thunter.fearloathinglasvegas-第6部分

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when　we　mentioned　the　driver　he　was　assigning　to　us　he　said；　〃His　real　name　is　Steve；　but　you　should　just　call　him　Joe。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃　I　said；　We'll　call　him　anything　he　wants。　How　about　〃Zoom〃？〃
　　〃No　dice；〃　the　FOrd　man　said；　〃It　has　to　be　〃Joe〃。
　　Lacerda　agreed；　and　sometime　around　noon　he　went　out　on　the　desert　again；　in　the　pany　of　our　driver　Joe。　I　went　back　to　the　blockhouse　bar/casino　that　was　actually　the　Mint　Gun　Club…where　I　began　to　drink　heavily；　think　heavily；　and　make　many　heavy　notes。。。
　　
　　　6。　A　Night　on　the　Town。。nfrontation　at　the　Desert　Inn。。。Drug　Frenzy　at　the　Circus　Circus。。。
　　
　　Saturday　midnight。。。Memories　of　this　night　are　extremely　hazy。　All　I　have；　for　guide…pegs；　is　a　pocketful　of　keno　cards　and　cocktail　napkins；　all　covered　with　scribbled　notes。　Here　is　one：　〃Get　the　Ford　man；　demand　a　Bronco　for　race…observation　purposes　。　。。　photos？。。。Lacerda/call。。。why　not　a　helicopter？　。。。　Get　on　the　phone；　lean　on　the　fuckers。。。heavy　yelling。〃　Another　says：　〃Sign　on　Paradise　Boulevard…'Stopless　and　Topless'。。。bush…league　sex　pared　to　L。A。；　pasties　here…total　naked　public　humping　in　L。A。　。　。　。　Las　Vegas　is　a　society　of　armed　masturbators/gambling　is　the　kicker　here/sex　is　extra/weird　trip　for　high　rollers。。。house…whores　for　winners；　hand　jobs　for　the　bad　luck　crowd。〃　A　long　time　ago　when　I　lived　in　Big　Sur　down　the　road　from　Lionel　Olay　I　had　a　friend　who　liked　to　go　to　Reno　for　the　crap…shooting。　He　owned　a　sporting…goods　store　in　Carmel。　And　one　month　he　drove　his　Mercedes　highway…cruiser　to　Reno　on　three　consecutive　weekends…winning　heavilyinch　time。　After　three　trips　he　was　something　like　15；000　ahead；　so　he　decided　to　skip　the　fourth　weekend　and　take　friends　to　dinner　at　Nepenthe。　〃Always　quit　winners；〃　explained。　〃And　besides；　it's　a　long　drive。〃　On　Monday　morning　he　got　a　phone　call　from　Reno…from　the　general　manager　of　the　casino　he'd　been　working　out　on。　〃We　missed　you　this　weekend；〃　said　the　GM。　〃The　pit…men　were　bored。〃
　　〃Shucks；〃　said　my　friend。
　　So　the　next　weekend　he　flew　up　to　Reno　in　a　private　plane；　with　a　friend　and　two　girls…all　〃special　guests〃　of　the　GM。　Nothing　too　good　for　high　rollers。。。
　　And　on　Monday　morning　the　same　plane…the　casino's　plane…flew　him　back　to　the　Monterey　airport。　The　pilot　lent　him　a　dime　to　call　a　friend　for　a　ride　to　Carmel。　He　was　30；000　in　debt；　and　two　months　later　he　was　looking　down　the　barrel　of　one　of　the　world's　heaviest　collection　agendes。
　　So　he　sold　his　store；　but　that　didn't　make　the　nut。　They　could　wait　for　the　rest；　he　said…but　then　he　got　stomped；　which　convinced　him　that　maybe　he'd　be　better　off　borrowing　enough　money　to　pay　the　whole　wad。
　　Mainline　gambling　is　a　very　heavy　business…and　Las　Vegas　makes　Reno　seem　like　your　friendly　neighborhood　grocery　store。　For　a　loser；　Vegas　is　the　meanest　town　on　earth。　Until　about　a　year　ago；　there　was　a　giant　billboard　on　the　outskirts　of　Las　Vegas；　saying：
　　
　　DON'T　GAMBLE　WITH　MARIJUANA！　IN　NEVADA：　POSSESSION…20　YEARS　SALE…LIFE！
　　
　　So　I　was　not　entirely　at　ease　drifting　around　the　casinos　on　this　Saturday　night　with　a　car　full　of　marijuana　and　head　full　of　acid。　We　had　several　narrow　escapes：　at　one　point　I　tried　to　drive　the　Great　Red　Shark　into　the　laundry　room　of　the　Landmark　Hotel…but　the　door　was　too　narrow；　and　the　people　inside　seemed　dangerously　excited。
　　
　　We　drove　over　to　the　Desert　Inn；　to　catch　the　Debbie　Reynolds/Harry　James　show。　〃I　don't　know　about　you；〃　I　told　my　attorney；　〃but　in　my　line　of　business　it's　important　to　be　Hep。〃
　　〃Mine　too；〃　he　said。　〃But　as　your　attorney　I　advise　you　to　drive　over　to　the　Tropicana　and　pick　up　on　Guy　Lombardo。　He's　in　the　Blue　Room　with　his　Royal　Canadians。〃
　　〃Why？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Why　what？〃
　　〃Why　should　I　pay　out　my　hard…earned　dollars　to　watch　a　fucking　corpse？〃
　　〃Look；〃　he　said。　〃Why　are　we　out　here？　To　entertain　ourselves；　or　to　do　the　job？〃
　　〃The　job；　of　course；〃　I　replied。　We　were　driving　around　in　circles；　weaving　through　the　parking　lot　of　a　place　I　thought　was　the　Dunes；　but　it　turned　out　to　be　the　Thunderbird　or　maybe　it　was　the　Hacienda　My　attorney　was　scanning　The　Vegas　Visitor；　looking　for　hints　of　action。　〃How　about　〃'Nickel　Nick's　Slot　Arcade？'〃　he　said。　〃'Hot　Slots；'　that　sounds　heavy　。　。　。　Twenty…nine　cent　hotdogs　。　。
　　Suddenly　people　were　screaming　at　us。　We　were　in　trouble。　Two　thugs　wearing　red　…　gold　military　overcoats　were　looming　over　the　hood：　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃　one　screamed。　〃You　can't　park　here！'　〃Why　not？〃　I　said。　It　seemed　like　a　reasonable　place　to　park；　plenty　of　space。　I'd　been　looking　for　a　parking　spot　for　what　seemed　like　a　very　long　time。　Too　long。　I　was　about　ready　to　abandon　the　car　and　call　a　taxi。。。but　then；　yes；　we　found　this　space。
　　Which　turned　out　to　be　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　the　main　entrance　to　the　Desert　Inn。　I　had　run　over　so　many　curbs　by　this　time；　that　I　hadn't　even　noticed　this　last　one。　But　now　we　ourselves　in　a　position　that　was　hard　to　explain。。。the　entrance；　thugs　yelling　at　us；　bad　confusion。。。。　attorney　was　out　of　the　car　in　a　flash；　waving　a　five…dollar　bill。　〃We　want　this　car　parked！　I'm　an　old　friend　of　Debbie's。　I　used　to　romp　with　her。〃　For　a　moment　I　thought　he　had　blown　it。。。then　one　of　the　doormen　reached　out　for　the　bill；　saying：　〃OK；　OK。　I'll　take　care　of　it；　sir。〃　And　he　tore　off　a　parking　stub。
　　〃Holy　shit！〃　I　said；　as　we　hurried　through　the　lobby。　〃They　almost　had　us　there。　That　was　quick　thinking。〃
　　〃What　do　you　expect？〃　he　said。　〃I'm　your　attorney。。。and　you　owe　me　five　bucks。　I　want　it　now。〃　I　shrugged　and　gave　him　a　bill。　This　garish；　deep…orlon　carpeted　lobby　of　the　Desert　Inn　seemed　an　inappropriate　place　to　be　haggling　about　nickel/dime　bribes　for　the　parking　lot　attendant。　This　was　Bob　Hope's　turf。　Frank　Sinatra's。　Spiro　Agnew's。　The　lobby　fairly　reeked　of　high…grade　formica　and　plastic　palm　trees　…　it　was　clearly　a　high…class　refuge　for　Big　Spenders。
　　We　approached　the　grand　ballroom　full　of　confidence；　but　they　refused　to　let　us　in。　We　were　too　late；　said　a　man　in　a　wine…colored　tuxedo；　the　house　was　already　full…no　seats　left；　at　any　price。
　　〃Fuck　seats；〃　said　my　attorney。　〃We're　old　friends　of　Debbie's。　We　drove　all　the　way　from　L。A。　for　this　show；　and　we're　goddamn　well　going　in。〃　The　tux…man　began　jabbering　about　〃fire　regulations；〃　but　my　attorney　refused　to　listen。　Finally；　after　a　lot　of　bad　noise；　he　let　us　in　for　nothing…provided　we　would　stand　quietly　in　back　and　not　smoke。
　　We　promised；　but　the　moment　we　got　inside　we　lost　control。　The　tension　had　been　too　great。　Debbie　Reynolds　was　yukking　across　the　stage　in　a　silver　Afro　wig　。　。　。　to　the　tune　of　〃Sergeant　Pepper；〃　from　the　golden　trumpet　of　Harry　James。
　　〃Jesus　creeping　shit！〃　said　my　attorney。　〃We've　wandered　into　a　time　capsule！〃　Heavy　hands　grabbed　our　shoulders。　I　jammed　the　hash　pipe　back　into　my　pocket　just　in　time。　We　were　dragged　across　the　lobby　and　held　against　the　front　door　by　goons　until　our　car　was　fetched　up。　〃OK；　get　lost；〃　said　the　wine…tux…man。　〃We're　giving　you　a　break。　If　Debbie　has　friendsIke　you　guys；　she's　in　worse　trouble　than　I　thought。〃
　　〃We'll　see　about　this！〃　my　attorney　shouted　as　we　drove　away。　〃You　paranoid　scum！〃　I　drove　around　to　the　Circus…Circus　Casino　and　parked　near　the　back　door。　〃This　is　the　place；〃　I　said。　〃They'll　never　fuck　with　us　here。〃
　　〃Where's　the　ether？〃　said　my　attorney。　〃This　mescaline　isn't　working。〃　I　gave　him　the　key　to　the　trunk　while　I　lit　up　the　hash　pipe。　He　came　back　with　the　ether…bottle；　un…capped　it；　then　poured　some　into　a　kleenex　and　mashed　it　under　his　nose；　breathing　heavily。　I　soaked　another　kleenex　and　fouled　my　own　nose。　The　smell　was　overwhelming；　even　with　the　top　down。　Soon　we　were　staggering　up　the　stairs　towards　the　entrance；　laughing　stupidly　and　dragging　each　other　along；　like　drunks。
　　This　is　the　main　advantage　of　ether：　it　makes　you　behave　like　the　village　drunkard　in　some　early　Irish　novel。。。total　loss　of　all　basic　motor　skills：　blurred　vision；　no　balance；　numb　tongue…severance　of　all　connection　between　the　body　and　the　brain。　Which　is　interesting；　because　the　brain　continues　to　function　more　or　less　normally。。。you　can　actually　watch　yourself　behaving　in　this　terrible　way；　but　you　can't　controlit。
　　You　approach　the　turnstiles　leading　into　the　Circus…Circus　and　you　know　that　when　you　get　there；　you　have　to　give　the　man　two　dollars　or　he　won't　let　you　inside。。。but　when　you　get　there；　everything　goes　wrong：　you　misjudge　the　distance　to　the　turnstile　and　slam　against　it；　bounce　off　and　grab　hold　of　an　old　woman　to　keep　from　falling；　some　angry　Rotarian　shoves　you　and　you　think：　What's　happening　here？　What's　going　on？　Then　you　hear　yourself　mumbling：　〃Dogs　fucked　the　Pope；　no　fault　of　mine。　Watch　out！。。。Why　money？　My　name　is　Brinks；　I　was　born。。。born？　Get　sheep　over　side。。。women　and　children　to　armored　car。。。orders　from　Captain　Zeep。〃　Ah；　devil　ether…a　total　body　drug。　The　mind　recoils　in　horror；　unable　to　municate　with　the　spinal　column。　The　hands　flap　crazily；　unable　to　get　money　out　of　the　pocket。。。garbled　laughter　and　hissing　from　the　mouth。。。always　smiling。
　　Ether　is　the　perfect　drug　for　Las　Vegas。　In　this　town　they　love　a　drunk。　Fresh　meat。　So　they　put　us　through　the　turnstiles　and　turned　us　loose　inside。
　　
　　The　Circus…Circus　is　what　the　whole　hep　world　would　be　doing　on　Saturday　night　if　the　Nazis　had　won　the　war。　This　is　the　Sixth　Reich。　The　ground　floor　is　full　of　gambling　tables；　like　all　the　other　casinos。。。but　the　place　is　about　four　stories　high；　in　the　style　of　a　circus　tent；　and　all　manner　of　strange　County…Fair/Polish　Carnival　madness　is　going　on　up　in　this　space。　Right　above　the　gambling　tables　the　Forty　Flying　Carazito　Brothers　are　doing　a　high…wire　trapeze　act；　along　with　four　muzzled　Wolverines　and　the　Six　Nymphet　Sisters　from　San　Diego。。。so　you're　down　on　the　main　floor　playing　blackjack；　and　the　stakes　are　getting　high　when　suddenly　you　chance　to　look　up；　and　there；　right　smack　above　your　head　is　a　half…naked　fourteen…year…old　girl　being　chased　through　the　air　by　a　snarling　wolverine；　which　is　suddenly　locked　in　a　death　battle　with　two　silver…painted　Polacks　who　e　swinging　down　from　oppos