Мгла
After the Storm. Norton. A Trip to Town.
Sheslammedthephonebackdownonitscradle,turnedtowardthedrugstoreandsawmethere.
"Saveyourdime,"shesaid."Justdah-dah-dah."Shewalkedgrumpilyaway.
Ialmostslappedmyforehead.Thephonelinesweredownsomeplace,ofcourse.Someofthemwereunderground,butnowherenearallofthem.Itriedthephoneanyway.ThepayphonesintheareaarewhatSteffcallsParanoidPayPhones.Insteadofputtingyourdimerightin,yougetadialtoneandmakeyourcall.Whensomeoneanswers,there’sanautomaticcutoffandyouhavetoshoveyourdimeinbeforeyourpartyhangsup.They’reirritating,butthatdayitdidsavememydime.Therewasnodialtone.Astheladyhadsaid,itwasjustdah-dah-dah.
Ihungupandwalkedslowlytowardthemarket,justintimetoseeanamusinglittleincident.AnelderlycouplewalkedtowardtheINdoor,chattingtogether.Andstillchatting,theywalkedrightintoit.Theystoppedtalkinginajangleandthewomansquawkedhersurprise.Theystaredateachothercomically.Thentheylaughed,andtheoldguypushedthedooropenforhiswifewithsomeeffort-thoseelectric-eyedoorsareheavy-andtheywentin.Whentheelectricitygoesoff,itcatchesyouinahundreddifferentways.
Ipushedthedooropenmyselfandnoticedthelackofairconditioningfirstthing.Usuallyinthesummertheyhaveitcrankeduphighenoughtogiveyoufrostbiteifyoustayinthemarketmorethananhouratastretch.
