jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第8部分

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read　that　Dr。　Piltcher　would　be　giving　a　talk　the　next　night　on　〃Cataclysm　and　Its　Role　in　Cultural　Development。〃
　Kenny　had　heard　of　Dr。　Piltcher。　Among　the　students；　the　professor　had　a　kind　of　disreputation　as　a　brilliant　man　who　collected　degrees　like　others　collected　coins。　He　wandered　from　university　to　university　teaching　different　subjects　and　earning　new　degrees。　He　started　at　Yale　as　a　geologist；　then　taught　at　the　University　of　Michigan　as　a　zoologist；　and　then　briefly　at　BYU　and　Oregon　State　University　as　a　lecturer　in　paleontology。　Somewhere　along　the　way　he　picked　up　degrees　in　puter　information　science　and　management。　His　interest　in　systems　approaches　to　civilizations　and　organizations；　and　the　climate　of　southern　Oregon；　lead　him　to　OIT。　Kenny　overheard　one　faculty　member　describing　Dr。　Piltcher's　academic　career　as　working　down　the　ladder　of　success。
　His　last　eight　years　had　been　spent　teaching　in　the　systems　science　program　at　OIT。　Until　his　retirement　he　had　been　a　lackluster　teacher　in　his　field　but　dynamic　when　chasing　rabbits　through　his　lectures。　All　a　student　had　to　do　was　make　a　reference　to　some　obscure　subject　and　Dr。　Piltcher　would　be　off　on　the　new　topic；　only　to　discover　twenty　or　thirty　minutes　later　he　had　been　sidetracked。　His　passion　for　the　obscure　shone　through　as　he　held　bored　management　students　spellbound　when　he　rhapsodized　about　the　books　of　the　Sibyl；　or　the　annals　of　the　kings　of　Tezcuco　as　recorded　by　the　Native　American　scholar　Ixtlilxochitl。　Where　Dr。　Piltcher　was　dry　as　dust　when　talking　about　Theory　Y　management　and　the　Hawthorne　effect；　he　would　speak　with　passion　about　the　Buddhist　sacred　book　Visuddhi…Magga。
　The　flyer's　reference　to　〃cataclysm〃　brought　Kenny　to　the　lecture　hall　the　next　night。　Thirty　people　sat　scattered　in　a　room　built　to　hold　one　hundred。　Most　were　munity　residents　who　lived　on　the　fringe；　drifting　from　one　New　Age　philosophy　or　religion　to　another。　Some　of　the　others　were　elderly；　drawn　to　anything　that　was　free　and　maybe　interesting。　There　were　a　few　students　there　besides　Kenny。　Although　Kenny　didn't　know　Petra's　name　then；　he　picked　her　pretty　face；　long　brown　hair；　and　slender　shape　out　of　the　stragglers　who　entered　as　the　lecture　began。　Mrs。　Wayne　was　there　too；　the　opposite　of　Petra；　plump　and　busty；　with　rounded　features　and　bottle　blond　hair。
　Dr。　Piltcher　was　introduced　by　Dr。　Coombs；　whom　Kenny　didn't　know。　Dr。　Coombs　wasn't　on　the　faculty　at　OIT。　A　tall　man；　well　muscled　and　tan；　Kenny　would　later　discover　that　Dr。　Coombs　was　a　local　chiropractor　who　had　taught　anthropology　for　years　at　the　University　of　Oregon　but　then　opted　out　of　the　publish…or…perish　environment　of　academia。
　Dr。　Coombs　listed　Dr。　Piltcher's　numerous　degrees　and　papers；　and　then　introduced　the　night's　topic　by　describing　Dr。　Piltcher's　research　into　ancient　history　and　geology。　The　introduction　ended　to　light　applause。　Kenny　noticed　Mrs。　Wayne　applauded　loudest　of　all。　At　the　podium；　Dr。　Piltcher　placed　a　sheaf　of　yellow　paper　on　it；　pulled　a　pair　of　glasses　out　of　his　pocket；　perched　them　on　his　nose；　and　began。
　The　lecture　described　how　fossil　remains　of　hippos　were　found　in　West　Yorkshire；　England；　1450　feet　above　sea　level。　Dr。　Piltcher　pointed　out　the　absurdity　of　hippopotami　in　the　northern　latitudes　of　England；　climbing　the　hills　to　their　resting　place　so　far　from　the　sea。　Dr。　Piltcher　argued　the　only　reasonable　explanation　was　geologic　catastrophe。　In　the　past　when　the　climate　of　the　earth　was　uniform　from　pole　to　equator　to　pole；　the　poles　were　thirty　degrees　warmer　than　they　are　today。　Under　those　conditions　the　planet　would　support　near…tropical　growth　from　the　equator　to　near　the　poles。　In　that　era；　Dr。　Piltcher　theorized；　there　was　no　tilt　to　the　earth's　axis。　But　the　passage　of　a　large　et　or　planet　changed　all　that。　The　resulting　tilt　cooled　the　poles；　warmed　the　equator；　and　created　the　distinct　seasons　we　experience。
　Kenny　found　himself　absorbed。　Soon　he　realized　he　was　beginning　to　feel　the　same　way　about　the　hippopotami　as　he　had　when　the　corn　fell　out　of　the　sky。
　The　lecture　was　followed　by　a　debate　between　Dr。　Coombs　and　Dr。　Piltcher；　Dr。　Coombs　argued　that　the　presence　of　hippopotami　remains　could　be　explained　by　a　migration　of　hippos　leaving　North　Africa；　perhaps　by　the　Nile。　Dr。　Coombs　argued　the　animals　could　have　swum　ever　northward；　pausing　in　their　migrations　in　the　winter；　swimming　north　only　during　the　warm　summer　months。　Eventually　they　would　have　reached　England　and　worked　their　way　to　the　places　in　England　where　they　were　found。
　But　Dr。　Piltcher　immediately　and　vehemently　disagreed。　〃What　would　motivate　the　hippopotami　to　move　from　warm　equatorial　waters　to　the　frigid　waters　of　the　North　Atlantic？〃　he　thundered。　〃How　could　a　hippo　survive　in　such　a　radically　different　climate？〃
　〃They　did　not　survive；〃　responded　Dr。　Coombs。　〃Isn't　that　the　point？　The　hippos　could　not　survive　in　the　climate　they　had　migrated　to。〃
　〃But　what　motivation？　What　instinct　would　drive　them　north？　And　when　they　reached　the　north；　what　would　drive　them　inland　and　up　the　hills　and　mountains　to　die？〃
　〃Why　do　whales　beach　themselves？〃　Dr。　Coombs　challenged　him。　〃Perhaps　if　they　had　legs　they　would　not　only　beach　themselves　but　crawl　up　the　nearest　mountain。〃
　〃So　why　do　we　not　see　hippopotami　migrating　today？〃　came　Dr。　Piltcher's　reply。
　The　debate　went　back　and　forth　for　twenty　minutes。　As　Kenny　listened　he　realized　it　held　no　acrimony。　Rather；　it　seemed　like　a　well…orchestrated　performance；　with　Dr。　Piltcher　given　the　more　dramatic　role。　Dr。　Coombs　responded　reasonably　but　without　Dr。　Piltcher's　passion　and　volume。
　Afterward　a　few　people　went　up　to　talk　with　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Dr。　Coombs；　but　Kenny　held　back；　embarrassed　to　speak　of　his　experience　in　front　of　strangers。　Most　of　the　people　had　gone　except　Mrs。　Wayne；　Petra；　and　Dr。　Coombs；　who　seemed　to　be　preparing　to　leave　with　Dr。　Piltcher；　Kenny　swallowed　his　embarrassment　and　called　out　Dr。　Piltcher's　name　when　he　passed。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Dr。　Piltcher　replied。
　〃Something　happened　that　I　wanted　to　tell　you　about　。　。　。　this　corn　just　started　falling　out　of　the　sky。。。　I　mean　it　was　strange　。　。　。　right　out　of　the　blue。　I'm　not　making　this　up。　It　really　happened！　And　I　have　a　theory　of　why　it　happened　。　。　。　only　an　idea；　really。　I　thought　you　might　be　able　to　help　me　understand　it　better。〃
　Kenny　paused；　wishing　he　had　thought　out　ahead　of　time　what　he　was　going　to　say。　It　sounded　so　lame　to　him；　so　vague。　Kenny　paused；　waiting　to　get　brushed　off　again；　or　worse。　He　expected　a　blank　look　or　exasperation　from　Dr。　Piltcher　and　amusement　from　Dr。　Piltcher's　followers。　To　his　amazement　he　found　interest　in　their　eyes　and　wele　from　Dr。　Piltcher。
　〃That's　a　story　I'd　like　to　hear；　but　not　here。　I　need　my　coffee。〃
　Kenny　followed　the　chiropractor's　minivan　to　the　edge　of　Klamath　Falls。　Down　a　long　drive；　a　two…story　frame　house　sat　in　an　unkempt　cluttered　yard。　Inside　Dr。　Piltcher's　home　every　wall　was　covered　with　floor…to…ceiling　bookshelves。　More　books　and　boxes　filled　with　papers　and　journals　were　stacked　on　the　floor；　almost　concealing　a　soiled　flowered　carpet。　The　others　in　the　group；　experienced　visitors；　picked　up　stacks　of　books　and　papers　off　the　overstuffed　furniture　and　added　them　to　the　piles　on　the　floor。　Kenny　followed　their　lead　and　made　space　in　a　lumpy　armchair。　While　Mrs。　Wayne　and　Dr。　Piltcher　disappeared　from　the　room　to　make　coffee；　the　others　discussed　the　debate　over　the　hippo　fossils。　Kenny　listened；　but　felt　unfortable　and　ignored。　When　Dr。　Piltcher　and　Mrs。　Wayne　returned；　Dr。　Piltcher　turned　immediately　to　Kenny。
　〃Well；　Kenny。　Tell　us　about　what　happened　to　you；〃　he　urged　encouragingly。
　Feeling　more　at　ease；　Kenny　started　into　his　story　slowly；　describing　the　hunting　trip　and　the　strange　corn　shower；　how　he　was　led　to　research　other　strange　events　through　books　and　articles。　As　he　talked　they　listened　with　rapt　attention；　no　disbelief　on　their　faces；　until　he　found　himself　not　only　describing　the　event　but　also　his　feelings。　He　shared　his　awe　and　fear　when　the　corn　fell。　He　described　his　estrangement　from　his　father；　friends；　and　finally　his　sister。
　He　could　tell　by　their　eyes　that　almost　everyone　in　this　cluttered　room　had　shared　his　experience；　they　all　actively　listened。　When　he　was　done　there　was　silence。　He　watched　for　reactions　from　the　group；　but　they　all　turned　to　Dr。　Piltcher；　who　sat　bing　his　thinning　hair　with　his　fingers。　Then　he　spoke。
　〃Sound　familiar　to　you；　George？〃
　Dr。　Coombs　was　rocking　in　his　chair；　with　his　arms　folded　behind　his　head；　studying　the　ceiling。　Ten　years　younger　than　Dr。　Piltcher；　balding　and　gray…templed；　Dr。　Coombs　stopped　rocking　long　enough　to　answer。　〃That　it　does；　Chester。〃
　〃Let's　start　with　the　easy　one；　shall　we？〃　Dr。　Piltcher　suggested。　〃Burning　sulfur　falling　on　Sodom　and　Gomorrah。　Destroyed　the　whole　damned　city…pun　intended。　Your　turn；　George。〃
　〃Frogs　falling　on　Egypt；　as　recorded　in　the　Bible　and　Midrash。〃　Dr。　Coombs　said　it　without　taking　his　eyes　off　of　the　ceiling。
　〃The　biblical　plagues　are　too　easy。　Locusts　and　flies　also　came　out　of　nowhere。　Too　easy！　How　about　the　hail　of　hot　stones　as　recorded