Why？ If it wasn't an effort to get himself thrown out of the good job Al had
snagged for him； then what was it？
He deposited the rest of the money in the slots and hung up the phone。 It
really was the senseless kind of thing he might have done if he had been drunk。
But he had been sober； dead cold sober。
Walking out of the drugstore be crunched another Excedrin into his mouth；
grimacing yet relishing the bitter taste。
On the walk outside he met Wendy and Danny。
〃Hey； we were just ing after you；〃 Wendy said。 〃Snowing； don't you know。〃
Jack blinked up。 〃So it is。〃 It was snowing hard。 Sidewinder's main street was
already heavily powdered； the center line obscured。 Danny had his head tilted up
to the white sky； his mouth open and his tongue out to catch some of the fat
flakes drifting down。
〃Do you think this is it？〃 Wendy asked。
Jack shrugged。 〃I don't know。 I was hoping for another week or two of grace。
We still might get it。〃
Grace； that was it。
（I'm sorry； Al。 Grace； your mercy。 For your mercy。 One more chance。 I am
heartily sorry — ）
How many times； over how many years； had he — a grown man — asked for the mercy
of another chance？ He was suddenly so sick of himself； so revolted； that he
could have groaned aloud。
〃How's your headache？〃 she asked； studying him closely。
He put an arm around her and hugged her tight。 〃Better。 e on； you two；
let's go home while we still can。〃
They walked back to where the hotel truck was slantparked against the curb；
Jack in the middle； his left arm around Wendy's shoulders； his right hand
holding Danny's hand。 He had called it home for the first time； for better or
worse。
As he got behind the truck's wheel it occurred to him that while he was
fascinated by the Overlook； he didn't much like it。 He wasn't sure it was good
for either his wife or his son or himself。 Maybe that was why he had called
Ullman。
To be fired while there was still time。
He backed the truck out of its parking space and headed them out of town and
up into the mountains。
》
NIGHT THOUGHTS
It was ten o'clock。 Their quarters were filled with counterfeit sleep。
Jack lay on his side facing the wall； eyes open； listening to Wendy's slow and
regular breathing。 The taste of dissolved aspirin was still on his tongue；
making it feel rough and slightly numb。 Al Shockley had called at quarter of
six； quarter of eight back East。 Wendy had been downstairs with Danny； sitting
in front of the lobby fireplace and reading。
〃Person to person；〃 the operator said； 〃for Mr。 Jack Torrance。〃
〃Speaking。〃 He had switched the phone to his right hand； had dug his
handkerchief out of his back pocket with his left； and had wiped his tender lips
with it。 Then he lit a cigarette。
Al's voice then； strong in his ear： 〃Jacky…boy； what in the name of God are
you up to？〃
〃Hi； Al。〃 He snuffed the cigarette and groped for the Excedrin bottle。
〃What's going on； Jack？ I got this weird phone call from Stuart Ullman this
afternoon。 And when Stu Ullman calls long…distance out of his own pocket； you
know the shit has hit the fan。〃
〃Ullman has nothing to worry about； Al。 Neither do you。〃
〃What exactly is the nothing we don't have to worry about？ Stu made it sound
like a cross between blackmail and a National Enquirer feature on the Overlook。
Talk to me； boy。〃
〃I wanted to poke him a little；〃 Jack said。 〃When I came up here to be
interviewed； he had to drag out all my dirty laundry。 Drinking problem。 Lost
your last job for racking over a student。 Wonder if you're the right man for
this。 Et cetera。 The thing that bugged me was that he was bringing all this up
because he loved the goddamn hotel so much。 The beautiful Overlook。 The
traditional Overlook。 The bloody sacred Overlook。 Well； I found a scrapbook in
the basement。 Somebody had put together all the less savory aspects of Ullman's
cathedral； and it looked to me like a little black mass had been going on after
hours。〃
〃I hope that's metaphorical； Jack。〃 Al's voice sounded frighteningly cold。
〃It is。 But I did find out — 〃
〃I know the hotel's history。〃
Jack ran a hand through his hair。 〃So I called him up and poked him with it。 I
admit it wasn't very bright； and I sure wouldn't do it again。 End of story。〃
〃Stu says you're planning to do a little dirty…laundry…airing yourself。〃
〃Stu is an asshole！〃 he barked into the phone。 〃I told him I had an idea of
writing about the Overlook； yes。 I do。 I think this place forms an index of the
whole post…World War II American character。 That sounds like an inflated claim；
stated so baldly 。。。 I know it does 。。。 but it's all here； Al！ My God； it
could be a great book。 But it's far in the future； I can promise you that； I've
got more on my plate right now than I can eat； and — 〃
〃Jack； that's not good enough。〃
He found himself gaping at the black receiver of the phone； unable to believe
what he had surely heard。 〃What？ Al； did you say — ？〃
〃I said what I said。 How long is far in the future； Jack？ For you it may be
two years； maybe five。 For me it's thirty or forty； because I expect to be
associated with the Overlook for a long time。 The thought of you doing some sort
of a scum…job on my hotel and passing it off as a great piece of American
writing； that makes me sick。〃
Jack was speechless。
〃I tried to help you； Jacky…boy。 We went through the war together； and I
thought I owed you some help。 You remember the war？〃
〃I remember it；〃 he muttered； but the coals of resentment had begun to glow
around his heart。 First Ullman； then Wendy； now Al。 What was this？ National
Let's Pick Jack Torrance Apart Week？ He clamped his lips more tightly together；
reached for his cigarettes； and knocked them off onto the floor。 Had he ever
liked this cheap prick talking to him from his mahogany…lined den in Vermont？
Had he really？
〃Before you hit that Hatfield kid；〃 Al was saying； 〃I had talked the Board out
of letting you go and even had them swung around to considering tenure。 You blew
that one for yourself。 I got you this hotel thing； a nice quiet place for you to
get yourself together； finish your play； and wait it out until Harry Effinger
and I could convince the rest of those guys that they made a big mistake。 Now it
looks like you want to chew my arm off on your way to a bigger killing。 Is that
the way you say thanks to your friends； Jack？〃
〃No；〃 he whispered。
He didn't dare say more。 His head was throbbing with the hot； acid…etched
words that wanted to get out。 He tried desperately to think of Danny and Wendy；
depending on him； Danny and Wendy sitting peacefully downstairs in front of the
fire and working on the first of the second…grade reading primers； thinking
everything was A…OK。 If he lost this job； what then？ Off to California in that
tired old VW with the distintegrating fuel pump like a family of dustbowl Okies？
He told himself he would get down on his knees and beg Al before he let that
happen； but still the words struggled to pour out； and the hand holding the hot
wires of his rage felt greased。
〃What？〃 Al said sharply。
〃No；〃 he said。 〃That is not the way I treat my friends。 And you know it。〃
〃How do I know it？ At the worst； you're planning to smear my hotel by digging
up bodies that were decently buried years ago。 At the best； you call up my
temperamental but extremely petent hotel manager and work him into a frenzy
as part of some 。。。 some stupid kid's game。〃
〃It was more than a game； Al。 It's easier for you。 You don't have to take some
rich friend's charity。 You don't need a friend in court because you are the
court。 The fact that you were one step from a brown…bag lush goes pretty much
unmentioned； doesn't it？〃
〃I suppose it does；〃 Al said。 His voice had dropped a notch and he sounded
tired of the whole thing。 〃But Jack； Jack 。。。 I can't help that。 I can't
change that。〃
〃I know；〃 Jack said emptily。 〃Am I fired？ I guess you better tell me if I am。〃
〃Not if you'll do two things for me。〃
〃All right。〃
〃Hadn't you better hear the conditions before you accept them？〃
〃No。 Give me your deal and I'll take it。 There's Wendy and Danny to think
about。 If you want my balls； I'll send them airmail。〃
〃Are you sure selfpity is a luxury you can afford； Jack？〃
He had closed his eyes and slid an Excedrin between his dry lips。 〃At this
point I feel it's the only one I can afford。 Fire away 。。。 no pun intended。〃
Al was silent for a moment。 Then he said： 〃First； no more calls to Ullman。 Not
even if the place burns down。 If that happens； call the maintenance man； that
guy who swears all the time； you know who I mean 。。。〃
〃Watson。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Okay。 Done。〃
〃Second； you promise me； Jack。 Word of honor。 No book about a famous Colorado
mountain hotel with a history。〃
For a moment his rage was so great that be literally could not speak。 The
blood beat loudly in his ears。 It was like getting a call from some twentieth…
century Medici prince 。。。 no portraits of my family with their warts showing；
please； or back to the rabble you'll go。 I subsidize no pictures but pretty
pictures。 When you paint the daughter of my good friend and business partner；
please omit birthmark or back to the rabble you'll go。 Of course we're friends。。。
we are both civilized men aren't we？ We've shared bed and board and bottle。
We'll always be friends； and the dog collar I have on you will always be ignored
by mutual consent； and I'll take good and benevolent care of you。 All I ask in
return is your soul。 Small item。 We can even ignore the fact that you've handed
it over； the way we ignore the dog collar。 Remember； my talented friend； there
are Michelangelos begging everywhere in the streets of Rome 。。。
〃Jack？ You there？〃
He made a strangled noise that was intended to be the word yes。
Al's voice was firm and very sure of itself。 〃I really don't think I'm asking
so much； Jack。 And there will be other books。 You just can't expect me to
subsidize you while you 。。。〃
〃All right； agreed。〃
〃I don't want you to think I'm trying to control your artistic life； Jack。 You
know me better than that。 It's just that 〃
〃What？〃
〃Is Derwent still involved with the Overlook？ Somehow？〃
〃I don't see how that can possibly be any concern of yours； Jack。〃
〃No；〃 he said distantly。 〃I suppose it isn't。 Listen； Al； I think I hear Wendy
calling me for something。 I'll get back to you。〃
〃Sure thing； Jacky…boy。 We'll have a good talk。 How are things？ Dry？〃
YOU'VE GOT YOUR POUND OF FLESH BLOOD AND ALL NOW CAN'T YOU LEAVE
ME ALONE？）
〃As a bone。〃
〃Here too。 I'm actually beginning to enjoy sobriety。 If — 〃
〃I'll get back； Al。 Wendy — 〃
〃Sure。 Okay。〃
And so he had hung up and that was when the cramps had e； hitting him like
lightning bolts； making him curl up in front of the telephone like a penitent；
hands over his belly； head throbbing like a monstrous bladder。
The moving wasp； having stung moves on 。。。
It had pa