jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第10章

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！


　gently　on　a　watery　foundation　that　could　not　support　it；　and　soon；　like　ancient　Atlantis；　those　lands　were　lost　beneath　the　waves。　In　the　skies　flocks　of　seagulls　in　flight　disappeared；　as　did　the　military　and　civilian　aircraft　in　the　affected　regions。　Tourist；　pilot；　exchange　student；　airman；　and　junketing　congressman　were　all　treated　equally　and　ruthlessly。　The　air　itself　was　instantly　changed；　the　replacing　air　either　noiselessly　filling　the　void；　or；　if　air　pressure　differences　were　too　great；　violently　expanding。　Titanic　booms　were　as　mon　as　soft　whooshing。
　As　the　effect　reached　the　East　Coast　it　continued　on　land。　Streets；　cars；　homes；　office　buildings　t　and　fast…food　restaurants　were　replaced　with　forest；　grassland；　ice；　lakes；　and　ocean。　With　the　artifacts　of　mankind　went　the　people　who　constructed　and　inhabited　them。　Men；　women；　children；　rich　and　poor；　teacher　and　student；　Muslim；　Christian；　Jew；　and　atheist；　all　whisked　away　together。
　The　effect　was　systematic；　but　not　thorough。　As　the　effect　washed　across　the　planet's　surface；　it　rippledt　leaving　some　regions　untouched。　People；　awakened　by　thunderous　booms；　looked　to　see　neighborhoods　sundered；　their　houses　intact；　the　other　side　of　the　street　impossibly　changed。　Inhabitants　of　other　large　regions　slept　through　the　night；　untouched；　unknowning；　only　to　wake　to　confusion。
　
　New　York　City
　TIME　QUILT：　SATURDAY；　8：35　P。M。　EST
　
　　Mariel　rocked　by　her　open　window；　her　hands　crocheting　while　her　mind　listened　to　the　sounds　of　the　autumn　evening。　She　didn't　get　to　hear　the　sounds　very　often　anymore。　Summer　used　to　be　the　best　time；　but　now　everyone　had　air　conditioners；　and　if　Mariel　opened　her　window　she　heard　only　the　hum　of　electric　motors。　When　she　first　came　to　live　in　her　apartment　all　the　neighbors　would　open　their　windows　in　the　summer；　and　Mariel　would　sit　and　listen　to　families　arguing；　or　the　sound　of　radios　or　hi…fis。　There　were　the　sounds　of　people　talking　too；　and　sometimes　Mariel　could　make　out　a　sentence　or　two　and　follow　the　arguments。　She　never　joined　in；　of　course…that　would　be　invading　her　neighbors'　privacy；　but　she　couldn't　stop　herself　from　forming　opinions。　Behind　it　all　was　the　backdrop　of　the　sounds　of　New　York　City；　traffic；　honking　horns；　and　occasional　police　sirens。
　Mariel　could　hear　the　Ibarras　having　an　argument　two　floors　above　her。　Some　of　the　argument　was　in　Spanish；　so　she　couldn't　follow　it　well。　But　the　rhythm　was　familiar　to　her；　she　had　listened　to　so　many　arguments　in　her　chair　by　the　window。　She　didn't　have　to　understand　the　words　to　know　the　argument　was　about　one　of　three　things：　money；　family；　or　the　kids。　Those　were　the　topics　when　she　moved　in　back　in　1955；　and　it　had　been　those　three　topics　ever　since。
　Mariel　could　also　hear　the　sound　of　a　stereo　from　the　MacGregor's　apartment　below　her。　From　the　sound　of　rap；　she　knew　their　son　was　playing　it。　It　also　meant　his　parents　weren't　home　yet；　because　they　always　made　him　wear　earphones　when　he　played　rap。　Mariel　also　knew　he　would　be　on　the　phone　to　his　girlfriend　at　the　same　time。　Sometimes　he　talked　and　laughed　loud　enough　for　Mariel　to　hear；　and　it　would　embarrass　her。　She　was　often　embarrassed　by　the　way　boys　talked　to　girls　today。　But　still　she　always　listened。　It　was　better　than　the　madeup　stuff　on　the　afternoon　talk　shows。
　The　air　was　cool；　but　Mariel　didn't　want　to　close　the　window。　So　instead　she　went　to　the　kitchen　and　put　the　teakettle　on　and　then　got　a　blanket　for　her　lap。　Mariel　returned　to　her　chair；　picked　up　her　crocheting；　and　listened　to　the　argument　again。
　It　was　winding　down　now。　The　Ibarras　never　stayed　mad　at　each　other　for　long；　not　like　the　Venuccis；　who　used　to　live　next　to　her。　How　many　years　ago？　Twenty　at　least；　she　decided。　Now；　the　Venuccis　knew　how　to　have　a　fight。　They　yelled。and　screamed　at　each　other；　sometimes　for　hours。　Sometimes　Mrs。　Venucci　would　throw　things　and　Mariel　could　hear　glass　shattering　or　things　banging。　When　they　first　moved　in　Mariel　had　feared　they　would　hurt　each　other；　but　when　she　saw　them　in　the　hallway　the　next　day　they　never　had　cuts　or　bruises。　One　day　Mariel　stopped　Mrs。　Venucci　and　told　her　she　worried　about　her。　Mrs。　Venucci　smiled　and　assured　Mariel　she　was　not　in　any　danger。　〃Sure；〃　she　had　said；　〃we　fight　hard；　but　we　make　up　harder。〃　Mariel　knew　that　was　true。　The　Venuccis　raised　seven　children　in　that　apartment。　The　Ibarras　must　be　the　same　way；　Mariel　believed。　They　had　five　kids。
　The　teakettle　called　to　her　from　the　kitchen。　Then　with　her　cup　and　saucer　she　returned　to　the　window。　The　Ibarras　had　moved　on　to　making　up；　and　there　were　no　voices　now。　A　few　minutes　later　the　rap　music　suddenly　died；　and　Mariel　listened　to　Cathy　McGregor　scolding　her　son　and　telling　him　to　do　his　homework。　Then　Mariel　was　left　alone　with　the　sounds　of　the　city。
　She　looked　down　into　the　courtyard　below。　It　used　to　be　filled　with　little　garden　plots；　some　with　flowers；　some　with　vegetables。　It　was　mostly　paved　now；　and　ugly　garbage　Dumpsters　sat　here　and　there。　The　only　garden　left　was　Mariel's。　She　only　grew　flowers　now。　She　used　to　grow　vegetables　till　people　began　stealing　them。　She　wouldn't　have　minded　if　they　ate　them；　but　most　of　them　were　smashed　against　walls　or　thrown　through　windows。　Still；　the　flowers　were　pretty　and　a　stark　contrast　to　the　ugliness　of　the　asphalt　and　Dumpsters。　Mariel　loved　the　garden；　but　it　was　harder　to　grow　things　ever　since　the　high　rise　went　up　across　the　courtyard。　It　was　an　office　building；　all　glass　and　steel。　Mariel　hated　its　sealed　glass　windows。
　Once　long　ago；　Mariel　had　a　friend　who　lived　in　the　building　that　used　to　be　where　the　office　building　now　stood。　Sometimes　when　the　kids　were　at　school；　Marie！　would　meet　Gertie　for　coffee　and　talk。　In　the　summers　their　kids　played　in　the　courtyard　together；　and　Mariel　and　Gertie　would　visit　or　garden。　Gertie　moved　to　Florida　years　ago　and　was　long　dead　now；　and　the　building　she　lived　in　was　ten　years　gone。
　Mariel's　life　in　the　apartment　had　started　out　quietly；　just　her　and　Phillip。　Then　the　children　had　e；　filling　their　lives　with　activity　and　stress；　stress　she　missed　now。　When　the　three　children　were　growing　up　Mariel　had　lots　of　friends；　most　of　them　the　parents　of　their　children's　friends。　Phillip's　work　gave　them　friends　too。　There　was　business　entertaining　and　dinner　parties。　If　they　weren't　guests；　they　were　hosts。　They　were　involved　in　their　children's　schools　too。　School　plays；　music　lessons；　and　a　myriad　of　other　activities　kept　them　constantly　on　the　go。　Mariel　had　scarcely　a　minute　to　herself　in　those　days　and　relished　the　few　hours　a　week　she　could　sit　by　the　window　and　listen　to　the　sounds。　Then　the　children　had　grown。　Now　they　all　lived　in　other　states　and　called　infrequently。　She　had　Phillip　for　a　few　years　after　the　children　were　gone；　and　many　friends　still；　mostly　connected　with　Phillip's　work。　Then　Phillip　died　suddenly；　and　with　him　went　the　parties　and　many　of　her　friends。　Soon　all　Mariel　had　were　acquaintances；　no　friends。　Now　she　only　went　out　three　times　a　week；　and　then　only　to　do　shopping。　She　used　to　go　to　church　on　Sunday；　but　then　the　church　had　closed　and　moved　to　a　new　location　in　a　better　neighborhood。　Now　Mariel　watched　church　on　TV；　but　it　was　hard　to　make　church　friends　through　a　TV。　Her　life　was　quiet　now；　like　the　end　of　the　arguments　she　listened　to　over　the　years。　Mariel　longed　for　the　activity　again；　for　someone　to　argue　with。
　Mariel　looked　up　at　the　sky　for　stars。　But　the　bright　moon　and　city　lights　meant　she　couldn't　see　any。　The　city　wasn't　the　place　to　look　at　stars；　Mariel　knew。　She　never　had　a　good　view；　of　course；　but　when　she　had　something　to　do；　something　to　occupy　her　time；　she　never　thought　about　stars。
　Now　Mariel　thought　about　the　stars　and　the　moon；　and　other　things；　a　lot。　Her　oldest　son　wanted　her　to　move　to　Ohio　with　him。　She　could　see　the　stars　there；　he　assured　her。　But　she　didn't　want　that。　She　didn't　want　a　piece　of　his　life。　She　wanted　her　own　life；　even　if　it　was　mostly　memories　now。　No；　she　would　live　in　the　apartment　until　she　became　a　memory　too。
　Mariel　turned　on　the　TV　and　flipped　through　the　channels　with　the　remote　control。　As　usual　there　was　nothing　on　she　wanted　to　watch。　Sometimes　she　thought　of　getting　cable　TV。　The　television　guide　told　her　she　could　get　shows　like　〃Father　Knows　Best〃　and　〃Mr。　Ed〃　on　cable。　It　was　expensive；　though；　and　she　hated　paying　for　what　she　should　be　getting　for　free。　She　finally　settled　the　dial　on　a　situation　edy。　The　laugh　track　told　her　the　jokes　were　supposed　to　be　funny；　but　they　weren't。　They　were　bathroom　jokes　for　the　most　part；　and　Mariel　had　never　liked　that　kind　of　humor　and　she　didn't　appreciate　the　filthy　language　in　her　home。　She　turned　the　channel　to　a　TV　movie。　A　young　couple　were　kissing　open…mouthed。　The　woman　was　naked　from　the　waist　up；　and　Mariel　could　see　the　side　of　her　left　breast　pressed　up　against　the　man's　bare　chest。　Mariel　had　been　shocked　the　first　time　she　had　seen　this　on　TV；　but　now　it　was　routine　and　boring。　She　supposed　the　networks　would　soon　have　to　show　all　of　the　actress's　breast　to　keep　people　interested；　and　she　only　hoped　she　wouldn't　live　long　enough　to　have　that　on　her　TV　screen。　She　clucked　her　tongue　at　the　half…naked　couple；　then　turned　the　channel　just　as　the　couple　fell　onto　a　bed。　She　tried　the　rest　of　the　channels　but　it　was　more　of　the　same。
　Mariel　turned　off　the　TV　and　turned　on　the　radio。　There　was　lots　of　filth　on　the　radio　now　too；　but　you　could　still　find　something　worth　listening　to　if　you　searched。　They　ran　old　radio　shows　sometimes；　and　there　was　big　band　music　if　she　wanted　that。　Tonight；　though；　she　wanted　to　listen　to　talk；　and　there　was　lots　of　talk　on　the　New　York　City　airwaves。　Mariel　tuned　in　one　of　her　favorites。　She　wasn't　loyal　to　any　of　the　shows。　If　they　talked　of　sex　or　politics；　or　if　they　ran　down　religion；　she　would　tune　them　out。　Mariel　had　long　ago　settled　her　opinions　on　all　those　topics。
　Tonight　people　were　calling　in　with　movie　trivia　questions　or　just　to　talk　about　favorite　scenes　from　films。　Mariel　settled　in　to　listen。　For　a　while　they　talked　about　last　lines　in　movies。　Mariel　knew　the　last　line　in　The　Wizard　of　Oz　right　away；　it　was　〃Oh；　Auntie　Em；　there's　no　place　like　home。〃　She　also　knew　the　last　line　from　Gone　With　the　Wind；　but　it　took　three　callers　to　get　〃tomorrow　is　another　day。〃　Everyone　kept　guessing　〃Frankly；　my　dear；　I　don't　give　a　damn。〃　Mariel　was　enjoying　the　movie　memories；　trying　to　remember　where　and　with　whom　she　had　seen　the　movie。　Then　someone　changed　the　topic　to　actors　who　played　James　Bond。　Mariel　had　seen　some　of　the　James　Bond　movies　with　Phillip　but　never　liked　them。　They　were　too　violent；　and　Mr。　Bond　was　certainly　oversexed。　Still；　she　remembered　both　Sean　Connery　and　Roger　Moore　had　played　James　Bond。　Someone　called　in　to　say　that　David　Niven　had　played　James　Bond　too；　in　a　movie　called　Casino　Royal。　She'd　never　seen　it　but　couldn't　imagine　David　Niven　as　James　Bond。　David　Niven　was　a　gentleman；　he　wouldn't　behave　like　that　secret　agent。　She　would　have　searched　for　another　station；　but　she　was　waiting　to　hear　who　the　fourth　actor　was　who　played　James　Bond。　She　was　still　rocking；　crocheting；　and　liste