ss.iftomorrowcomes-第33部分

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s　though　he　had　a　confederate。　Jeff　became　an　expert　at　milking　the　customers。　As　the　open　spaces　on　the　board　became　smaller　and　the　odds　of　winning　grew　greater；　the　excitement　would　intensify。
　
　〃You　can't　miss　now！〃　Jeff　would　exclaim；　and　the　player　would　eagerly　put　up　more　money。　Finally；　when　there　was　only　one　tiny　space　left　to　fill；　the　excitement　would　peak。　The　mark　would　put　up　all　the　money　he　had；　and　often　hurry　home　to　get　more。　The　customer　never　won；　however；　because　the　operator　or　his　shill　would　give　the　table　an　imperceptible　nudge；　and　the　arrow　would　invariably　land　at　the　wrong　place。
　
　Jeff　quickly　learned　all　the　carnie　terms：　The　〃gaff〃　was　a　term　for　fixing　the　games　so　that　the　marks　could　not　win。　The　men　who　stood　in　front　of　a　sideshow　making　their　spiel　were　called　〃barkers〃　by　outsiders；　but　the　carnie　people　called　them　〃talkers。〃　The　talker　got　10　percent　of　the　take　for　building　the　tip…　the　〃tip〃　being　a　crowd。　〃Slum〃　was　the　prize　given　away。　The　〃postman〃　was　a　cop　who　had　to　be　paid　off。
　
　Jeff　became　an　expert　at　the　〃blow…off。〃　When　customers　paid　to　see　a　sideshow　exhibition；　Jeff　would　make　his　spiel：　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen：　Everything　that's　pictured；　painted；　and　advertised　outside；　you　will　see　within　the　walls　of　this　tent　for　the　price　of　your　general　admission。　However；　immediately　after　the　young　lady　in　the　electric　chair　gets　finished　being　tortured；　her　poor　body　racked　by　fifty　thousand　watts　of　electricity；　we　have　an　extra　added　attraction　that　has　absolutely　nothing　to　do　with　the　show　and　is　not　advertised　outside。　Behind　this　enclosure　you　are　going　to　see　something　so　truly　remarkable；　so　chilling　and　hair…raising；　that　we　dare　not　portray　it　outside；　because　it　might　e　under　the　eyes　of　innocent　children　or　susceptible　women。〃
　
　And　after　the　suckers　had　paid　an　extra　dollar；　Jeff　would　usher　them　inside　to　see　a　girl　with　no　middle；　or　a　two…headed　baby；　and　of　course　it　was　all　done　with　mirrors。
　
　One　of　the　most　profitable　carnival　games　was　the　〃mouse　running。〃　A　live　mouse　was　put　in　the　center　of　a　table　and　a　bowl　was　placed　over　it。　The　rim　of　the　table　had　ten　holes　around　its　perimeter　into　any　one　of　which　the　mouse　could　run　when　the　bowl　was　lifted。　Each　patron　bet　on　a　numbered　hole。　Whoever　selected　the　hole　into　which　the　mouse　would　run　won　the　prize。
　
　〃How　do　you　gaff　a　thing　like　that？〃　Jeff　asked　Uncle　Willie。　〃Do　you　use　trained　mice？〃
　
　Uncle　Willie　roared　with　laughter。　〃Who　the　hell's　go　time　to　train　mice？　No；　no。　It's　simple。　The　operator　sees　which　number　no　one　has　bet　on；　and　he　puts　a　little　vinegar　on　his　finger　and　touches　the　edge　of　the　hole　he　wants　the　mouse　to　run　into。　The　mouse　will　head　for　that　hole　every　time。〃
　
　Karen；　an　attractive　young　belly　dancer；　introduced　Jeff　to　the　〃key〃　game。
　
　〃When　you've　made　your　spiel　on　Saturday　night；〃　Karen　told　him；　〃call　some　of　the　men　customers　aside；　one　at　a　time；　and　sell　them　a　key　to　my　trailer。〃
　
　The　keys　cost　five　dollars。　By　midnight；　a　dozen　or　more　men　would　find　themselves　milling　around　outside　her　trailer。　Karen；　by　that　time；　was　at　a　hotel　in　town；　spending　the　night　with　Jeff。　When　the　marks　came　back　to　the　carnival　the　following　morning　to　get　their　revenge；　the　show　was　long　gone。
　
　**********
　
　During　the　next　four　years　Jeff　learned　a　great　deal　about　human　nature。　He　found　out　how　easy　it　was　to　arouse　greed；　and　how　guillible　people　could　be。　They　believed　incredible　tales　because　their　greed　made　them　want　to　believe。　At　eighteen；　Jeff　was　strikingly　handsome。　Even　the　most　casual　woman　observer　would　instantly　note　and　approve　his　gray；　well…spaced　eyes；　tall　build；　and　curly　dark　hair。　Men　enjoyed　his　wit　and　air　of　easy　good　humor。　Even　children；　as　if　speaking　to　some　answering　child　in　him；　gave　him　their　confidence　immediately。　Customers　flirted　outrageously　with　Jeff；　but　Uncle　Willie　cautioned；　〃Stay　away　from　the　townies；　my　boy。　Their　fathers　are　always　the　sheriff。〃
　
　It　was　the　knife　thrower's　wife　who　caused　Jeff　to　leave　the　carnival。　The　show　had　just　arrived　in　Milledgeville；　Georgia；　and　the　tents　were　being　set　up。　A　new　act　had　signed　on；　a　Sicilian　knife　thrower　called　the　Great　Zorbini　and　his　attractive　blond　wife。　While　the　Great　Zorbini　was　at　the　carnival　setting　up　his　equipment；　his　wife　invited　Jeff　to　their　hotel　room　in　town。
　
　〃Zorbini　will　be　busy　all　day；〃　she　told　Jeff。　〃Let's　have　some　fun。〃
　
　It　sounded　good。
　
　〃Give　me　an　hour　and　then　e　up　to　the　room；〃　she　said。
　
　〃Why　wait　an　hour？〃　Jeff　asked。
　
　She　smiled　and　said；　〃It　will　take　me　that　long　to　get　everything　ready。〃
　
　Jeff　waited；　his　curiosity　increasing；　and　when　he　finally　arrived　at　the　hotel　room；　she　greeted　him　at　the　door；　stark　naked。　He　reached　for　her；　but　she　took　his　hand　and　said；　〃e　in　here。〃
　
　He　walked　into　the　bathroom　and　stared　in　disbelief。　She　had　filled　the　bathtub　with　six　flavors　of　Jell…O；　mixed　with　warm　water。
　
　〃What's　that？〃　Jeff　asked。
　
　〃It's　dessert。　Get　undressed；　baby。〃
　
　Jeff　undressed。
　
　〃Now；　into　the　tub。〃
　
　He　stepped　into　the　tub　and　sat　down；　and　it　was　the　wildest　sensation　he　had　ever　experienced。　The　soft；　slippery　Jell…O　seemed　to　fill　every　crevice　of　his　body；　massaging　him　all　over。　The　blonde　joined　him　in　the　tub。
　
　〃Now；〃　she　said；　〃lunch。〃
　
　She　started　down　his　chest　toward　his　groin；　licking　the　Jell…O　as　she　went。　〃Mmmm；　you　taste　delicious。　I　like　the　strawberry　best。。。。〃
　
　Between　her　rapidly　flicking　tongue　and　the　friction　of　the　warm；　viscous　Jell…O；　it　was　an　erotic　experience　beyond　description。　In　the　middle　of　it；　the　bathroom　door　flew　open　and　the　Great　Zorbini　strode　in。　The　Sicilian　took　one　look　at　his　wife　and　the　startled　Jeff；　and　howled；　〃Tu　sei　una　puttana！　Vi　ammazzo　tutti　e　due！　Dove　sono　i　miei　coltelli？〃
　
　Jeff　did　not　recognize　any　of　the　words；　but　the　tone　was　familiar。　As　the　Great　Zorbini　raced　out　of　the　room　to　get　his　knives；　Jeff　leaped　out　of　the　tub；　his　body　looking　like　a　rainbow　with　the　multicolored　Jell…O　clinging　to　it；　and　grabbed　his　clothes。　He　jumped　out　of　the　window；　naked；　and　began　running　down　the　alley。　He　heard　a　shout　behind　him　and　felt　a　knife　sing　past　his　head。　Zing！　Another；　and　then　he　was　out　of　range。　He　dressed　in　a　culvert；　pulling　his　shirt　and　pants　over　the　sticky　Jell…O；　and　squished　his　way　to　the　depot；　where　he　caught　the　first　bus　out　of　town。
　
　Six　months　later；　he　was　in　Vietnam。
　
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　Every　soldier　fights　a　different　war；　and　Jeff　came　out　of　his　Vietnam　experience　with　a　deep　contempt　for　bureaucracy　and　a　lasting　resentment　of　authority。　He　spent　two　years　in　a　war　that　could　never　be　won；　and　he　was　appalled　by　the　waste　of　money　and　matériel　and　lives；　and　sickened　by　the　treachery　and　deceit　of　the　generals　and　politicians　who　performed　their　verbal　sleight　of　hand。　We've　been　suckered　into　a　war　that　nobody　wants；　Jeff　thought。　It's　a　con　game。　The　biggest　con　game　in　the　world。
　
　A　week　before　Jeff's　discharge；　he　received　the　news　of　Uncle　Willie's　death。　The　carnival　had　folded。　The　past　was　finished。　It　was　time　for　him　to　enjoy　the　future。
　
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　The　years　that　followed　were　filled　with　a　series　of　adventures。　To　Jeff；　the　whole　world　was　a　carnival；　and　the　people　in　it　were　his　marks。　He　devised　his　own　con　games。　He　placed　ads　in　newspapers　offering　a　color　picture　of　the　President　for　a　dollar。　When　he　received　a　dollar；　he　sent　his　victim　a　postage　stamp　with　a　picture　of　the　President　on　it。
　
　He　put　announcements　in　magazines　warning　the　public　that　there　were　only　sixty　days　left　to　send　in　five　dollars；　that　after　that　it　would　be　too　late。　The　ad　did　not　specify　what　the　five　dollars　would　buy；　but　the　money　poured　in。
　
　For　three　months　Jeff　worked　in　a　boiler　room；　selling　phony　oil　stocks　over　the　telephone。
　
　He　loved　boats；　and　when　a　friend　offered　him　a　job　working　on　a　sailing　schooner　bound　for　Tahiti；　Jeff　signed　on　as　a　seaman。
　
　The　ship　was　a　beauty；　a　165…foot　white　schooner；　glistening　in　the　sun；　all　sails　drawing　well。　It　had　teak　decking；　long；　gleaming　Oregon　fir　for　the　hull；　with　a　main　salon　that　sat　twelve　and　a　galley　forward；　with　electric　ovens。　The　crew's　quarters　were　in　the　forepeak。　In　addition　to　the　captain；　the　steward；　and　a　cook；　there　were　five　deckhands。　Jeff's　job　consisted　of　helping　hoist　the　sails；　polishing　the　brass　portholes；　and　climbing　up　the　ratlines　to　the　lower　spreader　to　furl　the　sails。　The　schooner　was　carrying　a　party　of　eight。
　
　〃The　owner　is　named　Hollander；〃　Jeff's　friend　informed　him。
　
　Hollander　turned　out　to　be　Louise　Hollander；　a　twenty…five　year…old；　golden…haired　beauty；　whose　father　owned　half　of　Central　America。　The　other　passengers　were　her　friends；　whom　Jeff's　buddies　sneeringly　referred　to　as　the　〃jest　set。〃
　
　The　first　day　out　Jeff　was　working　in　the　hot　sun；　polishing　the　brass　on　deck。　Louise　Hollander　stopped　beside　him。
　
　〃You're　new　on　board。〃
　
　He　looked　up。　〃Yes。〃
　
　〃Do　you　have　a　name？〃
　
　〃Jeff　Stevens。〃
　
　〃That's　a　nice　name。〃　He　made　no　ment。　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃
　
　〃No。〃
　
　〃I'm　Louise　Hollander。　I　own　this　boat。〃
　
　〃I　see。　I'm　working　for　you。〃
　
　She　gave　him　a　slow　smile。　〃That's　right。〃
　
　〃Then　if　you　want　to　get　your　money's　worth；　you'd　better　let　me　get　on　with　my　work。〃　Jeff　moved　on　to　the　next　stanchion。
　
　**********
　
　In　their　quarters　at　night；　the　crew　members　disparaged　the　passengers　and　made　jokes　about　them。　But　Jeff　admitted　to　himself　that　he　was　envious　of　them…　their　backgrounds；　their　educations；　and　their　easy　manners。　They　had　e　from　monied　families　and　had　attended　the　best　schools。　His　school　had　been　Uncle　Willie　and　the　carnival。
　
　One　of　the　carnies　had　been　a　professor　of　archaeology　until　he　was　thrown　out　of　college　for　stealing　and　selling　valuable　relics。　He　and　Jeff　had　had　long　talks；　and　the　professor　had　imbued　Jeff　with　an　enthusiasm　for　archaeology。　〃You　can　read　the　whole　future　of　mankind　in　the　past；〃　the　professor　would　sa