃　asked　Kendall。
　〃Just　a　precaution；〃　said　Kistler。
　〃No　thanks；〃　Luther　said；　his　teeth　chattering。　〃Nothing's　broken。〃　At　that　moment；　though；　everything　felt　broken。
　A　police　car　arrived　in　a　rush　and　parked　in　the　street；　of　course　with　its　lights　still　flashing。　Treen　and　Salino　jumped　out　and　strutted　through　the　crowd　to　observe　things。
　Frohmeyer；　Becker；　Kerr；　Scheel；　Brixley；　Kropp；　Galdy；　Bellington…they　all　eased　in　around　Luther　and　Nora。　Spike　was　in　the　middle　of　them　too。　As　Luther　sat　there；　nursing　his　wounds；　answering　banal　questions　from　the　boys　in　uniform；　practically　all　of　Hemlock　squeezed　in　for　a　better　view。
　When　Salino　got　the　gist　of　the　story；　he　said；　rather　loudly；　〃Frosty？　I　thought　you　guys　weren't　doing　Christmas　this　year；　Mr。　Krank。　First　you　borrow　a　tree。　Now　this。〃
　〃What's　going　on；　Luther？〃　Frohmeyer　called　out。　It　was　a　public　question。　Its　answer　was　for　everyone。
　Luther　looked　at　Nora；　and　realized　she　wasn't　about　to　say　a　word。　The　explanations　belonged　to　him。
　〃Blair's　ing　home；　for　Christmas；〃　he　blurted；　rubbing　his　left　ankle。
　〃Blair's　ing　home；〃　Frohmeyer　repeated　loudly；　and　the　news　rippled　through　the　crowd。　Regardless　of　how　they　felt　about　Luther　at　the　moment；　the　neighbors　adored　Blair。　They'd　watched　her　grow　up；　sent　her　off　to　college；　and　waited　for　her　to　e　back　each　summer。　She'd　babysat　for　most　of　the　younger　kids　on　Hemlock。　As　an　only　child；　Blair　had　treated　the　other　children　like　family。　She　was　everyone's　big　sister。
　〃And　she's　bringing　her　fiancé；〃　Luther　added；　and　this　too　swept　through　the　onlookers。
　〃Who's　Blair？〃　asked　Salino；　as　if　he　were　a　homicide　detective　digging　for　clues。
　〃She's　my　daughter；〃　Luther　explained　to　the　uninformed。　〃She　left　about　a　month　ago　for　Peru；　with　the　Peace　Corps；　not　going　to　be　back　for　a　year；　or　so　we　thought。　She　called　around　eleven　today。　She　was　in　Miami；　ing　home　to　surprise　us　for　Christmas；　and　she's　bringing　a　fiancé；　some　doctor　she　just　met　down　there。〃　Nora　moved　closer　and　was　now　holding　his　elbow。
　〃And　she　expects　to　see　a　Christmas　tree？〃　Frohmeyer　said。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　a　Frosty？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃And　what　about　the　annual　Krank　Christmas　Eve　party？〃
　〃That　too。〃
　The　crowd　inched　closer　as　Frohmeyer　analyzed　things。　〃What　time　does　she　get　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃Plane　lands　at　six。〃
　〃Six！〃
　People　looked　at　their　watches。　Luther　rubbed　the　other　ankle。　His　feet　were　tingling　now；　a　good　sign。　Blood　was　flowing　down　there　again。
　Vic　Frohmeyer　took　a　step　back　and　looked　into　the　faces　of　his　neighbors。　He　cleared　his　throat；　raised　his　chin；　and　began；　〃Okay；　folks；　here's　the　game　plan。　We're　about　to　have　a　party　here　at　the　Kranks'；　a　Christmas　homeing　for　Blair。　Those　of　you　who　can；　drop　what　you're　doing　and　pitch　in。　Nora；　do　you　have　a　turkey？〃
　〃No；〃　she　said　sheepishly。　〃Smoked　trout。〃
　〃Smoked　trout？〃
　〃That's　all　I　could　find。〃
　Several　of　the　women　whispered；　〃Smoked　trout？〃
　〃Who　has　a　turkey？〃　Frohmeyer　asked。
　〃We　have　two；〃　said　Jude　Becker。　〃Both　in　the　oven。〃
　〃Great；〃　said　Frohmeyer。　〃Cliff；　you　take　a　team　down　to　Brixley's　and　get　his　Frosty。　Get　some　lights　too；　we'll　string　'em　along　Luther's　boxwoods　here。　Everybody　go　home；　change　clothes；　grab　whatever　extra　food　you　can　find；　and　meet　back　here　in　a　half　hour。〃
　
　He　looked　at　Saline　and　Treen　and　said；　〃You　guys　head　to　the　airport。〃
　〃For　what？〃　asked　Salino。
　〃Blair　needs　a　ride　home。〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　if　we　can。〃
　〃Shall　I　call　the　Chief？〃
　Treen　and　Salino　headed　for　their　car。　The　neighbors　began　to　scatter；　now　that　they　had　their　instructions　from　Frohmeyer。　Luther　and　Nora　watched　them　dispe