ch.nakedcamethemanatee-第7部分

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　it　had　bee；　its　garish　pleasures；　its　quick　and　easy　gratifications；　its　incessant　noise　pulsing　like　fevered　blood。　She　let　the　tide　carry　her　body；　buoyant　as　a　funeral　pyre；　let　it　take　her　out　into　that　luminous　water；　so　bright　tonight　it　was　as　if　a　tablecloth　of　iridescent　silk　were　floating　on　the　surface　of　the　bay；　a　cloth　that　was　miles　across。
　Marion　McAlister　Williams　was　nearly　the　oldest　thing　in　Miami。　Older　than　any　tree；　older　than　any　building　or　car　or　house　or　boat　or　stick　of　wood。　She　was　older　than　the　streets；　older　than　the　bridges　or　boardwalks　or　seawalls。　She　was　older　than　anything　but　the　water　or　the　rocks　or　the　land。　Though　she　had　to　admit；　one　or　two　sea　turtles　still　lurking　in　the　bay　might　be　nearly　as　old。
　Marion　drifted　farther　out；　nearly　a　mile　from　the　shore；　effortless　and　serene；　her　arms　spread　wide；　taking　the　last　of　the　outgoing　tide。　She　would　float　out　there　during　the　slack　hour；　then　ride　back　in　with　the　welling　tide。　She　might　have　to　swim　a　stroke　or　two　to　reach　her　shoreline　again；　but　usually　not。　She　knew　the　currents；　the　small　silent　streams　and　eddies　that　snaked　through　the　bay。　She　knew　the　cycling　seasons　of　their　movements。　As　regular　as　airplane　schedules；　step　aboard；　ride　out；　hover　for　a　while；　and　ride　back　in。　She　had　been　doing　it　for　most　of　a　century。　One　of　the　virtues　of　age。　What　you　knew；　you　knew　well。　What　you　didn't；　no　longer　mattered。
　Ears　underwater；　she　could　hear　the　ripples　of　noise；　the　subtle　pings　and　gurgles　of　passing　creatures。　She　knew　some　of　their　names；　some　family　lineages。　There　was　also　a　deeper　sound；　a　nearly　mystical　hum　in　the　bay　that　vibrated　far　below　the　surface；　a　quiet　throb　of　power　that　somehow　fed　her；　renewed　her　strength　on　these　nightly　swims。　She'd　dared　to　reveal　this　to　her　granddaughter　some　months　back；　calling　it　a　〃soft　drumroll　of　energy；〃　and　the　girl；　a　modern　woman；　skeptical　and　tough…minded；　had　fired　back　that　Marion　was　probably　only　hearing　the　chug　of　sewage　as　it　pumped　from　the　city's　vast　network　of　toilets　and　drainpipes　beneath　the　bay　across　to　Virginia　Key。
　The　slack　hour　passed　without　event；　and　Marion　sculled　the　water；　readjusted　her　body　into　a　fast…moving　channel　so　she　could　begin　her　return　voyage。　As　she　glided　back　toward　the　shore　she　was　joined；　as　she　so　often　was；　by　Booger。
　Tonight　Booger　pressed　close　to　her；　scraped　her　arm　with　one　of　his　barnacles；　drew　blood。　Her　skin　was　papery　these　days；　easily　torn。　They　glided　along　together；　soundless；　and　the　fleshy　sea　cow　continued　to　bump　her；　continued　to　urge　her　forward　with　something　like　impatience。　Marion　did　not　resist。　Long　ago　she'd　abandoned　the　need　for　overmanaging　her　destiny。
　There　was　nothing　she　absolutely　needed　to　do　anymore。　She　had　won　her　prizes；　taken　her　bows；　had　shaken　the　hands　of　a　half…dozen　presidents。　Now　her　most　reliable　pleasures　came　from　these　nightly　rides；　from　giving　herself　over　to　the　vagaries　of　the　natural　world。　So　she　let　Booger　speed　her　along　to　the　shallows　just　off　her　beach。　It　was　there　that　she　had　made　a　habit　of　grooming　Booger；　clearing　him　of　the　flotsam　and　jetsam　that　he　regularly　snagged　in　his　journeys　around　the　bay。
　She　let　her　legs　dangle　down；　caught　the　bottom；　then　trudged　up　to　the　shore；　shedding　water　like　sparkling　confetti。　Booger　bobbed　nearby；　his　skin　silvered　by　the　moon。　Tonight　he　was　even　more　of　a　mess　than　usual。　He　looked　like　a　honeymoon　car　with　strings　of　tin　cans　dragging　behind　him。　Fishing　line　was　wrapped　around　his　fins；　twigs　and　broken　driftwood　trapped　in　the　line。　There　were　two　plastic　six…pack　holders　caught　on　a　notch　near　his　back　flipper；　and　knotted　to　them　was　a　mooring　line　that　trailed　off　behind　him　for　twenty　feet。
　Marion　dragged　the　line　hand　over　hand；　hauling　the　heavy　mass　across　the　soft　bay　bottom。　It　was　a　wonder　that　Booger　had　been　able　to　swim　at　all　so　entangled　in　trash。　She　hauled　it　out　of　the　water　and　held　it　up　to　the　soft　moonlight。　Splintered　wood　and　elastic　cords　and　another　nest　of　snarled　fishing　line　that　ensnared　a　silver　canister。
　Marion　patted　Booger；　told　him　to　wait；　then　walked　up　the　shore　to　her　chikee　hut；　where　she　kept　a　razor…edged　fillet　knife　for　just　such　tasks　as　this。　She　came　back　to　Booger；　cut　him　free　of　his　clutter　of　trash；　gave　him　a　stroke　along　his　broad　slick　forehead；　and　watched　him　turn　and　wrallow　away　into　the　night。
　
　Hector　and　Phil　took　Fay　to　their　hideout。　Actually；　it　was　an　efficiency　apartment　off　Tigertail　Avenue　in　the　Grove。　But　Hector　liked　calling　it　their　hideout　even　though　they　hadn't　had　to　hide　out　in　it　yet；　'cause　they　hadn't　succeeded　in　doing　anything　bad　enough　to　be　pursued。
　Hector　had　found　the　apartment；　liked　the　view　of　the　pool；　and　given　the　manager　first　and　last　month's　rent　on　the　spot。　Then　he'd　found　he　couldn't　afford　it；　and　asked　Phil　if　he　wanted　to　share　the　rent。　Phil；　recently　split　from　his　wife；　had　said　sure。　So　they'd　laid　out　two　pool　floats　on　the　middle　of　the　living　room　floor；　the　red　one　for　Hector；　the　blue　one　for　Phil；　and　called　it　home。　Fine　by　Hector。　Pool　floats　were　better　beds　than　he'd　had　at　the　Dade　County　Jail　or　Raiford。　Better　than　when　he　was　growing　up　in　Havana；　sleeping　on　the　mud　floor　of　the　little　barn。　A　goat　for　a　roommate；　chickens　for　panions。
　This　apartment　was　a　perfect　spot　for　spying　on　the　babes　who　used　the　pool。　Lots　of　them；　secretaries　mainly；　a　couple　he'd　gotten　to　know　lately。　Or　at　least　he'd　said　a　couple　of　words　to　them　and　given　them　a　tongue　flick。　That　tongue　flick　almost　always　worked　on　the　average　woman。　But　no　luck　so　far　with　the　fussy　secretaries。
　〃Hey；　man；〃　Hector　said。　〃I　got　an　idea　what　we　can　do　with　this　pretty　lady　she　doesn't　tell　us　what　she　knows。〃
　Phil　was　sitting　up　on　the　kitchen　counter；　legs　dangling。　They　didn't　have　furniture　yet；　so　counter…sitting　was　about　it　for　taking　a　load　off　your　feet；　except　for　the　floats；　and　you　couldn't　use　them　too　much　or　they'd　spring　more　leaks。
　Phil　was　staring　at　Fay；　a　weird　look　in　his　eyes。　Fay　was　dressed　in　the　yellow　plastic　foul…weather　gear　they'd　found　on　the　Whaler。　Looking　cute。　Pouty　lips；　with　some　bite　in　her　green　eyes。
　Hector　liked　women　with　sharp　teeth；　women　who　liked　to　bite。　He　liked　teeth　marks　on　his　shoulders。　He　liked　giving　them　back；　a　nice　oval　bruise　on　their　inner　thighs。　Yeah。　Hector　had　a　way　with　women。
　Phil　told　Hector　to　stop　looking　at　Fay　that　way。　And　Hector　said　a　very　bad　thing　to　Phil。　Phil　said　a　very　bad　thing　back　to　Hector。　Hector　said　two　very　bad　things。　And　Phil　replied　with　three　very　bad　things。
　〃Knock　it　off；〃　Fay　said。　She　stalked　around；　staring　at　each　of　them。　Hector　smiling　at　her；　trying　to　decide　where　he　wanted　to　plant　his　first　teeth　marks。
　〃Now；〃　Fay　said。　〃Which　of　you　idiots　is　going　to　tell　me　what　this　is　all　about？〃
　〃You　tell　us；　pussy　boots；〃　Hector　said。　〃That's　what　you　here　for。　You　here　to　tell　us　whatever　we　ask　you。〃　Phil　said　a　very　bad　thing。　And　Hector　replied　in　kind。
　〃OK；　dammit；　what's　going　on；　Phil？〃　Fay　said。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing　hanging　out　with　this　creep？〃
　Hector　spun　around。　〃Hey；　man。　How　e　she　know　your　name；　Phil？　She　said　your　name；　man。　How　she　know　that？　You　tell　her　your　name；　you　stupid　moron　breath？〃
　Phil　said　a　very　bad　thing。
　Fay　said；　〃I　asked　you　a　question；　Phil。〃
　〃So　did　I；　Phil。　How　she　know　your　name；　man？　You　know　this　broad？〃
　〃She's　my　wife；〃　Phil　said。
　Under　his　breath　Hector　said　a　very　bad　thing。　Then　he　said　three　very　bad　things　out　loud。
　〃Ex…wife；〃　Fay　said。　〃Ex；　Phil；　ex。　And　this　is　why。　This；　right　here；　what's　going　on　this　very　minute；　this　is　exactly　why　you　don't　live　at　home　anymore。　This　is　why　it's　finished。〃
　
　Marion　lugged　the　silver　canister　up　to　her　house。　She　laid　it　on　the　glider　on　her　front　porch　and　went　inside　to　shower　and　dress。　Her　windows　were　all　open　and　the　first　cool　breezes　of　the　new　season　were　sighing　through　them　tonight。　She　dressed　in　long　khaki　pants　and　a　plaid　flannel　shirt。　She　put　on　her　brogans　and　rubbed　some　lavender…scented　face　cream　into　the　grooves　that　lined　her　cheeks。　She　put　a　Band…Aid　on　the　cut　that　Booger　had　given　her。
　She　went　back　down　to　the　porch　and　sat　down　in　a　wicker　rocker　across　from　the　glider。　Something　had　shifted　inside　her。　She　had　felt　it　happen　earlier。　Some　tectonic　realignment　that　was　sending　tremors　up　to　her　flesh。　She　quivered　with　excitement　for　the　first　time　in　decades。
　Quivering　was　dangerous　at　her　age。　But　quiver　she　did。　She　had　something　in　her　possession　that　was　worth　something　to　the　world　at　large。　She　sensed　it。　She　knew　that　the　placid　young　man　she　had　pulled　from　the　bay　and　nursed　with　Sawgrass　Juice　had　found　a　similar　canister　and　was　queerly　excited　by　its　existence。
　She　was　not　sure　what　it　meant。　Canisters　washing　ashore？　Perhaps　hundreds　or　even　thousands　of　silver　containers　drifting　along　the　bottom　of　the　bay。　She　knew　she　was　onto　something。　Something　of　major　proportions。　A　shipwreck　out　in　the　Gulf　Stream；　the　canisters　just　now　working　their　way　to　shore？　Some　high…tech　note　in　a　bottle　thrown　out　from　a　passing　spaceship？　This　was　something　new。　Rejuvenating。　Something　that　might　just　rescue　her　from　the　doldrums　of　old　age。
　She　watched　the　bay　brightening；　saw　the　raspberry　clouds　out　beyond　Stiltsville；　like　streaks　of　jam　across　a　doughy　sky。　She　stiffened　when　she　heard　a　car　door　slam　nearby。　But　then　relaxed；　for　she　had　recognized　it。　She　looked　out　at　the　dawn　and　sighed　to　herself。　She　had　made　it　another　day。　Another　miracle。　And　now　this；　a　second　miracle。　A　new　adventure。
　She　stood　up；　stepped　to　the　edge　of　the　porch。　Her　granddaughter　was　ing　down　the　long　sandy　path。　A　beautiful　young　woman。　Hard　to　believe　she　was　carrying　Marion's　blood　and　marrow；　so　full　of　tough　energy　as　she　came　striding　up　to　the　porch　and　halted。　Her　young　face　was　seamed　with　worry。
　〃I　need　help；　Granny。〃
　〃Not　even　a　hello？〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　I'm　sorry。　It's　just　that　I'm　so　。。。　oh；　I　don't　know　what　I　am　at　the　moment。　Hello；　Granny。〃
　〃Hello；　Fay。　Now　what's　the　matter；　dear？〃
　But　Fay　was　no　longe