jg.skippingchristmas-第13节

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skunk　during　cocktails。〃
　〃I've　never　seen　him　sober　during　cocktails。〃
　〃He　made　the　same　speech…great　effort；　billings　up；　we'll　knock　'em　dead　next　year；　Wiley　&　Beck　is　Family；　thanks　to　all。　That　sort　of　stuff。　I'm　glad　we　missed　it。〃
　〃Anybody　else　skip　it？〃
　〃Slader　said　Maupin　from　auditing　was　a　no…show。〃
　〃I　wonder　what　Jayne　wore？〃
　〃I'll　ask　Slader。　I'm　sure　he　took　notes。〃
　Their　salads　arrived　and　they　gawked　at　the　baby　spinach　like　famine　refugees。　But　they　slowly　and　properly　applied　the　dressing；　a　little　salt　and　pepper；　then　began　eating　as　if　they　were　pletely　disinterested　in　food。
　The　Island　Princess　served　nonstop　food。　Luther　planned　to　eat　until　he　popped。
　At　a　table　not　far　away；　a　pretty　young　lady　with　dark　hair　was　eating　with　her　date。　Nora　saw　her　and　laid　down　her　fork。
　〃Do　you　think　she's　okay；　Luther？〃　Luther　glanced　around　the　room　and　said；　〃Who？〃
　〃Blair。〃
　He　finished　chewing　and　pondered　the　question　that　she　now　asked　only　three　times　a　day。　〃She's　fine；　Nora。　She's　having　a　great　time。〃
　〃Is　she　safe？〃　Another　standard　question；　posed　as　if　Luther　should　know　for　certain　whether　their　daughter　was　safe　or　not　at　that　precise　moment。　
　〃The　Peace　Corps　hasn't　lost　a　volunteer　in　thirty　years。　Yes；　trust　me；　they're　very　careful；　Nora。　Now　eat。〃
　She　pushed　her　greens　around；　took　a　bite；　lost　interest。　Luther　wiped　his　plate　clean　and　honed　in　on　hers。　〃You　gonna　eat　that？〃　he　asked。
　She　swapped　plates；　and　in　a　flash　Luther　had　cleaned　the　second　one。　The　pasta　arrived　and　she　guarded　her　bowl。　After　a　few　measured　bites；　she　stopped　suddenly；　her　fork　halfway　to　her　face。　Then　she　laid　it　down　again　and　said；　〃I　forgot。〃
　Luther　was　chewing　with　a　vengeance。　〃What　is　it？〃　Her　face　was　stricken　with　terror。
　〃What　is　it；　Nora？〃　he　repeated；　swallowing　hard。
　〃Don't　those　judges　e　around　after　the　parade？〃
　Then　it　hit　Luther　too。　He　retired　his　fork　for　a　moment；　sipped　water；　gazed　painfully　at　nothing　in　the　distance。　Yes；　indeed；　it　was　true。
　After　the　parade；　a　mittee　from　Parks　and　Rec　toured　the　neighborhoods　on　a　float　pulled　by　a　John　Deere　tractor　and　examined　the　level　of　Christmas　spirit。　They　gave　individual　awards　in　various　categories…Original　Design；　Festive　Lighting；　etc。　And　they　handed　out　an　award　to　the　street　with　the　best　decorations。　Hemlock　had　won　the　blue　ribbon　twice。
　The　year　before；　Hemlock　had　placed　second；　primarily　because；　according　to　the　gossip　on　the　street；　two　of　the　forty…two　homes　had　not　put　up　a　Frosty。　Boxwood　Lane　three　blocks　north　had　e　from　nowhere　with　a　dazzling　row　of　candy　canes…Candy　Cane　Lane　it　described　itself…and　took　away　Hemlock's　award。　Frohmeyer　circulated　memos　for　a　month。
　Dinner；　now　ruined；　came　to　a　standstill　as　they　picked　through　their　pasta　and　killed　as　much　time　as　possible。　Two　long　cups　of　decaf。　When　Angelo's　was　empty；　Luther　paid　the　bill　and　they　drove　home；　slowly。
　
　Sure　enough；　Hemlock　lost　again。　Luther　fetched　the　Gazette　in　the　semidarkness；　and　was　horrified　with　the　front　page　of　Metro。　The　award　winners　were　listed…Cherry　Avenue　first；　Boxwood　Lane　second；　Stanton　third。　Trogdon　across　the　street　with　more　than　fourteen　thousand　lights　finished　fourth　in　Festive　Lighting。
　In　the　center　of　the　page　was　a　large　color　photo　of　the　Krank　home；　taken　at　some　distance。　Luther　studied　it　intently　and　tried　to　determine　the　angle。　The　photographer　had　shot　down　and　at　a　wide　angle；　sort　of　an　aerial　view。
　Next　door；　the　Becker　house　positively　glowed　with　a　blinding　display　of　lights。　On　the　other　side；　the　Kerrs'　house　and　lawn　were　perfectly　lined　with　alternating　reds　and　greens；　thousands　of　them　by　now。
　The　Krank　home　was　dark。
　To　the　east；　the　Frohmeyers'；　Nugents'；　and　Galdys'　could　be　seen；　all　glowing　warmly；　all　with　their　Frostys　sitting　snugly　on　the　roofs。　To　the　west；　the　Dents'；　Sloanes'；　and　Bellingtons'　all　radiated　Christmas　splendor。
　The　Krank　home　was　very　dark。
　〃Scheel；〃　Luther　grumbled　to　himself。　The　photo　was　taken　from　directly　across　the　street。　Walt　Scheel　had　allowed　the　photographer　to　climb　onto　the　roof　of　his　two…story　house　and　shoot　down　with　a　wide　lens。　Probably　had　the　whole　street　egging　him　on。
　Under　the　photo　was　a　brief　story。　Headlined　〃SKIPPING　CHRISTMAS；　it　read：
　
　The　home　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Luther　Krank　is　rather　dark　this　Christmas。　While　the　rest　of　their　neighbors　on　Hemlock　Street　are　decorating　and　busily　preparing　for　Santa；　the　Kranks　are　skipping　Christmas　and　preparing　for　a　cruise；　according　to　unnamed　sources。　No　tree；　no　lights；　and　no　Frosty　up　on　the　roof；　the　only　house　on　Hemlock　to　keep　Frosty　hidden　in　the　basement。　（Hemlock；　a　frequent　winner　in　the　Gazette's　street　decoration　contest；　finished　a　disappointing　sixth　this　year。）　〃I　hope　they're　satisfied　now；〃　plained　one　unidentified　neighbor。　〃A　rotten　display　of　selfishness；〃　said　another。
　
　If　Luther'd　had　a　machine　gun；　he　would've　bolted　outside　and　menced　spraying　houses。
　Instead　he　sat　for　a　long　time　with　a　knot　in　his　stomach　and　tried　to　convince　himself　that　this　too　would　pass。　Just　four　days　until　they　left；　and　when　they　came　back　all　those　damned　Frostys　would　be　stored　away；　the　lights　and　trees　would　be　gone。　The　bills　would　start　flooding　in；　and　perhaps　then　all　his　wonderful　neighbors　would　be　more　sympathetic。
　He　flipped　through　the　newspaper　but　his　concentration　was　shot。　Finally；　Luther　found　his　resolve；　gritted　his　teeth；　and　took　the　bad　news　to　his　wife。
　〃What　a　horrible　way　to　wake　up；〃　Nora　said　as　she　tried　to　focus　on　the　photo　in　the　newspaper。　She　rubbed　her　eyes　and　squinted。
　〃That　jerk　Scheel　allowed　the　photographer　to　get　on　his　roof；〃　Luther　said。
　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃Of　course　I'm　sure。　Look　at　the　picture。〃
　She　was　trying。　Then　she　found　her　focus　and　read　the　story。　She　gasped　at　〃。　。　。　rotten　display　of　selfishness。〃
　〃Who　said　that？〃　she　demanded。
　〃Either　Scheel　or　Frohmeyer。　Who　knows。　I'm　in　the　shower。〃
　〃How　dare　they！〃　Nora　said；　still　gawking　at　the　photo。
　Atta　girl；　thought　Luther。　Get　mad。　Stiffen　your　back。　Just　four　days　to　go…we're　not　collapsing　now。
　
　That　night；　after　dinner　and　an　effort　at　television；　Luther　decided　to　take　a　walk。　He　bundled　up　and　wrapped　a　wool　scarf　around　his　neck；　it　was　below　freezing　outside　with　a　chance　of　snow。　He　and　Nora　had　bought　one　of　the　first　homes　on　Hemlock；　damned　if　he'd　be　forced　to　hide　inside。　This　was　his　street；　his　neighborhood；　his　friends。　One　day　soon　this　little　episode　would　be　forgotten。　
　Luther　ambled　along；　hands　stuck　deep　in　his　pockets；　cold　air　invigorating　his　lungs。
　He　made　it　to　the　far　end；　to　the　intersection　of　Moss　Point；　before　Spike　Frohmeyer　picked　up　his　trail　and　caught　him　on　a　skateboard。　〃Hi；　Mr。　Krank；〃　he　said　as　he　rolled　to　a　stop。
　〃Well　hello；　Spike。〃
　〃What　brings　you　out？〃
　〃Just　taking　a　little　walk。〃
　〃Enjoying　the　Christmas　decorations？〃
　〃Of　course。　What　brings　you　out？〃
　〃Just　watching　the　street；〃　Spike　said；　then　looked　around　as　if　an　invasion　were　imminent。
　〃What's　Santa　gonna　bring　you？〃
　Spike　smiled　and　pondered　for　a　second。　〃Not　sure；　but　probably　a　Gameboy　and　a　hockey　stick　and　a　set　of　drums。〃
　〃Quite　a　haul。〃
　〃Course　I　don't　really　believe　anymore；　you　know。　But　Mike's　just　five　so　we　still　pretend。〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Gotta　go。　Merry　Christmas。〃　
　〃Merry　Christmas　to　you；　Spike；〃　Luther　said；　uttering　the　forbidden　greeting　for　what　he　hoped　was　the　first　and　last　time　of　the　season。　Spike　disappeared　down　Hemlock；　no　doubt　racing　home　to　report　to　his　father　that　Mr。　Krank　was　out　of　his　house　and　loose　on　the　sidewalk。
　Luther　stopped　in　front　of　the　Trogdons'　spectacle…more　than　fourteen　thousand　lights　draped　over　trees　and　shrubs　and　windows　and　porch　columns。　Up　on　the　roof　with　Frosty　was　Santa　and　his　reindeer…Rudolph　of　course　with　a　bright；　flashing　nose…all　perfectly　outlined　with　white　lights。　The　roof　itself　was　lined　with　two　rows　of　red　and　green；　blinking　alternatively。　The　chimney　was　flashing　too…hundreds　of　blue　lights　pulsating　at　once　and　casting　an　eerie　glow　over　old　Frosty。　Along　the　holly　bushes　next　to　the　house　a　squad　of　tin　soldiers　stood　guard；　each　as　tall　as　a　human　and　wrapped　with　multicolored　lights。　In　the　center　of　the　lawn　was　a　handsome　Nativity　scene；　plete　with　real　hay　bales　and　a　goat　whose　tail　went　up　and　down。
　Quite　a　show。
　Luther　heard　something；　a　ladder　falling　in　the　garage　next　to　the　Trogdons'。　The　garage　door　was　up　and　through　the　shadows　he　saw　Walt　Scheel　wrestling　with　yet　another　strand　of　lights。　He　walked　over　and　caught　Walt　off　guard。　〃Evening；　Walt；〃　he　said　pleasantly。
　〃Well；　if　it　isn't　ole　Scrooge　himself；〃　Walt　said　with　a　forced　smile。　They　shook　hands　and　each　tried　to　think　of　something　cutting　and　witty。　Luther　took　a　step　back；　looked　up；　and　said；　〃How'd　that　photographer　get　up　there？〃
　〃Which　photographer？〃
　〃The　one　from　the　Gazette。〃
　〃Oh；　that　one。〃
　〃Yes；　that　one。〃
　〃He　climbed　up。〃　
　〃No　kidding。　Why'd　you　let　him？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Said　he　wanted　to　get　the　whole　street。〃
　Luther　snorted　and　waved　it　o