Hiding Man
Hiding Man (第1/3页)
Enterexpectingtofindtheplaceempty(I.A.L.Burligamewalksthroughanyopendoor).Butitisnot,thereisamansittinghalfwaydowntherightside,heavy,Negro,welldressed,darkglasses.Decideaftermomentsthoughtthatifheishostile,willfleethroughdoormarkedEXIT(nobulbbehindexitsign,nocertaintythatitleadsanywhere).Thefilmisinprogress,titleAttackofthePuppetPeople.Previouslyobservedfilmsatsametheater,CoolandtheCrazy,SheGodsofSharkReef,NightoftheBloodBeast,DiaryofaHighSchoolBride.Allsuperiorexamplesofgenre,tendingtowardsuggestedoffscreenrapes,obscortures:manwithhugepliersadvancingondisheveledbeauty,cuttogirlsface,topliers,tomansface,togirl,scream,blackout.
"Itsbetterwhentheplaceisfull,"observesNegro,liftingvoiceslightlytocarryoverPinocchionoisesfrompuppetpeople.Voicepleasant,eyesbehindglassessinister?Choiceofresponses:anger,agreement,indifference,pique,shame,scholarlydispute.KeepeyeonEXIT,whataboutboyinlobby,whatwaskitefor?"Ofcourseitsneverbeenfull."Apparentlythereisgoingtobeaconversation."Notalltheseyears.Asamatteroffact,yourethefirstocomein,ever."
"Peopledontalwaystellthetruth."
Lethimchewthat.BoyinlobbyworeT-shirt,printedthereon,LADYOFTHESORROWS.Whereglimpsedbefore?Possibleagentoftheconspiracy,inthepayoftheOrganization,duties:lying,spying,tappingwires,settingfires,civildisorders.SeatmyselfonoppositesideoftheaterfromNegroandobservefilm.Screentornfromtoptobottom,alargerent,facesandpartsofgesturesfalloffintothevoid.Hard-pressedU.S.Army,HonestJohn,HoundDog,Wowsernotwithstanding,psychologicalwarfareandnervegasnotwithstanding,fallsbackatonrushofpuppetpeople.YounglieutenantdefendsArmynurse(uniforminrags,tastythigh,lovelybreast)fromobvioussexualintentofsplintermen.
"Dontyouknowtheplaceisclosed?"callsfriendinfriendlytone."Didntyouseethesign?"
"Thepictureison.Andyourehere."
Signsafterallmeaneveryone,iftherearetobeexceptionsletthembelisted:soldiers,sailors,airmen,childrenwithkites,dogsundersuitablerestraint,distressedgentlefolk,peoplewhopromisenottopeek.Well-dressedNegroesbehinddarkglassesinclosedtheaters,theattempttoscrapeacquaintance,thehelpfulfriendwiththefriendlyword,noteofmenaceasinDragstripRiot,asinTerrorfromtheYear5000.Childsplay,amateurnight,withwhomdotheythinktheyhavetodeal?
"Thesillythingjustkeepsrunning,"allegesfriend."Thatswhatssofascinating.Continuousperformancessince1944.Justkeepsrollingalong."Tiltsheadback,laughstheatrically."Itwasntevenanygoodthen,forchrissake."
"Whydoyoukeepcomingback?"
"Idontthinkthatsaninterestingquestion."
Friendlooksbland,studiesfilm.Fireshavestartedinmanyareas,themusicisdemure.Ientrustmyselftotheseplacesadvisedly,therearerisksbutsoalsoarethererisksincrossingstreets,openingdoors,lookingstrangersintheeye.Mancannotlivewithoutplacinghimselfnakedbeforecircumstance,asinwarfare,underthesea,jetplanes,women.Flightisalwaysavailable,concealmentisalwayspossible.
"WhatImeantwas,"continuesfriend,animatednow,smilingandgesturing,"othertheaters.Whentheyrefull,yougetlostinthecrowd.Here,ifanybodycamein,theydspotyouinaminute.Butmostpeople,theybelievethesign."I.A.L.Burligamewalksthroughanyopendoor,privatehomes,publicgatherings,storeswithdetectiveswearinghats,meetingsofSonsandDaughtersofIWillArise,butshouldIboast?Keepmoving,counterpunching,examinationofmotivesrevealsappealofdarkplaceshasnothingtodowithcircumstance.ButbecauseIfeelwarmer.Theintimationwas,mostpeopledowhattheyaretold,NOLOITERING,NOPARKINGBETWEEN8AMAND5PM,KEEPOFFTHEGRASS,CLOSEDFORREPAIRSKEEPOUT.Negromovestwoseatscloser,lowersvoiceconfidentially.
"Ofcourseitsnoconcernofmine"Faceappearsgentle,interested,aswitholdscrewinGirlonDeathRow,aerialist-cum-stranglerinCircusofHorrors."OfcourseIcouldntcareless.Butfrankly,Ifeelacertainwantofseriousness."
"Iamabsolutelyserious."
Ontheotherhand,perhapsantagonistispurely,simplywhathepretendstobe:well-dressedNegrowithdarkglassesinclosedtheater.Butwherethenisthewienie?Whathappenstothetwist?Alloflifeisrootedincontradiction,movementindirectionofself,twospaces,diagonally,argueshiddenthreat,theremustberoomforirony.
"Thenwhatareyoudoinghere?"Friendsitsbackinslidingseatwithairofhavingclinchedargument."Surelyyoudontimaghisisasuitableplace?"
"Itlookedgood,fromtheoutside.Andtheresnooneherebutyou."
"Ah,butIamhere.Whatdoyouknowaboutme?Nothing,absolutelynothing.Icouldbeanybody."
"SocouldIbeanybody.AndInoticethatyoutookeepaneyeonthedoor."
"Thus,weareproblematicforeachother."Saidsmoothly,withconsciousnessofpower."NamesBane,bytheway."Lightspipe,withflourishesandaffectations."Notmyrealone,ofcourse."
"Ofcourse."Pipesignaltoconfederatespostedinbalcony,behindarras,underEXITsigns?Orisallthisdumbshowmerelyincidental,concealingvainheart,emptybrain?Onscreenfamousscientisthasproposedmeasurestocontainpuppetpeople,involvingmutanttermitesthrownagainsttheirflank.Thecountryisinapanic,WallStreethasfallen,thePresidentlooksgrave.Andwhatofyounginformerinlobby,whatishisrelevance,whocorruptedwearerofT-shirt,holderofkite?
"Imadealerinnotions,"friendvolunteers."Dancingdolls,learnhandwritinganalysisbymail,secretsofeternallife,coinsandstamps,amazeyourfriends,paganrites,abandoned,thrilling,fullyillustratedworldwideselectionofraredaggers,gurkhas,stilettos,bowies,hunting,throwing."
"Andwhatareyoudoinghere?"
"Likeyou,"heavers."Watchingthepicture.Justdroppedin."
Weresumeviewing.RoleofBaneobscure,possiblemotivesinignitingconversation:(1)Agentoftheconspiracy,(2)Fellowsuffererintheunderground,(3)Engagedincounterespionage,(4)TalentscoutforPoliceInformersSchool,(5)MarketresearchformakersofAttackofthePuppetPeople,(6)Plainnosybastardunconnectedwithanyoftheforegoing.Decidehypotheses(1),(2),and(6)mosttenable,if(6),however,simplesnubsshouldhavedhejob,asadministeredinremark"Peopledontalwaystellthetruth,"inremark"Inoticeyoutookeepaneyeonthedoor."Alsodiscoursehashiddenpattern,toocurious,tooknowledgeableinsociologyofconcealment.Coverstorythin,whoconfineshimselftoraredaggers,gurkhas,bowies,hunting,throwinginthisdayandagewhenlarge-scalefraudispossibletoeventhemostineptoperat
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