Lightning
Lightning (第1/3页)
EdwardConnors,onassignmentforFolks,setouttointerviewninepeoplewhohadbeenstruckbylightning."Nine?"hesaidtohiseditor,Penfield."Nine,ten,"saidPenfield,"doesntmatter,butithastobemorethaneight.""Why?"askedConnors,andPenfieldsaidthatthelayoutwasscheduledforfivepagesandtheywantedatleasttwopeoplewhohadbeenstruckbylightningperpageplussomebodyprettysensationalfortheopeningpage."Slightlywonderful,"saidPenfield,"nicebody,Idonthavetotellyou,somebodywithaspecialface.Also,struckbylightning."
ConnorsadvertisedintheVillageVoiceforpeoplewhohadbeenstruckbylightningandwouldbewillingtotalkforpublicationabouttheexperienceandinnotimeatallwasgettingphonecalls.Anumberofthecallers,itappeared,hadgreat-grandfathersorgrandmotherswhohadalsobeenstruckbylightning,usuallyknockedfromthefrontseatofabuck-boardonacountryroadin1910.Connorstookdownnamesandaddressesandmadeappointmentsforinterviews,tryingtodiscernfromthevoicesifanyofthewomencallersmightbe,inthemagazinesterms,wonderful.
Connorshadbeenareporterfortenyearsandafreelancerforfive,withsixyearsinbetweenasaPRmanforTopsyOilinMidland-Odessa.Asareporterhehadbeenexcited,solid,underpaid,inlovewithhiswork,aspecialistinbusinessnews,ascholaroftheregulatoryagenciesandtheireternalgavottewiththeSevenSisters,amanwhoknewwhatshouldbedonewithnaturalgas,withnuclearpower,whoknewcrownblocksandmonkeyboardsandAustinchalk,whokepthisownpersonalhardhat("Welltech")ontopofafilingcabinhisoffice.Whenhiswifepointedout,eventually,thathewasntmakingenoughmoney(absolutelytrue!)hehadgonewithTopsy,whosePRchiefhadbeendroppinghandkerchiefsinhisvicinityforseveralyears.SigningonwithTopsy,hehadtripledhissalary,boughtfourmoderatelyexpensivesuits,enjoyed(briefly)theesteemofhiswife,andspenthistimewritingeitherincrediblydrearyreleasesaboutcorporatedoingsorspeechesinpraiseoffreeenterpriseforthecompanysC.E.O.,E.H.("Bug")Ludwig,around,amiable,commandingmanofwhomhewasveryfond.WhenConnorswifelefthimforaracquetballproattachedtotheBigSpringCountryClubhedecidedhecouldaffordtobepooragainanddepartedTopsy,rentingadismalrearapartmentonLafayetteStreetinNewYorkandpatchinganincometogetherbywritingforawidevarietyofpublications,classicalrecordreviewsforHighFidelity,TimesTravelpieces("PortugalsFabulousBeaches"),exposesforPenthouse("InsidetheTrilateralCommission").Toeachassignmenthebroughtagoodbrain,agoodeye,atenaciousthoroughness,gusto.Hewasforty-five,makingathinliving,curiousaboutpeoplewhohadbeenstruckbylightning.
Thefirstmanheinterviewedwasathirty-eight-year-oldtilesetternamedBurchwhohadbeenstruckbylightninginFebruary1978andhadimmediatelybecomeaJehovahsWitness."Itwasthebestthingthateverhappenedtome,"saidBurch,"inaway."Hewasacalm,ratherhandsomemanwithpaleblondhaircutshort,militarystyle,andanelegantlyspare(deepgraysandbrowns)apartmentintheWestTwentieswhichlooked,toConnors,asifadecoratorhadbeeninvolved."IwascomingbackfromajobinNewRochelle,"saidBurch,"andIhadaflat.ItwascloudingupprettygoodandIwantedtogetthetirechangedbeforetherainstarted.IhadthetireoffandwasjustabouttoputthespareonwhentherewasthisjustterrificcrashandIwasflatonmybackinthemiddleoftheroad.Knockedthetiretoolboutahundredfeet,Ifounditlaterinafield.GuyinaVWvanpulleduprightinfrontofme,jumpedoutandtoldmeIdbeenstruck.Icouldnthearwhathewassaying,Iwasdeafened,buthemadesigns.Tookmetoahospitalandtheycheckedmeover,theywereamazed——noburns,nothing,justthedeafness,whichlastedaboutforty-eighthours.IfiguredIowedtheLordsomething,andIbecameaWitness.Andletmetellyoumylifesincethatdayhasbeen——"Hepaused,searchingfortherightword."Serene.Trulyserene."Burchhadhadagreat-grandfatherwhohadalsobeenstruckbylightning,knockedfromthefrontseatofabuck-boardonacountryroadinPennsylvaniain1910,butnoconversionhadresultedinthatcase,asfarasheknew.ConnorsarrangedtohaveaFolksphotographershootBurchonthefollowingWednesdayand,muchimpressed——rarelyhadheencounteredserenityonthisscale——lefttheapartmentwithhispocketsfullofWitnessliterature.
ConnorsnexttalkedtoawomannamedMacGregorwhohadbeenstruckbylightningwhilesittingonabenchontheColdSpring,NewYork,railroadplatformandhadsufferedthird-degreeburnsonherarmsandlegs——shehadbeenwearingarubberizedraincoatwhichhad,shefelt,protectedhersomewhat,butmaybenot,shecouldntbesure.Herexperience,whilelackingareligiousdimensionperse,hadmadeherthinkveryhardaboutherlife,shesaid,andtherehadbeensomeimportantchanges(Lightningchangesthings,Connorswroteinhisnotebook).Shehadmarriedthemanshehadbeenseeingfortwoyearsbuthadbeenslightlydubiousabout,andonthewhole,thishadbeentherightthingtodo.SheandMartyhadahouseinGarrison,NewYork,whereMartywasinrealestate,andshedquitherjobwithEstéeLauderbecausethecommute,whichshedbeenmakingsince1975,wasjusttootiring.Connorsmadeadateforthephotographer.Mrs.MacGregorwaspleasantandattractive(fawn-coloredsuit,blackclockedstockings)but,Connorsthought,toooldtostartthelayoutwith.
Thenextdayhegotacallfromsomeonewhosoundedyoung.HernamewasEdwinaRawson,shesaid,andshehadbeenstruckbylightningonNewYearsDay1980whilewalkinginthewoodswithherhusband,Marty.(TwoMartysinthesamepiece?thoughtConnors,scowling.)Curiouslyenough,shesaid,hergreat-grandmotherhadalsobeenstruckbylightning,knockedfromthefrontseatofabuggyonacountryroadoutsideIowaCityin1911."ButIdontwanttobeinthemagazine,"shesaid."Imean,withallthoserockstarsand
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