scoonts.theminotaur-第4部分

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　〃Right；〃　Jake　said；　eyeing　the　youngster　at　the　table。
　〃Let's　see。　You　have　a　knife；　and　the　man　at　the　store…Mr。　Swoze；　right？…remended　you　buy　these　pins　to　hold　the　parts　in　place　while　you　glue　them。　This　is　a　good　glue；　cyanoacrylate。　You're　all　set；　except　for　a　board　to　spread　the　diagram　on　and　pin　the　parts　to；　and　a　drill。〃
　〃What　kind　of　board？〃
　〃Oh；　I'll　loan　you　one。　I've　built　three　airplanes　on　mine。　You　spread　the　diagram　on　it　and　position　the　parts　over　the　diagram；　then　pin　them　right　to　the　board。　And　I'll　loan　you　my　drill　if　you　don't　have　one。〃　Jake　nodded。　The　youngster　continued；　his　fingers　still　moving　restlessly　through　the　parts；　〃The　most　important　aspect　of　assembling　this　aircraft　is　getting　the　same　dihedral　and　washout　on　the　right　and　left　wing　ponents；　both　inner　and　outer　panels。　Be　very　careful　and　work　slowly。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　〃I'll　run　home　and　get　my　board　and　drill。　You　won't　need　the　drill　for　several　days；　but　I　might　as　well　bring　it　over。〃　He　bolted　out　the　door；　leaving　Jake　to　refill　his　coffee　cup　and　stare　at　the　actual…size　diagram。
　The　house　was　quiet；　with　only　the　background　murmur　of　the　surf　on　the　beach　and　the　occasional　burble　of　a　passing　car　to　break　the　solitude。　The　task　assumed　a　life　of　its　own；　breaking　the　pieces　out　of　the　balsa　boards；　assembling　them　on　the　diagram；　occasionally　sanding　or　trimming　with　the　razor…sharp　nobby　knife　before　pinning　them　into　place。　As　he　worked　he　occasionally　glanced　at　the　picture　on　the　box；　visualizing　how　the　airplane　would　look　soaring　back　and　forth　above　the　sand；　trying　to　imagine　how　it　would　feel　to　fly　it。　This　would　be　real　flying；　he　knew。　Even　though　his　feet　would　not　leave　the　ground；　the　plane　would　be　flying　free；　and　since　he　would　be　flying　it；　so　would　he。　He　carefully　glued　the　rudder　and　vertical　stabilizer　parts　together　and　began　assembling　the　horizontal　stabilizer。
　The　knock　on　the　door　startled　him。　He　had　been　so　intent　on　his　task　he　had　paid　no　attention　to　the　sound　of　the　car　driving　up。　〃Yeah。　e　on　in。〃
　He　heard　the　door　open。　〃Captain　Grafton。〃
　〃Yep。〃　Jake　looked　up。
　The　man　standing　there　was　in　his　late　twenties；　slightly　above　medium　height；　with　short　brown　hair。　〃Toad　Tarkington！　e　on　in！　What　a　surprise！〃
　The　man's　face　split　in　a　wide　grin　and　he　crossed　the　room　and　pumped　Jake's　hand。　〃It's　great　to　see　you　again；　CAG。　I　thought　for　a　while　there　you　were　dead。〃
　Grafton　nodded　and　studied　Lieutenant　Toad　Tarkington；　today　clad　in　jeans　and　rugby　shirt　and　windbreaker。　He　looked。。。　just　the　same　as　he　did　the　morning　they　went　after　Colonel　Qazi　in　an　F…14　five　months　ago。　Last　September。　And　here　he　was　with　that　grin。。。　quick；　energetic；　nervous。　He　was　ready　to　laugh　or　fly；　ready　for　a　prank　in　the　ready　room　or　a　night　cat　shot；　fully　alive。　That's　what　Toad　Tarkington　projected…vibrant；　energetic；　enthusiastic　life。
　〃I'm　not　a　CAG　now；　Toad。　I'm　just　a　plain　ol'　sick…leave　captain。〃　CAG　was　the　title　bestowed　on　an　air　wing　mander；　and　was　pronounced　to　rhyme　with　〃rag。〃
　Toad　grabbed　his　hand　and　held　it；　that　grin　splitting　his　face。　〃Have　we　got　a　lot　to　talk　about！　I　tried　to　call　you；　sir；　but　your　phone　wasn't　listed。〃
　〃Yeah。　Had　to　have　the　number　changed。　The　reporters　were　driving　me　nuts。〃
　Toad　pulled　one　of　the　kitchen　chairs　around　and　sat　down。　〃I　was　pretty　damn　happy　last　fall　when　I　heard　you　were　alive。　What　happened　to　you　anyway；　after　we　rammed　that　transport？〃
　〃Some　Greek　fishermen　pulled　me　out　of　the　water。　I　don't　remember　a　thing。　Had　a　concussion。　Lucky　for　me　the　life　vests　inflate　automatically　nowadays。　Anyway；　they　pulled　me　out　and　I　made　it。〃
　〃How　e　they　didn't　radio　someone　or　head　for　port？〃
　〃Their　radio　was　broken　and　they　were　there　to　fish；〃　Jake　looked　away　from　Toad。　He　was　back　among　the　ordinary；　everyday　things；　for　a　moment　there。。。　but　he　was　here；　at　the　beach　house。　〃They　thought　I　was　gonna　die　on　them　any　minute　and　they　needed　the　fish。　I　was　in　a　a。〃　His　shoulders　moved　up　and　down。　〃Too　damned　many　Gs。　Messed　up　my　eyes。　That's　why　I　wear　these　glasses　now。〃
　Jake　removed　the　glasses　and　examined　the　lenses；　as　if　seeing　them　for　the　first　time。　〃It's　20/100　now。　It　was　20/500。　The　Gs　almost　ripped　my　eyeballs　out。〃　He　placed　the　glasses　back　on　the　bridge　of　his　nose　and　stared　at　the　pieces　of　balsa　on　the　kitchen　table。　〃I　don't　remember　much　about　it。　The　docs　say　some　blood　vessels　popped　in　the　front　part　of　my　brain　and　I　had　some　memory　loss。〃
　〃By　God；　sir；　I　sure　as　hell　can　fill　you　in。〃　Toad　leaned　forward　and　seized　his　arm。　Jake　refocused　on　that　excited；　expressive　face；　〃The　Gs　were　something　else　and　I　couldn't　get　to　the　ejection　handles；　and　I　guess　you　couldn't　either。　Man；　our　bacon　was　well　and　truly　fried　when　she　broke　up　and　spit　us　out。　The　left　wing　was　gone　and　I　figure　most　of　the　left　vertical　stab；　because　we　were　getting　pushed　around　screwy。　I…〃　He　continued　his　tale；　his　hands　automatically　moving　to　show　the　plane's　position　in　space。　Jake　stopped　listening　to　the　voice　and　watched　the　hands；　those　practiced；　expressive　hands。
　Tarkington…he　was　the　past　turned　into　a　living；　breathing　person。　He　was　every　youngster　Jake　had　shared　a　ready　room　with　for　the　past　twenty　years；　all　those　guys　now　middle…aged。。。　or　dead。
　Toad　was　still　talking　when　Jake　turned　back　to　the　pile　of　balsa　on　the　table。　When　he　eventually　paused　for　air；　Jake　said　mildly。
　〃So　what　we　you　up　to　these　days？〃　as　he　used　the　X…acto　knife　to　trim　a　protruding　sliver　from　a　balsa　rib　piece。
　〃My　squadron　tour　was　up；〃　Toad　said　slowly。　〃And　when　you　get　a　Silver　Star　you　can　pretty　well　call　your　next　set　of　orders。　So　I　talked　it　over　with　the　detailer。〃　He　looked　around　the　room；　then　swiveled　back　to　Jake。　〃And　I　told　him　I　wanted　to　go　where　you　were　going。〃
　Jake　laid　the　knife　down　and　scooted　his　chair　back。　〃I'm　still　on　convalescent　leave。〃
　〃Yessir。　I　heard。　And　I　hear　you're　going　to　the　Pentagon　as　a　division　director　or　something。　So　I'm　reporting　there　this　ing　Monday。　I'll　be　working　for　you。〃
　Jake　smiled　again。　〃I　seem　to　recall　you　had　had　enough　of　this　warrior　shit。〃
　〃Yeah。　Well；　what　the　hell！　I　decided　to　stay　around　for　another　set　of　orders。　I　can　always　pull　the　plug。　And　I've　got　nothing　better　to　do　right　now　anyway。〃
　Jake　snorted　and　nibbed　his　fingertips　together。　The　glue　had　coated　his　fingertips　and　wouldn't　e　off。　〃I　don't　either。　So　we'll　go　shuffle　paper　for　a　while；　eh？〃
　〃Yessir；〃　Toad　said；　and　stood。　〃Maybe　we　won't　get　underway；　but　we'll　still　be　in　the　navy。　That's　something；　isn't　it？〃　He　stuck　out　his　hand　again；　like　a　cowboy　drawing　a　pistol。　〃I'll　be　seeing　you　in　the　office；　when　you　get　there；〃　he　said　as　Jake　pumped　the　outstretched　hand。　〃Say　hello　to　Mrs。　Grafton　for　me。〃
　Jake　acpanied　Toad　to　the　door；　then　out　onto　the　porch。　There　was　a　young　woman　in　the　car；　and　she　looked　at　him　curiously。　He　nodded　at　her；　then　put　a　hand　on　Toad's　shoulder　and　squared　around　to　face　him。　〃Take　care　of　yourself；　y'hear？〃
　〃Sure；　CAG。　Sure。〃
　〃Thanks　for　ing　by。〃
　As　Toad　drove　away　Jake　waved；　then　went　back　into　the　house。　The　place　was　depressing。　It　was　as　if　Tarkington　brought　all　the　life　and　energy　with　him；　then　took　it　away　when　he　left。　But　he　was　of　Jake's　past。　Everything　was　past。　The　flying；　the　ready　rooms；　the　sun　on　the　sea　as　you　manned　up　to　fly；　all　of　it　was　over；　gone；　finished。
　It　was　after　four　o'clock。　He　had　forgotten　to　eat　lunch。　Oh　well；　Callie　wasn't　going　to　get　here　until　nine　o'clock　or　so。　The　Chesapeake　Bay　Bridge　shouldn't　be　crowded　on　Friday　evenings　this　time　of　year。　He　could　get　some　more　of　this　plane　assembled；　then　fix　a　sandwich　or　something。　Maybe　run　over　to　Burger　King。
　He　scratched　at　the　glue　caked　on　his　fingertips。　The　stuff　came　off　in　flakes　if　you　peeled　it　right。　This　plane…it　was　going　to　be　a　nice　one。　It　was　going　to　be　good　to　fly　it。　When　flying　was　all　you　knew　and　all　you　had　been；　you　needed　a　plane　around。
　Oh；　shit！　As　he　looked　at　the　pieces　he　felt　like　a　fool。　A　fucking　toy　plane！　He　threw　himself　on　the　couch　and　lay　there　staring　at　the　ceiling。
　Toad　Tarkington　was　silent　as　he　drove　from　stoplight　to　stoplight　on　the　main　highway　through　Rehoboth　Beach。　The　woman　beside　him　finally　asked；　〃So　how　is　he？〃
　〃He's　changed；〃　Toad　said。　〃The　official　report　said　he　was　in　a　a　for　two　weeks。　It　was　a　week　before　that　Greek　fishing　boat　even　made　port。　It's　a　miracle　he　didn't　die　on　the　boat。　He　said　the　fishermen　expected　him　to　and　kept　fishing。〃
　〃I　would　have　liked　to　meet　him。〃
　〃Well；　I　was　going　to　mention　you　were　in　the　car；　but　he　was　bogy　working　on　a　model　airplane　and　he　was。。。　Anyway；　you　can　always　meet　him　later。〃
　The　woman　reached　for　the　knob　to　turn　the　stereo　on；　then　thought　better　of　it。　〃This　new　assignment…asking　for　it　just　because　you　like　him。。。〃
　〃It's　not　that　I　like　him；〃　Toad　said。　〃I　respect　him。　He's。。。　different。　There　aren't　many　men　like　him　left　in　this　day　and　age。　If　Congress　hadn't　jumped　into　that　incident　with　both　feet　and　voted　him　the　Medal　of　Honor；　he　would　probably　have　been　fo