go crashing down； spilling old clocksprings out of his ears while his daddy
roared with laughter； and it
（transformed into Danny's face； so much like his own had been； his eyes had
been light blue while Danny's were cloudy gray； but the lips still made a bow
and the plexion was fair； Danny in his study； wearing training pants； all his
papers soggy and the fine misty smell of beer rising 。。。 a dreadful batter all
in ferment； rising on the wings of yeast； the breath of taverns 。。。 snap of
bone 。。。 his own voice； mewling drunkenly Danny； you okay doc？ 。。。 Oh God oh
God your poor sweet arm 。。。 and that face transformed into）
（momma's dazed face rising up from below the table； punched and bleeding； and
momma was saying）
（〃 — from your father。 I repeat； an enormously important announcement from your
father。 Please stay tuned or tune immediately to the Happy Jack frequency。
Repeat； tune immediately to the Happy Hour frequency。 I repeat — 〃）
A slow dissolve。 Disembodied voices echoing up to him as if along an endless；
cloudy hallway。
（Things keep getting in the way； dear Tommy 。。。）
（Medoc； are you here？ I've been sleepwalking again； my dear。 It's the inhuman
monsters that I fear 。。。）
（〃Excuse me； Mr。 Ullman； but isn't this the。。。〃）
。。。 office； with its file cabinets； Ullman's big desk； a blank reservations
book for next year already in place never misses a trick； that Ullman — all the
keys hanging neatly on their hooks
（except for one； which one； which key； passkey…passkey； passkey； who's got the
passkey？ if we went upstairs perhaps we'd see）
and the big two…way radio on its shelf。
He snapped it on。 CB transmissions ing in short； crackly bursts。 He
switched the band and dialed across bursts of music； news； a preacher haranguing
a softly moaning congregation； a weather report。 And another voice which he
dialed back to。 It was his father's voice。
〃 — kill him。 You have to kill him； Jacky； and her； too。 Because a real artist
must suffer。 Because each man kills the thing he loves。 Because they'll always
be conspiring against you； trying to hold you back and drag you down。 Right this
minute that boy of yours is in where he shouldn't be。 Trespassing。 That's what
he's doing。 He's a goddam little pup。 Cane him for it； Jacky； cane him within an
inch of his life。 Have a drink Jacky my boy； and we'll play the elevator game。
Then I'll go with you while you give him his medicine。 I know you can do it； of
course you can。 You must kill him。 You have to kill him； Jacky； and her； too。
Because a real artist must suffer。 Because each man — 〃
His father's voice； going up higher and higher； being something maddening；
not human at all； something squealing and petulant and maddening； the voice of
the Ghost…God； the Pig…God； ing dead at him out of the radio and
〃No！〃 he screamed back。 〃You're dead； you're in your grave； you're not in me
at all！〃 Because he had cut all the father out of him and it was not right that
he should e back creeping through this hotel two thousand miles from the New
England town where his father had lived and died。
He raised the radio up and brought it down； and it smashed on the floor
spilling old clocksprings and tubes like the result of some crazy elevator game
gone awry； making his father's voice gone； leaving only his voice； Jack's voice；
Jacky's voice； chanting in the cold reality of the office：
〃 — dead； you're dead； you're dead！〃
And the startled sound of Wendy's feet hitting the floor over his head； and
Wendy's startled； frightened voice： 〃Jack？ Jack！〃
He stood； blinking down at the shattered radio。 Now there was only the
snowmobile in the equipment shed to link them to the outside world。
He put his hands over his eyes and clutched at his temples。 He was getting a
headache。
》
CATATONIC
Wendy ran down the hall in her stocking feet and ran down the main stairs to
the lobby two at a time。 She didn't look up at the carpeted flight that led to
the second floor； but if she had； she would have seen Danny standing at the top
of them； still and silent； his unfocused eyes directed out into indifferent
space； his thumb in his mouth； the collar and shoulders of his shirt damp。 There
were puffy bruises on his neck and just below his chin。
Jack's cries had ceased； but that did nothing to ease her fear。 Ripped out of
her sleep by his voice； raised in that old hectoring pitch she remembered so
well； she still felt that she was dreaming — but another part knew she was awake；
and that terrified her more。 She half…expected to burst into the office and find
him standing over Danny's sprawled…out body； drunk and confused。
She pushed through the door and Jack was standing there； rubbing at his
temples with his fingers。 His face was ghostwhite。 The two…way CB radio lay at
his feet in a sprinkling of broken glass。
〃Wendy？〃 he asked uncertainly。 〃Wendy — ？〃
The bewilderment seemed to grow and for a moment she saw his true face； the
one he ordinarily kept so well hidden； and it was a face of desperate
unhappiness； the face of an animal caught in a snare beyond its ability to
decipher and render harmless。 Then the muscles began to work； began to writhe
under the skin； the mouth began to tremble infirmly； the Adam's apple began to
rise and fall。
Her own bewilderment and surprise were overlaid by shock： he was going to cry。
She had seen him cry before； but never since he stopped drinking 。。。 and never
in those days unless he was very drunk and pathetically remorseful。 He was a
tight man； drum…tight； and his loss of control frightened her all over again。
He came toward her； the tears brimming over his lower lids now； his head
shaking involuntarily as if in a fruitless effort to ward off this emotional
storm； and his chest drew in a convulsive gasp that was expelled in a huge；
racking sob。 His feet； clad in Hush Puppies； stumbled over the wreck of the
radio and he almost fell into her arms； making her stagger back with his weight。
His breath blew into her face and there was no smell of liquor on it。 Of course
not； there was no liquor up here。
〃What's wrong？〃 She held him as best she could。 〃Jack； what is it？〃
But he could do nothing at first but sob； clinging to her； almost crushing the
wind from her； his head turning on her shoulder in that helpless； shaking；
warding…off gesture。 His sobs were heavy and fierce。 He was shuddering all over；
his muscles jerking beneath his plaid shirt and jeans。
〃Jack？ What？ Tell me what's wrong！〃
At last the sobs began to change themselves into words； most of them
incoherent at first； but ing clearer as his tears began to spend themselves。
〃。。。 dream； I guess it was a dream； but it was so real； I。。。
it was my mother saying that Daddy was going to be on the radio and I 。。。
he was 。。。 he was telling me to 。。。 I don't know； he was yelling at me 。。。
and so I broke the radio 。。。 to shut him up。 To shut him up。 He's dead。 I
don't even want to dream about him。 He's dead。 My God； Wendy； my God。 I never
had a nightmare like that。 I never want to have another one。 Christ！ It was
awful。〃
〃You just fell asleep in the office？〃
〃No 。。。 not here。 Downstairs。〃 He was straightening a little now； his weight
ing off her； and the steady back…and…forth motion of his head first slowed and
then stopped。
〃I was looking through those old papers。 Sitting on a chair I set up down
there。 Milk receipts。 Dull stuff。 And I guess I just drowsed off。 That's when I
started to dream。 I must have sleepwalked up here。〃 He essayed a shaky little
laugh against her neck。 〃Another first。〃
〃Where is Danny； Jack？〃
〃I don't know。 Isn't he with you？〃
〃He wasn't 。。。 downstairs with you？〃
He looked over his shoulder and his face tightened at what he saw on her face。
〃Never going to let me forget that； are you； Wendy？〃
〃Jack — 〃
〃When I'm on my deathbed you'll lean over and say； ‘It serves you right；
remember the time you broke Danny's arm？' 〃
〃Jack！〃
〃Jack what？〃 he asked hotly； and jumped to his feet。 〃Are you denying that's
what you're thinking？ That I hurt him？ That I hurt him once before and I could
hurt him again？〃
〃I want to know where he is； that's all！〃
〃Go ahead； yell your fucking head off； that'll make everything okay； won't it？ 〃
She turned and walked out the door。
He watched her go； frozen for a moment； a blotter covered with fragments of
broken glass in one hand。 Then he dropped it into the wastebasket； went after
her； and caught her by the lobby desk。 He put his hands on her shoulders and
turned her around。 Her face was carefully set。
〃Wendy； I'm sorry。 It was the dream。 I'm upset。 Forgive？〃
〃Of course；〃 she said； her face not changing expression。 Her wooden shoulders
slipped out of his hands。 She walked to the middle of the lobby and called：
〃Hey； doc！ Where are you？〃
Silence came back。 She walked toward the double lobby doors； opened one of
them； and stepped out onto the path Jack had shoveled。 It was more like a