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WHENhefoundapipebombwiredunderhisVolvoSimonleftPhiladelphia.Hedbeenworkingontransforminganoldarmoryinarundownareaintoaschoolandhadjustorderedthecontractortoripoutandreplacesixthousandsquarefeetofexpensivecase?mentwindows.Probablythemansprofitonthejob,hefigured.Ontheotherhand,thebombmighthavecomefromanyoneofahalf-dozensmallsupplierswhowerenotallowedtobidtheprojectbecausetheycouldntmakeaperformancebond.Or,hetoldhimself,itcouldhavebeentheghostofLouisKahn,madwithjealousy.TheVolvohadbeenleakingoilandhedgottenintothehabitofbendingdowntocheckthepavementforoiltracesafterhedbeenparkedforanylengthoftime.
Thebombwastiedneatlytothetailpipe.Thebombsquadcame,bigburlymeninapronslikegoalieswearwiththedifferencethattheseweremadeofKevlar.Theyhadabarrel-shapedtruckdrapedinwiremesh."Anextremelywell-donebomb,"asergeanttoldhim,afterthedevicewassafelyinthetruck.Simonhadturnedthejobovertooneofhispartnersandgivenhimselfasabbatical,hisfirstinfourteenyears.Inreality,itwasntthebombbuttheprospectoflisteningtohiswifesvoiceforanotherhour,anotherminute.
WhenshewasachildSarahwouldoccasionallysticka9DbatteryinSimonsearandhewouldthenmakeasoundlikeafireengine,or,alternately,agarbagetruck.WhenthewomenwerelivingwithhimSimonandoneoranotherofthemwouldsometimesgotogethertotheA&P,attheappropriatehour,justtowatchthefire?menbuysupperforthefirehouse.Thedouble-jointedenginewasdouble-parkedoutsidethestorewithafiremaninthecab,waiting,andinsidefourorfivetallhealthyyoungmenindarkblueFDNYt-shirtswouldbearguingaboutwhattoputinthespaghettisauce."Imuptoherewithmushrooms,"Shortywouldsay,fiercely,andanotherguywouldlobbyforhotItaliansausage.Thefiremenweregood-looking,Simonno?ticed,appearedstrongandtrustworthyandverydecent.Hewonderedaboutthefireman-population,whereallthisdecencyandgoodnesscamefrom.ThefiremengazedatVeronicaorDoreandthenlookedaway,abashed.LaterVeronica,orDore,wouldsay,"Dontbejealous,Simon."Then,afterapause,"Werenotharpies."Didshemeanthatthefiremenweretooyoungorratherinsomesensesacrosanct?HehadgivenSarahafireengineshecouldsitinwhenshewasfourandshehadputoutmanyexcitingfireswithit.
Bridgesshouldnotbe
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