[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
this is the chance of a lifetime! There are important people out there!
You ll be staying, of course, said Artie.
Oh, can we? The five boys charged up to Artie s desk and began slapping him
on the back in a great show of brotherhood.
We can t stay, argued Rob. We can t afford to sniff the air out there.
Mypeople, said Artie, don t pay. He scribbled a note on a piece of paper
and handed it to Dennis. 'This is good for anything you need. Have a good
time.
Dennis was beside himself with pleasure. Artie, you re a prince!
Aren t you going to come with us? asked Sheldon.
Oh, no, said Artie. I m working.
A staff member walked in and placed a carton full of money on the desk.
Plenty more where that came from, boss.
Artie reached for his calculator.
Come on, Rob, called Dennis. The whole world s out there.
Rob looked tempted. Artie, I want your word that as soon as this is over we
all drive to New Mexico. If we go all night we can make it and be only a few
hours late.
Artie nodded. You have my word.
A little difference of opinion
Roll 11, exposures 1-36. ThePretzel
Artie had neglected to mention that closing time for The Pretzel was four in
the morning and that it would take forty minutes to clear the building of the
almost twenty-eight hundred guests who had come to the grand opening. Many of
Page 73
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
the celebrity guests had stayed behind to thank and congratulate their host.
Artie had sent out two hundred and fifty VIP invitations, and more than a
hundred of the famous personalities had actually attended a surprisingly
good percentage.
It took another two hours to settle with the bar and food people and to pay
his staff their remaining salary, plus large bonuses for their dedication. He
even included in their pay envelopes letters of recommendation to their next
employers. These were signedA, The Pretzel, Denver .
It was an emotional farewell scene between Artie and his faithful staff. Miss
Finch sobbed uncontrollably, and even big Joe looked a little misty-eyed.
Sheldon, too was obviously deeply affected, the scene calling up memories of
the departure of Pete Ogrodnick, so he began to sniffle as well. Artie shook
hands with all of them and headed for the door. He turned, surveyed the room
critically, said, I like it, and was gone.
Ambulance group drove straight to Interstate 25, heading for Albuquerque or
bust. Dennis, who was at the wheel, had promised a super-express, non-stop
trip, hopefully making Albuquerque in seven and a half hours. The group was
strangely silent for the first half hour, then Rob turned around in his seat
and glared at Artie threateningly.
You know, if I hadn t had the greatest time in my life last night I d be in
the process of killing you right now.
I m glad you enjoyed it, said Artie mildly.
But when Butcher blows his stack at us for being late I m going to give you
to him, Artie, on a silver platter. How does that grab you?
Artie said nothing.
That was one beautiful disco you put together, Artie! Dennis called back.
Thanks for showing us such a good time.
All at once conversation swelled in the back seat. I met a real basketball
star! He was seven-foot-four!
I saw two astronauts!Two!
Kevin won the Seven-Up races!
Kevin threw up in the washroom!
Did you see Rob dancing with Belinda Egan? Rob smiled. Young Belinda, star
of such films asA Parisian in Cripple Creek andSequined Sneakers , had been
the highlight of his evening. His status as a personal guest ofA had brought
him up to her level. Artie, how did you do it?
Artie shrugged. Oh, a little of this and that.
Yeah, well, a little of this and that certainly made you a few bucks, said
Rob. You re not going to tell me that those two big cartons of money contain
'nothing much. And those aren t just ones in there. They re tens and twenties
and fifties. I m starting to get nervous around you and your treasury. We
shouldn t be in a van we should be driving a Brinks truck.
Artie s accounting of the situation was still crude at this point. The cost
of the disco had drained his resources, leaving him within two hundred dollars
Page 74
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
of bankruptcy, but The Pretzel had brought him approximately sixty thousand
dollars. His briefcase, then, held only his tuxedo, and his fortune lay in the
two corrugated cardboard boxes on which he rested his feet. A bank in
Albuquerque would have the privilege of converting it into an array of bills
that would fit into the case.
* * *
In blistering heat the Ambulance pulled into the campground late Saturday
afternoon. Following Rob s plan the group disembarked and immediately set
about establishing the lived-in look about their campsite. Butcher apprehended
them in the act. He drove up, screeched to a halt and lumbered over.
Rage, fury and disbelief wafted across his contorted features in shades of
red and purple. Dennis and Rob prepared themselves for an onslaught of yelling
hitherto undreamt of.
Gee, announced Howie loudly, we sure have been at this trailer camp along
time.
All right, I m going to remain calm, cool and collected while you two
Canadian Ambulance guys tell me where you ve been.
We were in Denver, Dennis said weakly. It really is a uh a fascinating
city. Makes you forget the time.
Don t give me that! growled Butcher. I want to know why you re late and I
want to knownow!
This is it, thought Rob the moment of truth. He would denounce Artie as the
culprit and tell Butcher everything The Pretzel, the milk store, the Capitol
Hill speedway and attack jelly. This time Butcher would have to listen and
Artie would be sent home as he deserved. Yes, Rob decided, he would do this
for the good of everybody. He was about to do it. In just a few seconds
hewould do it. The words were all ready.
He opened his mouth. Mr. Butcher, the fact is that we liked Denver, the kids
liked Denver and we stayed a bit late.
And we caught up with the tour, Dennis added, so no one ll ever know the
difference.
Yes, someone ll know the difference! Try the Colorado State Police and the
New Mexico State Police! They know the difference already they re looking
for you right now! What have you got to say to that?
Better tell them you found us, said Sam.
With much effort Butcher forced the corners of his mouth up in an absurd
smile. Sorry, guys, this is between your counsellors and me. He turned back
to Dennis and Rob. In America, when you re on a tour, you follow a schedule.
When you go wherever you feel like going it s not a tour anymore! Got it?
They nodded dumbly.
Now, I ve never fired a counsellor before, but if I hear one more tiny
little peep out of this group the slightest little mishap if you re half
an hour late,you re gone!
They nodded again.
Page 75
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]