Зима тревоги нашей
Chapter 6
"Howdoyoumean,Mike?"
"Takeit’ssomethingkindoflong—youstartatthebeginningandremembereverythingyoucan,righttotheend.Everytimeitcomesbackyoudothat,fromthefirstrightthroughthefinish.Prettysoonit’llgettiredandpiecesofitwillgo,andbeforelongthewholethingwillgo."
Itrieditanditworked.Idon’tknowwhethertheheadshrinkersknowthisbuttheyshould.
WhenDannyTaylorcameintomynightIgavehimSergeantMike’streatment.
Whenwewerekidstogether,sameage,samesize,sameweight,weusedtogotothegrainandfeedstoreonHighStreetandgetonthescales.OneweekI’dbehalfapoundheavierandthenextDannywouldcatchupwithme.Weusedtofishandhuntandswimtogetherandgooutwiththesamegirls.Danny’sfamilywaswellfixedlikemostoftheoldfamiliesofNewBaytown.TheTaylorhouseisthatwhiteonewiththetallflutedcolumnsonPorlockStreet.OncetheTaylorshadacountryhousetoo—aboutthreemilesfromtown.
Thecountryallaroundusisrollinghillscoveredwithtrees,somescrubpineandsomewithsecond-growthoak,andhickoryandsomecedars.Once,longbeforeIwasborn,theoaksweremonsters,sobigthatthelocal-builtshipshadcuttheirkeelsandribsandplankingwithinashortdistanceoftheshipyardsuntilitwasallgone.Inthisroly-polycountrytheTaylorsoncehadahousesetinthemiddleofabigmeadow,theonlylevelplaceformilesaround.Itmustoncehavebeenalakebottombecauseitwasflatasatableandsurroundedbylowhills.
