scoonts.theminotaur-第101节

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ck　onto　the　streets；　where　they　can　drink　and　starve　themselves　to　death。〃
　〃What　a　great　country；〃　Toad　muttered。
　The　doctor　opened　the　door　and　led　the　way　down　the　stairs。　〃In　America　these　days；　freedom　for　those　who　are　functionally　disabled；　incapable　of　keeping　body　and　soul　together；　means　the　freedom　to　mit　suicide　with　a　bottle　on　a　public　sidewalk　while　the　world　walks　around　them。　The　politicians　ignore　the　problem：　these　people　don't　vote。　There　is　no　problem；　the　lawyers　say。　Vagrancy　and　alcoholism　aren't　crimes；　the　judges　say。　Nothing　can　be　done。〃
　〃This　man　we're　going　to　see…is　he　dangerous？〃
　〃Only　to　himself。　And　the　lawyers　and　judges　would　disagree。〃
　They　were　in　a　corridor　now；　proceeding　past　double　swinging　doors　with　little　windows　that　opened　onto　wards。　Toad　could　see　the　patients　in　the　beds；　smell　the　disinfectant。　Nurses　hustled　by。　He　could　hear　people　moaning；　and　from　somewhere　a　man　roaring　mon　obscenities　in　a　mindless　chant；　the　mantra　of　the　insane。
　〃What　will　bee　of　him？〃
　〃When　the　bandages　e　off？　Oh；　we'll　ship　him　over　to　St。　Elizabeth's　and　they'll　try　for　an　involuntary　mitment；　and　who　knows；　they　may　get　lucky。　But　in　six　months；　or　a　year；　or　a　year　and　a　half；　the　judge　will　turn　him　loose。　He'll　drink　himself　to　death　in　an　alley。　Or　die　some　winter　night　when　the　police　are　late　ing　by。〃
　The　doctor　turned　left　and　went　through　a　door。
　The　patient　was　staring　at　a　spot　on　the　ceiling　over　the　bed。　Both　arms　were　bandaged　to　the　elbows。　Lumps；　bandages　probably；　under　the　covers　where　his　feet　were。
　A　chunk　of　his　lower　lip　was　missing。　The　cavity　had　stitches　at　the　bottom　of　it。　Bandages　on　both　ears　and　nose；　a　strip　of　tape　went　pletely　around　his　head　to　hold　them　in　place。　He　was　secured　to　the　bed　by　a　cloth　harness。
　〃You　have　to　get　over　here；　where　he　will　see　you。　I　think　the　alcohol　has　destroyed　a　lot　of　his　peripheral　vision。〃　The　doctor　led　the　hesitant　lieutenant　to　where　he　wanted　him；　then　waved　his　hand　in　front　of　the　patient's　eyes。
　The　eyes　moved。　They　traveled　up　the　hand　to　the　doctor's　face。　Then　they　moved　to　Toad；　focusing　on　the　dark；　navy…blue　uniform。
　The　man　in　the　bed　tried　to　speak。
　〃Take　your　time；〃　the　doctor　said。　〃Tell　us　who　you　are。〃
　〃Uh。。。　uh。。。〃
　〃What　is　your　name？　Please　tell　us　your　name。〃
　〃Uh。。。〃　He　stared　at　the　uniform；　at　the　ribbons；　at　the　wings；　at　the　brass　buttons；　at　the　gold　rings　on　the　sleeves。　〃Judee。　Judee。〃　His　gaze　was　fixated　on　the　gleaming　wings。
　〃There　he　goes　again；〃　the　doctor　said　to　Toad。　〃Sometimes　he　mumbles　about　A…12。　That　could　be　an　apartment；　of　course；　but　I　remembered　seeing　all　that　stuff　in　the　papers　about　the　navy's　new　airplane；　so　I　decided　to　call　you。　A　long　shot。〃　The　doctor　sighed。　〃I　do　wish　I　knew　who　his　Judy　is。　Maybe　a　daughter　who'd　like　to　take　care　of　him；　or　at　least　know　where　he　is。　She's　obviously　someone　he　cares　about。〃　His　voice　became　brisk；　business…like。
　〃So；　do　you　recognize　him？〃
　Toad　Tarkington　stared　at　the　man　in　the　bed　as　he　weighed　it：　three　squares　a　day　in　a　nice　warm　cell　for　thirty　or　forty　years；　or　an　alcoholic's　death　in　a　frozen　alley。
　At　last　he　said；　〃I　never　saw　him　before　in　my　life。〃
　
　ABOUT　THE　AUTHOR
　STEPHEN　COONTS　graduated　from　West　Virginia　University　with　a　degree　in　political　science　and　a　mission　in　the　navy；　where　he　flew　A…6　bombers　in　Vietnam　and　accumulated　over　two　thousand　hours　in　the　air。　He　is　the　author　of　Flight　of　the　Intruder　and　Final　Flight；　both　major　best　sellers。　He　now　lives　in　Boulder；　Colorado。
　



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