Book3:WereMyDreamIs (第158/327页)

ofmylife.Butthisbadhabitdoeshelpmewhileawaythelimitlesstimeonmyhands,otherwisewhatIdowithallthisleisure?”Dimitrismiledwrylyabacktohistoy.Stringafterstringofsoapbubblesfloatedintotheair.

    Someoneapproached,ploppeddownbesideDimitriandelbowedhimsaying,

    “Hey,olddog,areyouuptoyouroldtricksagain?Yougointoyourwildflightsoffancy,muttertoyourselfandevenspyourownfacewhileyousmilewryly.Peoplewillthinkyouaremad!”Dimitriknewfromhisvoicethatitwashisoldfriend,David,anotherhomelessvagabond.

    “Howareyou,David?”heasked.“Howhaveyoubeendoing?”

    “SameoldSh1T,differentday”sighedDavid.“Timesaretoughandit’sgettingharderandhardertogetby.Isgedaboutforhalfthemandonlygotthesefewcigarettebutts…Mostpeoplenowadaysthinksmokingwillcauselungdsohavequit.Alsowiththeeiturn,peoplehavenomoneyandcigarettepriceskeepgoingup,sofewerpeopleaffordtosmoke.It’sgettingmoreandmoredifficulttofindcigarettebuttsontheground.Lifeisgettingtougherandtough…Stopblowingsoapbubbles,that’skids’stuff.eon,I’llgiveyouacigarettebutt,let’ssmoke.”Sayingso,hetookoutacrumpledpieceofpaperfromhispocket,andcarefullyselectedafttenedcigarettebuttwhichhehandedovertoDimitri.Dimitritookoverthebuttandrolleditcarefullytoitsinalroundshapewithoutspillinganyofthetobaside.DavidstruckamatdlightedthecigarettebuttwhichDimitriinhaleddeeply.AllofasuddenDimitrifelthisheart-rateaccelerate;hisheadspinarounddizzilyahathisbloodpressuremustbesky-rocketing.“Cigarettesarethedevil!”hethought.TurningtoDavid,hesaid,

    “Actuallysmokingisreallynoial.Ifyouhaveacigaretteonhandit’sprettysatisfyingtohaveasmoke;butifyoudon’thaveo’sokaytoo.Therereallyisospendalotoftimesgingalloverfarettebuttsfttenedbyotherpeople’sshoes.”

    “That’seasyforyoutosay”answeredDavid,whohadalsotakenoutacigarettebuttforhimself.Heinhaleddeeplyandtihisstuffishabit-f.Onceyou’reindictedtoit,it’soquit.Ispendmostofthedaylookingfarettebuttstopickup.It’sokay,sinceIdon’thaveanythiodoanyway.Collegthemhasbeeadailyroutineforme.Youknow,it’snottoobadformealthoughnothavinganythingtosmokeisapain.Thealcoholiddrugaddictshaveitworse.Whentheysufferwithdrawalsymptoms,it’sinfinitelyworse…”

    “Yht,it’sbestnottobeaddictedtoanything”answeredDimitrivaguely.Daviddraggedmightilyonhiscigaretterepeatedly,sugthesmokeintohislungsaitalloutuntilhiscigarettebuttwasreducedtodersandburnthisfingers.Onlythendidherelutlythrowittotheroadsideadieoutonitsown.SuddenlyDavidthoughtofsomethingandasked,

    12

    “Haveyouheardoftwoverystrangeihathappely?”

    “Whatis?Ihaven’theardofany”answeredDimitri.

    “Thereisaguycalled…nowwhat’shisname…eh,he’scalled…Gosh,I’vefottenhisname.Anywayhe’safamousjewelrydesignerorsomekindofjewelryexpert.Retlyhebecamementallyunbanced.Hewouldhersleepfordaysandwouldgoaroundaskingpeople,“HaveyouseenmyPinkPuzzle?Ah,thePinkPuzzleusedtobethebrighteststarintheheavensandIwasfortunateenoughtogetholdofit.Howdiditgeintoaonrock?Couldithaveflownbacktotheskies?”Hewouldroamaroundinacrazymannerandwasfinallytakentothemadhouse.”

    “Really?”saidDimitri,astohenews.“That’srea