第22部分(第5/7 頁)

nama　hat　was　perched　jauntily　atop　his　wiry；　shoulder…length　gray　hair；　and

his　bushy　salt…and…pepper　beard　was　partially　braided；　with　a　hot　pink　elastic　at　the　end。

？Hey　Dad；？　Dan　called　from　his　station　at　the　window。　？Check　out？？　？Close　your　eyes；　Dan！？

Rufus　boomed；　holding　up　one　hand；　palm　out　in　a　stop…in…the…name…of…love　pose；　as　if　he　were

auditioning　to　be　the　next　Supreme。　Dan　was　too　surprised　to　do　anything　but　ply。　He　closed

his　eyes；　his　mind　racing　with　the　possibilities。　Chinese　food　for　lunch？　He　was　starving。　An　iPod

to　take　to　college　with　him？　A　first　edition　of　his　favorite　novel　of　all　time；The　Sorrows　of　Young

Werther　by　Goethe？

？Danny；　darrrrrrrling！？　A　preening；　soprano…pitched　voice　sang　out　behind　Rufus。　Dan？s　eyes

snapped　open。　Whatever　he　was　expecting；　it　definitely　wasn？t　this。

？Mom？！？

Jeanette　Humphrey　flew　into　the　room　like　an　exotic　bird　just　released　from　captivity；　dressed　in

a　turquoise　floor…length　sundress　and　carrying　two　large　brown　shopping　bags。　She　threw　her　long；

gray…streaked　mousy　brown　hair　over　one　shoulder；　elbowed　Rufus　aside　with　an　exasperated　sigh；

and　flung　her　skinny　arms　around　Dan　in　a　cloud　of　poisonously　strong　floral　perfume。　Dan　just

stood　there　in　a　state　of　shock；　his　arms　like　chow　fun　noodles　as　he　tried　to　wrap　his　mind　around

the　fact　that　this　was　actually　happening。　What　the　fuck？　Was　this　really　his　mother；　after；　what；ten

years？　Or　was　this　an　acid　flashback；　like　a　real…life　Howl　poem？　Oh　wait；　he　had　never　done　acid。

What　was　shedoing　here？

Vanessa　watched　with　a　fascination　that　bordered　on　horror　as　the　mythical　Mrs。　Humphrey

proceeded　to　kiss　Dan　all　ove