青帝小说

第11部分（第1页）

can　sweat　it　out；　that’d　be　fine　with　me。　You　know；　I　never　believed　this　New　Age　crap；　but　it’s　good　stuff。”

Dan　shook　his　head。　“I　think　my　spirit　guides　are　telling　me　to　go　home；”　he　said　seriously。

The　bongo　playing　stopped。　“Door　to　the　farmhouse　is　open　if　you　need　to　call　Al’s　taxi　service；”　Running　Rainbow　yelled；　then　resumed　drumming。

Rufus　shrugged。　“You’ll　be　okay？”

“Yes。　Have　fun；　Dad！”　Dan　yelled　as　he　practically　sprinted　away　from　the　campsite　and　toward　the　highway。　He　didn’t　want　to　wait　for　Al’s　taxi　service。　He　just　wanted　to　go　home。　Stamping　his　feet　on　the　asphalt；　he　put　his　thumb　up。

A　truck　slowed　down。

“What　do　we　have　here？”　The　driver　leaned　out　his　window。　He　was　missing　three　front　teeth　and　was　probably　around　sixty。　His　long　bushy　hair　reminded　Dan　of　pictures　of　Jerry　Garcia　in　his　later　years。　Was　this　where　all　the　sixties　stoners　came　to　die？

“I’m　heading　to　the　city。　New　York？”　Dan　said；　trying　to　play　it　cool；　as　if　he　hitchhiked　all　the　time。

Jerry　Two　nodded　thoughtfully。　“Hop　in！”　he　announced　grandly。　Dan　nodded　and　took　a　breath。　The　cab　of　the　truck　smelled　like　patchouli　and　jasmine。

“Bringing　my　candles　to　sell　in　the　big　city。　You　ever　been　to　the　Union　Square　greenmarket？　I　have　a　booth！”　Jerry　Two　said　proudly　as　he　floored　the　accelerator。

“Oh？”　Dan　said　politely。　At　least　the　cab　of　the　truck　was　warm。　And　he　really　doubted　a　candle…selling　hippie　would　be　a　serial　killer。

“Yep。　Me　and　my　wife　make　’em。　You　got　a　wife？”　the　driver　asked　panionably。

“No。”　Dan　shook　his　head。　He　tried　to　imagine　himself　and　Vanessa　in　their　sixties。　Would　they　still　be　making　poetry　and　films？　“I　have　a　girlfriend；　though。　I’m　going　back　to　the　city　to　see　her；”　Dan　said；　surprised　at　how　much　information　he　was　volunteering。

Jerry　Two　nodded　thoughtfully。　“When　I　was　your　age；　I　was　already　married。　My　wife’s　name　is　Joan；　and　she’s　just　as　pretty　and　smart　as　the　first　time　I　laid　eyes　on　her。　When　you　find　a　lady　like　that；　you　don’t　let　her　go；　you　know　what　I　mean？”

“Yes；”　Dan　mumbled；　already　antsy　to　get　back　to　the　city。　The　stretch　of　highway　was　practically　empty　and　surrounded　on　both　sides　with　fields　of　cows。　He　wanted　to　crawl　next　to　Vanessa　and　feel　her　body　next　to　his。　A　poem　was　forming　in　his　head；　and　Dan’s　fingers　were　itching　to　write　it　down。　He　pulled　his　notebook　from　his　duffel　and　grabbed　an　ancient　Sharpie　rolling　on　the　rubber　floor　mat　of　the　truck。　Uncapping　the　marker；　he　quickly　wrote。

Dreaming　in　Technicolor　black　and　white。

I’m　no　Technicolor　prince；　no　black…and…white　tragedy

What　you　see

Will　be　us；　you　me。

Dan　grinned。　It　was　so　obvious。　He　didn’t　need　a　retreat；　what　he　needed　was　Vanessa。　And　he　couldn’t　wait　to　have　a　sex…and…poetry　fest　as　soon　as　he　got　home。　He　leaned　back。　The　vinyl　seat　squeaked；　making　a　farting　noise。

“You　let　one　rip？　Good！　I　will　too！”　Jerry　Two　said。　A　loud　noise　emanated　from　the　driver’s　seat。　Dan　wrinkled　his　nose。　It　was　going　to　be　a　longer　drive　than　he　thought。

What　some　people　will　do　for　love！

nothing　can　ever　go　wrong　at　tiffany…　right？

Blair　leaned　back　against　the　Frette　pillowcases　of　Serena’s　canopy　bed。　She’d　always　felt　like　Serena’s　house　was　her　second　home—or　third　home；　once　she　and　Nate　started　dating　sophomore　year—and　had　been　more　than　happy　to　spend　the　day　relaxing　and　watching　endless　hours　of　crappy　MTV　while　Serena　was　at　a　shoot　for　Tea　at　the　Palace　or　Snacks　at　the　Strand　or　whatever　her　movie　was　called。　Now　it　was　almost　four　o’clock；　and　she　felt　kind　of　gross　and　bloated　from　spending　the　entire　day　lying　in　bed　and　eating　Godiva　chocolates　from　one　of　Serena’s　discarded　gift　baskets。　She　needed　to　get　out。

She　hadn’t　seen　Serena　since　brunch　the　day　before。　It　was　sort　of　for　the　best；　though。　After　all；　she　and　Nate　couldn’t　keep　their　hands　off　each　other。　They’d　spent　all　of　yesterday　cuddled　in　Nate’s　bed；　whispering　remember…whens　in　between　kisses　and　feeding　each　other　eel　rolls　from　Blue　Ribbon　sushi。　She　only　left　Nate’s　house　because　his　parents　were　due　home　from　St。　Barts　today。　It　would　be　enough　of　a　surprise　for　them　to　see　Nate。　She　didn’t　want　them　to　think　the　first　thing　Nate　did　when　he　came　back　was　take　advantage　of　the　empty　house　with　his　girlfriend。

Wait；　girlfriend？

She　sighed　and　turned　off　the　TV。　Ever　since　she　was　fifteen　and　had　seen　Breakfast　at　Tiffany’s；　she’d　played　a　game　with　herself　called　What　Would　Audrey　Do？　If　Audrey　found　herself　alone　at　dusk　on　a　cold　January　day；　she’d　probably　sit　near　the　window　of　some　cozy　café　like　Le　Refuge　on　Eighty…Second　Street　and　people…watch；　the　whole　while　blissfully　unaware　that　from　behind　their　menus；　everyone　was　whispering　about　the　charmingly　gamine　girl。　Besides；　she’d　been　back　in　New　York—her　city—for　almost　three　days　and　had　barely　seen　anything　besides　Nate’s　bedroom。

And　it　wasn’t　like　she’d　been　admiring　the　décor。

Blair　pulled　her　Burberry　coat　from　the　Eames　chair　in　the　corner；　exited　the　building；　and　automatically　turned　left；　exactly　as　she　had　a　million　times　before。　She　wasn’t　sure　where　she　was　going；　but　she’d　know　when　she　got　there。

She　paused　at　Seventy…second　and　Fifth　and　looked　up　at　the　row　of　limestone　buildings　standing　at　attention　across　the　park。　The　building　on　the　corner　was　her　building；　the　one　she’d　lived　in　for　eighteen　years　of　her　life。　Her　gaze　traveled　upward　to　the　top　floor；　where　a　dim　light　emanated　from　the　room　that　used　to　be　hers。　Suddenly　it　hit　her　that　she　didn’t　live　here　anymore。

She　knew　a　new　family　lived　there　now；　one　with　triplets　a　few　years　younger　than　her。　Did　they　have　boyfriends　and　best　friends　within　walking　distance？　Did　they　sit　for　hours　on　the　steps　of　the　Met；　smoking　Merits　and　talking　about　nothing？　Blair　had　always　wanted　to　grow　up；　but　for　the　first　time；　she　suddenly　felt　old。