Lightning
Lightning (第2/3页)
moviestars.OliviaNewton-JohnImnot.Ifyouwerewritingabookorsomething——"
Connorswasfascinated.HehadnevercomeacrossanyonewhodidnotwanttoappearinFolksbefore.Hewasalsoslightlyirritated.Hehadseenperfectlydecentcolleaguesturnamazinglyuglywhenrefusedarequestforaninterview."Well,"hesaid,"couldweatleasttalk?IpromiseIwonttakeupmuchofyourtime,and,youknow,thisisaprettyimportantexperience,beingstruckbylightning——notmanypeoplehavehadit.Alsoyoumightbeinterestedinhowtheothersfelt""Okay,"shesaid,"butofftherecordunlessIdecideotherwise.""Done,"saidConnors.MyGod,shethinksshestheStateDepartment.
Edwinawasnotonlyslightlywonderfulbutalsomildlysuperb,worthadouble-pagespreadinanybodysbook,Vogue,Life,Elle,Ms.,Town&Country,younameit.OhLord,thoughtConnors,therearewaysandwaystobestruckbylightning.Shewaswearingjeansandaparkaandshewasbeautifully,beautifullyblack——aconsiderableplus,Connorsnotedautomatically,themagazineconscientiouslytriedtoavoidlily-whitestories.ShewascarryingacopyofVariety(notanactress,hethought,pleasenotanactress)andwasnotanactressbutdoingapaperonVarietyforaclassinmediastudiesatNYU."God,IloveVariety,"shesaid."Thestatelymarchofthegrossesthroughthemiddlepages."Connorsdecidedthat"Shallwegetmarried?"wasaninappropriatesecondremarktomaketoonenewlymet,butitwasaverytoughdecision.
TheywereinabarcalledBradleysonUniversityPlaceintheVillage,abarConnorssometimesusedforinterviewsbecauseofitswarmth,geniality.EdwinawasdrinkingaBecksandConnors,struckbylightning,hadafeeblepawwrappedaroundavodka-tonic.Relax,hetoldhimself,goslow,wehavehalftheafternoon.Therewasakid,shesaid,two-year-oldboy,Martys,MartyhadsplitforCaliforniaandajobasasystemsanalystwithWarnerCommunications,goodriddancetobadrubbish.Connorshadnoideawhatasystemsanalystdid:gowiththeflow?ThetroublewithMarty,shesaid,wasthathewasimmature,asystemsanalyst,andwhite.Sheconcededthatwhenthelightninghithehadgivenhermouth-to-mouthresuscitation,perhapssavedherlife;hehadtakenacourseinCPRattheNewSchool,whichwasentirelyconsistentwithhiscautious,be-prepared,white-folksattitudetowardlife.Shehadnothingagainstwhitefolks,Edwinasaidwithawarmsmile,orrabbits,asblackfolkssometimestermedthem,butyouhadtoadmitthat,quafolks,theysucked.LookattheTrilateralCommission,shesaid,aperfectexample.ConnorsweighedinwithsomeknowledgeablewordsabouttheCommission,detritusfromhisPenthousepiece,managingtoholdherinterestthroughasecondBecks.
"Diditchangeyourlife,beingstruck?"askedConnors.Shefrowned,considered."Yesandno,"shesaid."GotridofMarty,thatwasanup.WhyImarriedhimIllneverknow.WhyhemarriedmeIllneverknow.Aminuteofbravery,nevertoberepeated."Connorssawthatshewasmuchawareofherownbeauty,herhauteuraboutappearinginthemagazinewasappropriate——whoneededit?Peoplewoulddigslantwellsforthiswoman,gooutintoaproducingfieldwithatanktruckinthedeadofnightandtakeofftwothousandgallonsofsomebodyelsescrude,writefancifulchecks,establishPyramidClubswithtonymarble-and-goldheadquartersonZurichsBahnhofstrasse.Whatdidhehavetooffer?
"Canyoutellmealittlebitmoreabouthowyoufeltwhenitactuallyhityou?"heasked,tryingtokeephismindonbusiness."Yes,"Edwinasaid."Weweretakingawalk——wewereathismothersplaceinConnecticut,nearMadison——andMartywastalkingaboutwhetherornotheshouldtakeaSmokeEnderscourseattheY,hesmokedKents,milesandmilesofKents.Iwassaying,yes,yes,doit!andwhammo!thelightning.WhenIcameto,IfeltlikeIwasburninginside,insidemychest,drankseventeenglassesofwater,chug-a-luggedthem,thoughtIwasgoingtobust.Also,myeyebrowsweregone.IlookedatmyselfinthemirrorandIhadzipeyebrows.Lookedreallyfunny,maybeimprovedme."RegardinghercloselyConnorssawthathereyebrowswereinfactdarkdramaticslashesofeyebrowpencil."Everbeenamodel?"heasked,suddenlyinspired."ThatshowImakeit,"Edwinasaid,"thatshowIkeeplittleZacharyinbritches,lookintheSundayTimesMagazine,IdoAltmans,Macys,youllseemeandthreewhitechicks,usually,lingerieads"
Thesoulburns,Connorsthought,havingbeenstruckbylightning.Withoutmusic,Nietzschesaid,theworldwouldbeamistake.DoIhavethatright?Connors,nomusician(althoughascholaroffiddlemusicfromPinchasZuckermantoEddieSouth,"darkangeloftheviolin,"1904-1962),agreedwholeheartedly.LightninganattemptatmusiconthepartofGod?Doesgetyourattention,Connorsthought,attemptwrongbydefinitionbecauseGodisperfectbydefinitionLightningatonceacoupdethéatreandcareercounseling?Connorswonderedifhehadasongtosing,hatwouldsignifytotheburnedbeautifulcreaturebeforehim.
"Thearmadilloistheonlyanimalotherthanmanknowntocontractleprosy,"Connorssaid."Theslow,friendlyarmadillo.Ipicturealeperarmadillo,whiteassnow,withalittlebellarounditsneck,makingitsdraggyscamperacrossTexasfromElPasotoBigSpring.Myheartbreaks."
Edwinapeeredintohischestwherethecrackedheartbumpedaroundinitscageofbone."Man,youareonesentimentaltaxpayer."
Connorssignaledthewaiterformoredrinks."Itwasabout1880thatthesaintlyarmadillocrossedtheRioGrandeandenteredTexas,"hesaid,"seekingtocarryitsmessagetothatgreatstate.Itsmessagewas,squashmeonyourhighways.Makemynine-bandedshellintobeautifullacqueredbasketsforyourpatios,decksandmobilehomes.Watchmehayfoot-strawfootacrossyourvastsavannasenrichingsamewithmybest-qualityexcreta.InsomepartsofSouthAmericaarmadillosgrowtoalmostfivefeetinlengthandareallo
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