cathedral； and it looked to me like a little black mass had been going on after
hours。〃
〃I hope that's metaphorical； Jack。〃 Al's voice sounded frighteningly cold。
〃It is。 But I did find out — 〃
〃I know the hotel's history。〃
Jack ran a hand through his hair。 〃So I called him up and poked him with it。 I
admit it wasn't very bright； and I sure wouldn't do it again。 End of story。〃
〃Stu says you're planning to do a little dirty…laundry…airing yourself。〃
〃Stu is an asshole！〃 he barked into the phone。 〃I told him I had an idea of
writing about the Overlook； yes。 I do。 I think this place forms an index of the
whole post…World War II American character。 That sounds like an inflated claim；
stated so baldly 。。。 I know it does 。。。 but it's all here； Al！ My God； it
could be a great book。 But it's far in the future； I can promise you that； I've
got more on my plate right now than I can eat； and — 〃
〃Jack； that's not good enough。〃
He found himself gaping at the black receiver of the phone； unable to believe
what he had surely heard。 〃What？ Al； did you say — ？〃
〃I said what I said。 How long is far in the future； Jack？ For you it may be
two years； maybe five。 For me it's thirty or forty； because I expect to be
associated with the Overlook for a long time。 The thought of you doing some sort
of a scum…job on my hotel and passing it off as a great piece of American
writing； that makes me sick。〃
Jack was speechless。
〃I tried to help you； Jacky…boy。 We went through the war together； and I
thought I owed you some help。 You remember the war？〃
〃I remember it；〃 he muttered； but the coals of resentment had begun to glow
around his heart。 First Ullman； then Wendy； now Al。 What was this？ National
Let's Pick Jack Torrance Apart Week？ He clamped his lips more tightly together；
reached for his cigarettes； and knocked them off onto the floor。 Had he ever
liked this cheap prick talking to him from his mahogany…lined den in Vermont？
Had he really？
〃Before you hit that Hatfield kid；〃 Al was saying； 〃I had talked the Board out
of letting you go and even had them swung around to considering tenure。 You blew
that one for yourself。 I got you this hotel thing； a nice quiet place for you to
get yourself together； finish your play； and wait it out until Harry Effinger
and I could convince the rest of those guys that they made a big mistake。 Now it
looks like you want to chew my arm off on your way to a bigger killing。 Is that
the way you say thanks to your friends； Jack？〃
〃No；〃 he whispered。
He didn't dare say more。 His head was throbbing with the hot； acid…etched
words that wanted to get out。 He tried desperately to think of Danny and Wendy；
depending on him； Danny and Wendy sitting peacefully downstairs in front of the
fire and working on the first of the second…grade reading primers； thinking
everything was A…OK。 If he lost this job； what then？ Off to California in that
tired old VW with the distintegrating fuel pump like a family of dustbowl Okies？
He told himself he would get down on his knees and beg Al before he let that
happen； but still the words struggled to pour out； and the hand holding the hot
wires of his rage felt greased。
〃What？〃 Al said sharply。
〃No；〃 he said。 〃That is not the way I treat my friends。 And you know it。〃
〃How do I know it？ At the worst； you're planning to smear my hotel by digging
up bodies that were decently buried years ago。 At the best； you call up my
temperamental but extremely petent hotel manager and work him into a frenzy
as part of some 。。。 some stupid kid's game。〃
〃It was more than a game； Al。 It's easier for you。 You don't have to take some
rich friend's charity。 You don't need a friend in court because you are the
court。 The fact that you were one step from a brown…bag lush goes pretty much
unmentioned； doesn't it？〃
〃I suppose it does；〃 Al said。 His voice had dropped a notch and he sounded
tired of the whole thing。 〃But Jack； Jack 。。。 I can't help that。 I can't
change that。〃
〃I know；〃 Jack said emptily。 〃Am I fired？ I guess you better tell me if I am。〃
〃Not if you'll do two things for me。〃
〃All right。〃
〃Hadn't you better hear the conditions before you accept them？〃
〃No。 Give me your deal and I'll take it。 There's Wendy and Danny to think
about。 If you want my balls； I'll send them airmail。〃
〃Are you sure selfpity is a luxury you can afford； Jack？〃
He had closed his eyes and slid an Excedrin between his dry lips。 〃At this
point I feel it's the only one I can afford。 Fire away 。。。 no pun intended。〃
Al was silent for a moment。 Then he said： 〃First； no more calls to Ullman。 Not
even if the place burns down。 If that happens； call the maintenance man； that
guy who swears all the time； you know who I mean 。。。〃
〃Watson。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Okay。 Done。〃
〃Second； you promise me； Jack。 Word of honor。 No book about a famous Colorado
mountain hotel with a history。〃
For a moment his rage was so great that be literally could not speak。 The
blood beat loudly in his ears。 It was like getting a call from some twentieth…
century Medici prince 。。。 no portraits of my family with their warts showing；
please； or back to the rabble you'll go。 I subsidize no pictures but pretty
pictures。 When you paint the daughter of my good friend and business partner；
please omit birthmark or back to the rabble you'll go。 Of course we're friends。。。
we are both civilized men aren't we？ We've shared bed and board and bottle。
We'll always be friends； and the dog collar I have on you will always be ignored
by mutual consent； and I'll take good and benevolent care of you。 All I ask in
return is your soul。 Small item。 We can even ignore the fact that you've handed
it over； the way we ignore the dog collar。 Remember； my talented friend； there
are Michelangelos begging everywhere in the streets of Rome 。。。
〃Jack？ You there？〃
He made a strangled noise that was intended to be the word yes。
Al's voice was firm and very sure of itself。 〃I really don't think I'm asking
so much； Jack。 And there will be other books。 You just can't expect me to
subsidize you while you 。。。〃
〃All right； agreed。〃
〃I don't want you to think I'm trying to control your artistic life； Jack。 You
know me better than that。 It's just that 〃
〃What？〃
〃Is Derwent still involved with the Overlook？ Somehow？〃
〃I don't see how that can possibly be any concern of yours； Jack。〃
〃No；〃 he said distantly。 〃I suppose it isn't。 Listen； Al； I think I hear Wendy
calling me for something。 I'll get back to you。〃
〃Sure thing； Jacky…boy。 We'll have a good talk。 How are things？ Dry？〃
YOU'VE GOT YOUR POUND OF FLESH BLOOD AND ALL NOW CAN'T YOU LEAVE
ME ALONE？）
〃As a bone。〃
〃Here too。 I'm actually beginning to enjoy sobriety。 If — 〃
〃I'll get back； Al。 Wendy — 〃
〃Sure。 Okay。〃
And so he had hung up and that was when the cramps had e； hitting him like
lightning bolts； making him curl up in front of the telephone like a penitent；
hands over his belly； head throbbing like a monstrous bladder。
The moving wasp； having stung moves on 。。。
It had passed a little when Wendy came upstairs and asked him who had been on
the phone。
〃Al；〃 he said。 〃He called to ask how things were going。 I said they were
fine。〃
〃Jack； you look terrible。 Are you sick？〃
〃Headache's back。 I'm going to bed early。 No sense trying to write。〃
〃Can I get you some warm milk？〃
He smiled wanly。 〃That would be nice。〃
And now he lay beside her； feeling her warm and sleeping thigh against his
own。 Thinking of the conversation with Al； how he had groveled； still made him
hot and cold by turns。 Someday there would be a reckoning。 Someday there would
be a book； not the soft and thoughtful thing he had first considered； but a gem…
hard work of research； photo section and all； and he would pull apart the entire
Overlook history； nasty； incestuous ownership deals and all。 He would spread it
all out for the reader like a dissected crayfish。 And if Al Shockley had
connections with the Derwent empire； then God help him。
Strung up like piano wire； he lay staring into the dark； knowing it might be
hours yet before he could sleep。
* * *
Wendy Torrance lay on her back； eyes closed； listening to the sound of her
husband's slumber — the long inhale； the brief hold； the slightly guttural
exhale。 Where did he go when he slept； she wondered。 To some amusement park； a
Great Barrington of dreams where all the rides were free and there was no wife…
mother along to tell them they'd had enough hotdogs or that they'd better be
going if they wanted to get home by dark？ Or was it some fathoms…deep bar where
the drinking never stopped and the batwings were always propped open and all the
old panions were gathered around the electronic hockey game； glasses in hand；
Al Shockley prominent among them with his tie loosened and the top button of his
shirt undone？ A place where both she and Danny were excluded and the boogie went
on endlessly？
Wendy w