jg.skippingchristmas-第4部分

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　No。　She　would　tell　them　the　truth。　No　Christmas　for　us　this　year；　Blair's　gone　and　we're　taking　a　cruise。　And　if　you　missed　the　cards　that　much；　then　I'll　send　you　two　next　year。
　Rallying；　with　a　fresh　cup　of　coffee；　Nora　asked　herself　how　many　of　those　on　her　list　would　even　notice。　She　received　a　few　dozen　each　year；　a　dwindling　number；　she　admitted；　and　she　kept　no　log　of　who　bothered　and　who　didn't。　In　the　turmoil　of　Christmas；　who　really　had　time　to　fret　over　a　card　that　didn't　e？
　Which　brought　up　another　of　Luther's　favorite　holiday　gripes…the　emergency　stash。　Nora　kept　an　extra　supply　so　she　could　respond　immediately　to　an　unexpected　card。　Every　year　they　received　two　or　three　from　total　strangers　and　a　few　from　folks　who　hadn't　sent　them　before；　and　within　twenty…four　hours　she'd　dash　off　the　Kranks'　holiday　greetings　in　response；　always　with　her　standard　handwritten　note　of　good　cheer　and　peace　be　with　you。　
　Of　course　it　was　foolish。
　She　decided　that　she　wouldn't　miss　the　entire　ritual　of　Christmas　cards。　She　wouldn't　miss　the　tedium　of　writing　all　those　little　messages；　and　hand…addressing　a　hundred　or　so　envelopes；　and　stamping　them；　and　mailing　them；　and　worrying　about　who　she　forgot。　She　wouldn't　miss　the　bulk　they　added　to　the　daily　mail；　and　the　hastily　opened　envelopes；　and　the　standard　greetings　from　people　as　hurried　as　herself。
　Freed　of　Christmas　cards；　Nora　called　Luther　for　a　little　propping。　He　was　at　his　desk。　She　replayed　the　encounter　with　Aubie。　〃That　little　worm；〃　Luther　mumbled。　〃Congratulations；〃　he　said　when　she　finished。
　〃It　wasn't　hard　at　all；〃　she　gushed。
　〃Just　think　of　all　those　beaches；　dear；　just　waiting　down　there。〃
　〃What　have　you　eaten？〃　she　asked。
　〃Nothing。　I'm　still　at　three　hundred　calories。〃
　〃Me　too。〃
　When　she　hung　up；　Luther　returned　to　the　task　at　hand。　He　wasn't　crunching　numbers　or　grappling　with　IRS　regs；　as　usual；　but　instead　he　was　drafting　a　letter　to　his　colleagues。　His　first　Christmas　letter。　In　it；　he　was　carefully　and　artfully　explaining　to　the　office　why　he　would　not　be　participating　in　the　holiday　rituals；　and；　in　turn；　he　would　appreciate　it　if　everyone　else　just　left　him　alone。　He　would　buy　no　gifts　and　would　accept　none。　Thank　you　anyway。　He　would　not　attend　the　firm's　black…tie　Christmas　dinner；　nor　would　he　be　there　for　the　drunken　mess　they　called　the　office　party。　He　didn't　want　the　cognac　and　the　ham　that　certain　clients　gave　to　all　the　big　shots　each　year。　He　wasn't　angry　and　he　would　not　yell　〃Humbug！〃　at　anyone　who　offered　him　a　〃Merry　Christmas。〃
　He　was　simply　skipping　Christmas。　And　taking　a　cruise　instead。
　He　spent　most　of　the　quiet　morning　on　his　letter；　and　typed　it　himself。　He　would　place　a　copy　on　every　desk　at　Wiley　&　Beck。
　The　gravity　of　their　scheme　hit　hard　the　next　day；　just　after　dinner。　It　was　entirely　possible　to　enjoy　Christmas　without　cards；　without　parties　and　dinners；　without　needless　gifts；　without　a　lot　of　things　that　for　some　reason　had　been　piled　onto　the　birth　of　Christ。　But　how　could　anyone　get　through　the　holidays　without　a　tree？
　Skip　the　tree；　and　Luther　knew　they　just　might　pull　it　off。
　They　were　clearing　the　table；　though　there　was　precious　little　to　clear。　Baked　chicken　and　cottage　cheese　made　for　an　easy　cleanup；　and　Luther　was　still　hungry　when　the　doorbell　rang。
　〃I'll　get　it；〃　he　said。　Through　the　front　window　of　the　living　room　he　saw　the　trailer　out　in　the　street；　and　he　knew　instantly　that　the　next　fifteen　minutes　would　not　be　pleasant。　He　opened　the　door　and　was　met　with　three　smiling　faces…two　youngsters　dressed　smartly　in　full　Boy　Scout　regalia；　and　behind　them　Mr。　Scanlon；　the　neighborhood's　permanent　scoutmaster。　He　too　was　in　uniform。
　〃Good　evening；〃　Luther　said　to　the　kids。
　〃Hello；　Mr。　Krank。　I'm　Randy　Bogan；〃　said　the　taller　of　the　two。　〃We're　selling　Christmas　trees　again　this　year。〃
　〃Got　yours　out　on　the　trailer；〃　said　the　shorter　one。
　'You　had　a　Canadian　blue　spruce　last　year；　Mr。　Scan…Ion　said。
　Luther　glanced　beyond　them；　to　the　long　flatbed　trailer　covered　with　two　neat　rows　of　trees。　A　small　army　of　Scouts　was　busy　unloading　and　hauling　them　away　to　Luther's　neighbors。　
　〃How　much？〃　Luther　asked。
　〃Ninety　dollars；　answered　Randy。　〃We　had　to　go　up　a　little　'cause　our　supplier　went　up　too。〃
　Eighty　last　year；　Luther　almost　said　but　held　his　tongue。
　Nora　materialized　from　nowhere　and　suddenly　had　her　chin　on　his　shoulder。　〃They're　so　cute；〃　she　whispered。
　The　boys　or　the　trees？　Luther　almost　asked。　Why　couldn't　she　stay　in　the　kitchen　and　let　him　slug　his　way　through　this　one？
　With　a　big　fake　smile；　Luther　said；　〃Sorry；　but　we're　not　buying　one　this　year〃
　Blank　faces。　Puzzled　faces。　Sad　faces。　A　groan　from　just　over　his　shoulder　as　the　pain　hit　Nora。　Looking　at　the　boys；　with　his　wife　literally　breathing　down　his　neck；　Luther　Krank　knew　that　this　was　the　pivotal　moment。　Snap　here；　and　the　floodgates　would　open。　Buy　a　tree；　then　decorate　it；　then　realize　that　no　tree　looks　plete　without　a　pile　of　presents　stuffed　under　it。
　Hang　tough；　old　boy；　Luther　urged　himself；　just　as　his　wife　whispered；　〃Oh　dear。〃
　〃Hush；〃　he　hissed　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth。
　The　boys　stared　up　at　Mr。　Krank；　as　if　he'd　just　taken　the　last　coins　from　their　pockets。
　〃Sorry　we　had　to　go　up　on　the　price；〃　Randy　said　sadly。
　〃We're　making　less　per　tree　than　last　year；　Mr。　Scanlon　added　helpfully。
　〃It's　not　the　price；　boys；〃　Luther　said　with　another　bogus　grin。　〃We're　not　doing　Christmas　this　year。　Gonna　be　out　of　town。　No　need　for　a　tree。　Thanks　anyway。〃
　The　boys　began　looking　at　their　feet；　as　wounded　children　will　do；　and　Mr。　Scanlon　appeared　to　be　heartbroken。　Nora　offered　another　pitiful　groan；　and　Luther；　near　panic；　had　a　brilliant　thought。　〃Don't　you　boys　go　out　West　each　year；　for　a　big　camporee　of　some　sort？　New　Mexico；　in　August；　I　seem　to　recall　from　a　flyer。〃
　They　were　caught　off　guard　but　all　three　nodded　slowly。
　〃Good；　here's　the　deal。　I'll　pass　on　the　tree；　but　you　guys　e　back　in　the　summer　and　I'll　give　you　a　hundred　bucks　for　your　trip。〃
　Randy　Bogan　managed　to　say　〃Thanks；　but　only　because　he　felt　obligated。　They　suddenly　wanted　to　leave。
　Luther　slowly　closed　the　door　on　them；　then　waited。　They　stood　there　on　the　front　steps　for　a　moment　or　two；　then　retreated　down　the　drive；　glancing　over　their　shoulders。
　When　they　reached　the　truck　another　adult；　in　uniform；　was　told　the　bizarre　news。　Others　heard　it；　and　before　long　activity　around　the　trailer　came　to　a　halt　as　the
　Scouts　and　their　leaders　grouped　at　the　end　of　the　Kranks'　driveway　and　stared　at　the　Krank　house　as　if　aliens　were　on　the　roof。
　Luther　crouched　low　and　peeked　around　the　open　curtains　of　the　living　room。　〃What　are　they　doing？〃　Nora　whispered　behind　him；　crouching　too。
　〃Just　staring；　I　guess。〃　
　〃Maybe　we　should've　bought　one。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Don't　have　to　put　it　up；　you　know。〃
　〃Quiet。〃
　〃Just　keep　it　in　the　backyard。〃
　〃Stop　it；　Nora。　Why　are　you　whispering？　This　is　our　house。〃
　〃Same　reason　you're　hiding　behind　the　curtains。〃
　He　stood　straight　and　closed　the　curtains。　The　Scouts　moved　on；　their　trailer　inching　down　the　street　as　the　trees　on　Hemlock　Street　were　delivered。
　Luther　built　a　fire　and　settled　into　his　recliner　for　some　reading；　tax　stuff。　He　was　alone　because　Nora　was　pouting；　a　short　spell　that　would　be　over　by　morning。
　If　he'd　faced　down　the　Boy　Scouts；　then　who　should　he　fear？　More　encounters　were　ing；　no　doubt；　and　that　was　one　of　the　very　reasons　Luther　disliked　Christmas。　Everybody　selling　something；　raising　money；　looking　for　a　tip；　a　bonus；　something；　something；　something。　He　grew　indignant　again　and　felt　fine。
　He　eased　from　the　house　an　hour　later。　On　the　sidewalk　that　bordered　Hemlock；　he　shuffled　along；　going　nowhere。　The　air　was　cool　and　light。　After　a　few　steps　he　stopped　by　the　Beckers'　mailbox　and　looked　into　the　front　window　of　the　living　room；　not　far　away。　They　were　decorating　their　tree；　and　he　could　almost　hear　the　bickering。　Ned　Becker　was　balancing　himself　on　the　top　rung　of　a　small　ladder　and　stringing　lights；　while　Jude　Becker　stood　back　a　step　and　carped　directions。　Jude's　mother；　an　ageless　wonder　even　more　terrifying　than　Jude　herself；　was　also　in　on　the　fray。　She　was　pointing　directions　to　poor　Ned；　and　her　directions　were　in　sharp　conflict　to　those　of　Jude。　String　them　here；　string　them　there。　That　branch；　no　that　other　branch。　Can't　you　see　that　gap　there？　What　on　earth　are　you　looking　at？　Meanwhile；　Rocky　Becker；　their　twenty…year…old　dropout；　was　sitting　on　the　sofa　with　a　can　of　something；　laughing　at　them　and　offering　advice　that　was　apparently　being　ignored。　He　was　the　only　one　laughing；　though。
　The　scene　made　Luther　smile。　It　reinforced　his　wisdom；　made　him　proud　of　his　decision　to　simply　avoid　the　whole　mess。
　He　shuffled　along；　filling　his　haughty　lungs　with　the　cool　air；　happy　that　for　the　first　time　in　his　life　he　was　eliminating　the　dreaded　ritual　of　the　tree　trimming。　Two　doors　down　he　stopped　and　watched　the　Frohmeyer　clan　assault　an　eight…foot　spruce。　Mr。　Frohmeyer　had　brought　two　kids　to　the　marriage。　Mrs。　Frohmeyer　had　arrived　with　three　of　her　own；　after　which　they