Chapter 3 third chapter

The girl at the front table in the Harris Pavilion was annoyed at being dragged into a weekend night reception job, but she spent the weekend trying to have as much fun as possible, namely observing the courtship rituals of her peers.When Jeff walked in, she gave Jeff a cold look, and when she called upstairs to inform Judy.There was a hint of irony in Gordon's tone when he said her date had arrived.She probably knew that he had kept Judy waiting all night yesterday, and had even overheard Jeff's call to Judy at a gas station near McComb that afternoon. The girl's mysterious expression of whether to smile or not made Jeff a little nervous.He sat down on one of the uncomfortable sofas in the adjoining drawing room, where a ponytailed, brunette girl and her male companion were playing on an old Steinway piano by the fireplace. <Heart and Spirit>.The girl smiled and waved to him when he entered the room.He had no recollection of who she was, maybe Judy's friend, he'd long since forgotten, but he nodded and smiled back at her.Eight or nine young people were scattered in the spacious reception room.Two of them brought flowers, and one held Whitman's candy in a heart-shaped box.All had restrained expressions on their faces, but they couldn't hide their eager but uneasy anticipation: they were suitors in front of the temple of Aphrodite, longing for the favor of the nymph who lived in this fortress but had not yet passed. Lover of the test.Date night in 1963.

Jeff remembered exactly.In fact, he noticed with some distaste that even now his palms were sweating from the tension. Shrill, high-pitched laughter came from the stairs and floated into the hall.The young people in the reception room straightened their ties, looked at their watches, and put their restless locks back into place.The two girls found their respective guards and led them through the gate into the mysterious night. Twenty minutes later, Judy finally appeared, with a deliberately cold and resolute expression on her face.Yet Jeff only noticed how incredibly young she was, and that she exuded a youthful tenderness, and not just because she was a teenager.He knew that eighties girls (women) her age didn't look like that, they couldn't be this young and innocent.From Janice.The appearance of girls has changed since Joplin's time, and it is certainly impossible for the generations after Madonna to return to the past.

Well, said Judy, I'm glad you showed up on time tonight. Jeff stood awkwardly and gave Judy an apologetic smile.I was really sorry last night, he said, I wasn't feeling well and I wasn't feeling right.You don't want to go out with me. You can make a phone call first.she said petulantly.Her arms are crossed under her breasts, accentuating the sheepish hump of her crew-neck shirt.A beige cashmere sweater slung over her arm, and she wore a light cotton skirt with low ankle-heeled shoes.Jeff smelled her Lanvin perfume mixed with floral shampoo and found himself dreaming of the golden bangs dancing mischievously above her big blue eyes.I know, he said, I wish I'd called.

Her expression softened, and the confrontation was over before it began.She could never be angry for long, Jeff remembered. You missed a really good movie last night, and there's not a hint of displeasure in her tone, and the movie starts with the girl buying a bird at the pet store, and then Rod.Tyler pretends to be an employee there On the way out to get into Jeff's Chevrolet, she continued to narrate most of the action.He pretends not to be familiar with the twists and turns, even though he's only recently seen them in a Hitchcock retrospective showing on HBO's cycle, and, of course, he's seen the film, with Judy when it first came out, just Twenty-five years ago last night, in another first half of his life.

Then the guy went to the gas station and had a cigarette, but well, I don't want to spoil your enjoyment of watching the movie by telling you what happened next.This movie is really creepy.I wouldn't mind watching it again if you want to.Or we can watch "Happy Tonight".Do you want to see that one? I would rather sit and talk, he said, how about finding a place to have a beer and something to eat? Of course good.she said with a smile.To Moy & Joey? OK.That's on Ponce de Leon Boulevard, right? Judy frowned.No, it was Manuel's Tavern.Don't say you forgot to turn left, now!She turned from her seat and gave him an odd look.Hey, you are really weird, is there something wrong?

no big deal.Just like what I told you, it's just that the situation is not good for a while.He recognized the entrance to the old place he used to frequent in college and parked the car on the corner. The furnishings in the tavern were not quite what Jeff remembered.He thought the bar would be on the left after entering the door, not the right; the seats seemed to be different, higher and darker.He led Judy to the seats at the back of the tavern, and there was a man about his age on the way, no, he corrected, it was a man in his early forties, much older than him, and he patted Jeff on the shoulder with an attitude Very friendly.

Jeff, how are you doing?This lovely young girl is your friend, introduce me? Jeff looked at the man's face with blank eyes.A man with glasses and a black and white goatee grinned at him.The look looked familiar, but he couldn't think of anything else. This is Judy.Gordon.Judy, uh, let me introduce you, this is Professor Samuel, Judy rushed to say, my roommate is taking your medieval literature. her name is? Paula.Hawkins. The smile on the man's face grew warmer, and he nodded twice.Excellent student, Paula, bright young lady.I think my class evaluation is not bad, right? Oh yes, professor.Judy said.Paula and I have talked all about you.

Well, maybe I'll be lucky enough to see you in class in the fall? I'm not sure yet, Professor Samuel.I haven't decided how to arrange next year's classes. Come to my office sometime and we can talk.And you, Jeff, that Chaucer report is well written, but the citations are not complete enough, and I'll give you a B.Be careful next time, Jeff? I will remember, Professor. very good.See you in class.He waved to them and sat back to enjoy his beer. They got to their seats and Judy slid into the chair after Jeff and started giggling. What's so funny? You don't know him?Dr. Samuel?

Jeff couldn't even remember the professor's name. I don't know him, what happened to him? He's a lecherous old man, that's why he's famous.He pursued every girl in his class, as long as she was beautiful.Paula said he once put his hand on her lap after class, which was his specialty. She rubbed and squeezed her girlish fingers on Jeff's leg. can you imagineshe asked, with the excitement of a private plot going on in her tone.He's even older than my dad.Come to my office when you have time, ha!I know what he wants to discuss.For a man his age to do such a thing, have you ever heard anything more disgusting than this?

Her hand remained on Jeff's thigh, within an inch or so of where he was erect.He looked at her innocent round eyes and sweet red lips, and suddenly imagined that Judy lay down on the seat and hugged him.You lecherous old man, he smiled at the thought. What's so funny?she asked. fine. You don't believe me about Dr. Samuel? I believe.No, just you and me, everything.I couldn't help but find it funny, that's all.What would you like to drink? as usual. Triple Spicy Zombie? The worried look faded from Judy's face, and she laughed with him. Fool.I'd like a glass of red wine, as usual.Do you really not remember anything tonight?

Their lips touched, Judy's lips were as soft as he imagined and remembered.The freshness of her hair and the youthful touch of her skin teased him again with a passion he hadn't experienced since being with Linda before marriage.The window was rolled down, and Judy rested the back of her head on the rubber mat of the doorjamb as Jeff kissed her.Andy.Williams was singing "A Time of Red Wine and Roses" on the radio, and dogwood buds mingled with the scent of Judy's soft, clean skin.The car was parked on a wooded street about a mile from campus; after leaving the bar, Judy directed him to drive there. Tonight's conversation was wonderful, beyond Jeff's expectations.Basically he lets the conversation flow along Judy's lines, letting her bring up names and places and events, and he responds from memory or cues from her expression or tone of voice.There was only one time when he slipped his lips accidentally, revealing the message of space-time disorder.They were talking about some students they knew who were planning to move out of campus next year, and Jeff said he might be subletting a separate apartment.Judy had never heard of the term independent apartment, but he said he had read it somewhere, it was a new term popular in California, he thought they might build this kind of house in Atlanta, and used it as a prevarication. As the night grew darker, he felt lighter and happier.The beer helped a little too, but mostly because of being around Judy, giving him the first break from the tension he'd had since the whole thing started.Sometimes, he even finds that he no longer thinks about his future/past all the time.The most important thing is that he is alive, and very well. He brushed back the long blond hair from Judy's cheeks and kissed her cheeks, nose and lips again.She let out a low moan of pleasure as his fingers slid down her breasts to the top button of her blouse.She pushed his hand away and let it slide to her clothed chest again.They kissed a few more times, and then she put her hand on his thigh, like in a tavern booth, but this time she decided to move slightly upwards, until her slender fingers caressed his hard flesh gently. phallic.He caressed along her pantyhose-covered calf, his hand under her skirt, feeling the soft skin above the end of the stocking. Judy broke free from his arms and sat up suddenly. Give me your handkerchief.she whispered. What?I do not She pulled a white handkerchief from his jacket pocket, which he had automatically tucked into his pocket earlier in the evening when he put on his outdated outfit.Jeff reached out to her again, trying to take her in his arms, but she refused. Go, she whispered, smiling sweetly, sitting back obediently, and closing her eyes. He frowned, but complied.She unzips his trousers suddenly, releasing his firmness with a practiced movement that doesn't hesitate.Jeff opened his eyes in amazement to see her staring out the window, her fingers moving in regular rhythms over him.He stopped her hand and held it still. Judy doesn't want to. She looked back at him with concern in her eyes.you don't want tonight It's not like this.He gently removed her hand, adjusted his sitting posture, and closed the zipper of his pants.I want you, I want to be with you, but not this way.We can go somewhere else, find a hotel or She leaned back against the car door, glaring at him.What do you mean?You know I'm not that kind of woman! I just want to say, I hope we can be together, in a way that can express love more.i want to give you You don't have to give me anything!Her face was puckered with anger, and Jeff worried she might cry.I'm trying to help you out, like we used to, but you suddenly think it's not a good idea and want to drag me to a cheap hotel, like you're dealing with whores one by one! For God's sake, Judy, I don't mean that at all.Don't you understand, I just want you to be happy, just like me. She took a lipstick out of her handbag and angrily adjusted the rearview mirror so that she could watch herself put it on.That made me so happy before, thank you so much.Or at least I was happy until tonight. Listen, I'm sorry if I say the wrong thing, okay?I just think Keep your thoughts to yourself, as well as your hands. I didn't mean to make you unhappy.Can we talk about this tomorrow? I don't want to talk, I just want to go back to the dorm, right now.That's it, if you remember how to go back. After dropping Judy off at the dorm, he found a bar on North Choy Hill Road, near the new Lenox Square Mall.Not the place where he'd meet the Emerys, but a pub in the drinking trade, where the older, quieter folks could get some air and leave the loans and the dead marriage life behind for a little bit.Jeff felt at home here, even though he knew he didn't look like a guest of this kind of place.The bartender even checked his ID, and Jeff managed to find the altered ID card he kept on the back of his wallet for the occasion.The bartender grunted incredulously, handed Jeff a double shot of Jack Daniel's and walked away, fumbling pointlessly with the horizontal handle of the black and white television on the bar. Jeff took a slow sip of his whiskey and stared blankly at the TV news.Something happened again in Birmingham; JimmyHoffa indicted in Nashville for illegal jury interference; Ford about to launch Uranus II.Jeff thought of Martin.Luther.King died in Memphis; Hoffa mysteriously disappeared from the world; the sky full of communication satellites made MTV and reruns of "Miami Vice" pervasive all over the world.Brave new world. Tonight's evening with Judy had been pleasant at first, but it had ended in the car with a dismay.He had forgotten how to have unnatural sex.No, not that he forgot, but that he never fully understood it at all, never since the first time it happened to him.Sexual hunger is overwhelmed by newfound emotion and innocence, shimmering and glaring over indecisiveness.What was once a bizarre and wonderful erotic adventure is now stripped bare, cheap, and visible through the distance of time: a quick, manual orgasm in the front seat of a Chevrolet, with sleazy music playing in the background. So, what should he do now, is he fucking perfunctory? Should he indulge himself and explore intense sex games with a pure blonde from another time who has never heard of the pill?Or should he refocus on schoolwork, teenage schmoozing, spring dance, and pretend it's the first time?Should he recite long-forgotten and never-used statistical tables to pass his introduction to sociology? Maybe he doesn't have a goddamn good choice, and if this weird time shift goes on forever, he doesn't have a choice.Maybe he really had to go through this, to do it all over again and live this painful and predictable life year after year.At this moment, the reality he faced became more concrete and even more unshakable.His other self has become a kind of falsehood.He had to accept the fact that he was an eighteen-year-old college freshman, completely dependent on his parents, and that he could now successfully complete dozens of academic courses, filling him with disdain and boredom. The TV news was over, and the sportscaster was muttering about the Division One baseball scores.Jeff ordered another glass of wine, and when the bartender brought the cold glass, Jeff's attention suddenly focused on the words spit out by the Wannian TV like a laser beam. Check out Churchill Meadows, which hasn't been trodden by horses this year. Two ponies from the east may give the California sorrel some color and take home the big prize.Trainer Woody.Stephens came to Derby for the 1963 Grand Prix with an indomitable record and a perfect record, having just come off a beautiful Stepping Stones win.Stephens can't boast of predicting the championship, but Kentucky Fried Chicken Race.Damn, why not?If he had actually lived through the next twenty-five years, rather than imagined or dreamed, one thing was clear: he had a wealth of information to put to good use.He has no technology, can't design computers or anything like that, but of course he can use his knowledge, his knowledge is news knowledge, he knows trends and events that will affect society between now and the mid-eighties.He could make a fortune betting on his knowledge of sporting events and presidential elections.That assumes, of course, that he has a definite and correct grasp of what will happen in the next quarter of a century.As he had realized before, this assumption was not necessarily guaranteed. Hot on the heels.The likely leading horse was Greentree.Stable's mugger buster held the record at one minute and thirty-four seconds, the best time ever run by the three-year-old racehorse from New York.It won the Wood Memorial Cup, following its Shit, who won the Derby's Derby that year?Jeff tried to remember.He had a vague impression of the name Never Surrender. It didn't look like a robber buster, but it still didn't sound right. The two horses and Willie.There's an uphill battle between Humack's team and Miracle Candy Blob from the West.This is a winning combination, folks.While the match looks like a thrilling three-wield battle, the consensus, and the consensus is pretty strong, is that Candy Blob is about to wear the championship wreath this Saturday. The name doesn't sound like it either.Which horse is it?Northern dancer?Or King of Koai?Jeff was sure that both horses had won Derby's big races, but what year? I said, bartender! the same? No, not now.do you have paper Paper? I mean newspapers, today or tomorrow. Daily or Constitution? casual.Do you have a sports version? There are some marks on it.The Warriors are coming next year, and I've been paying attention to their averages. May I have a look at it? no problem.The bartender reached under the garnish and pulled out a tightly folded stack of sports news. Jeff flipped through the pages of the baseball news, then found the forecast for the most recent game in Louisiville, and he scanned the roster to find some of the hot horses the announcer had mentioned, including Candy Spot, Never Submit, Robber Buster, Then Royal Tower, Lemon Spiral No, Not Gray Baby, Vicious Neither of these horses have heard of Mad Solitaire Grand Duke Nur Mmm Good Day On My Honor Shaddock. Shaddock, odds eleven to one He sold the Chevrolet to a used-car dealer on Browncliffe Road for six hundred dollars.A collection of books, stereos, and records sold for two hundred and sixty dollars at a thrift dealer in the city.On his dorm desk, he found a checkbook and a deposit book from a bank near campus, and immediately withdrew the money from both accounts, leaving only twenty dollars, so he scraped together eight hundred and thirty. Of the whole program, calling my parents to borrow money was the most difficult.His parents were worried because he had suddenly borrowed money in an emergency, and his father was angry because Jeff refused to explain what the money was for.But he still borrowed a few hundred dollars, and his mother sent him another four hundred dollars from private money. Now he just needs to bet, bet big.But how?For a while, he thought of going to Louiseville and betting directly on the spot; but a call to the travel agent confirmed his original guess: as early as a few weeks ago, the Derby Race was sold out. His age is also an issue.He might look old enough to order a drink at a bar, but placing such a large bet is sure to attract close surveillance.You'll have to find someone to represent him. Gamblers?The fuck you want to know what the bookies are up to, boy? In Jeff's eyes, twenty-two-year-old Frank.Medoc is little more than a kid, but the preppy is an older, socially experienced guy in this situation, and he revels in playing the role to the fullest. I want to make a bet.Jeff said. Medoc laughed, lit a cigarillo, and waved for another beer. What are you betting on? Kentucky Fried Chicken Race. Why don't you gamble in your bedroom?Maybe a lot of people will come to place bets.But word of mouth matters.The senior treated Jeff with gracious condescension.Jeff snickered in his heart that the sophistication of this young man might not be the sophistication one should have at this age. I think the bet is pretty big. Huh?How much is called big? Half the seats in Manuel's Tavern were empty on Thursday afternoon, with no one sitting within hearing distance of them talking.Two thousand three hundred dollars.Jeff said. Medoc frowned.You're talking about a goddamn lot of money.I know the candy blobs have pretty good chances of winning, but Not Candy Blob, it's a different horse. The older boy laughed as the waiter set a bottle of beer on the battered oak table. Dream it, boy.Robber Busters aren't worth the risk, and Never Surrender has no chance of winning.At least not in this game. Frank, I'm in charge of my money.We will split the winnings 70-30%.If I'm right, you can easily make a fortune without risking a dime. Medoc poured them each a large glass of cold beer, which he poured slowly so that the foam would not rise.I could get in a lot of trouble for this, you know.I don't want to screw up law school.For a kid your age with such a large sum of money.How do I know if you will go to the dean and cry if you lose everything? Jeff shrugged.So you are the key to this bet.But I am not this kind of person, and losing money is not in my plan. No one can guarantee it. A copper plate dropped into the music jukebox, there was a rattling sound, Jimmy.Saul starts singing "If You Wanna Be Happy".Jeff raised his voice to drown out the music.So, do you know any gambling operators? Medoc stared at him meaningfully.Seventy-three points, huh? That's right. The senior student shook his head and sighed resignedly. Have money with you? The tavern on North Choyhill Road was packed that Saturday afternoon.The commercial-heavy pre-game show on the television was blaring when Jeff walked in: Comfort Razor was touting its newest product, the stainless steel razor blade. Jeff was more nervous than he expected.The plan looks perfect, but what if something goes wrong?As far as he could judge, the world events of the past week had perfectly replicated the past as he remembered it.But his memory was as unreliable as anyone else's, and after twenty-five years he could no longer be sure that the millions of events that had happened in 1963 were any different than they had been the first time.He noticed that some small places seemed to be slightly off the needle, and his own actions were of course greatly changed. It is not difficult for this game to have a new result. Jeff would lose everything if the outcome of the game changed, and he's already skipped his midterms this week and is in serious jeopardy academically.He might not even be able to put his head down and get back to college.He would be kicked out of school, penniless. Meanwhile, the Vietnam War was about to begin. Hey, Charlie, someone yelled, take another round for those present, double, everyone in the door gets a share! There was a burst of cheers and laughter in the tavern at the same time.One of the man's mates said it was a bit early to spend, wasn't it? Brother, there's something in the bag, said the generous man, can't get away! On the TV screen, the horses are about to be locked, and the horses are restless, eager to get rid of the confinement and run forward, which is exactly what they were bred for. Anything is possible, Campbell.That's the excitement of horse racing. The bartender distributes the double servings of drinks ordered by strangers to each person.Before Jeff could pick up his glass, the horses rushed out of the gate, Never Yielding like being plugged into the lead, and Robber Buster was almost at his shoulder.Jockey Willie.Humack sat calmly on Candy Spot's back and was only three lengths behind at the first turn. Shaddock was sixth.Still a mile to go and ten lengths behind. Jeff swallowed quickly, almost choking on the barely watered whiskey. The leading horses sprinted past the half-mile mark, and Shaddock did not advance half an inch. Smaller schools might have a chance, Jeff thought.Even if Emory drops out, the community college might accept him.He could work at a regional radio station.Although there is no written proof of these years of life experience, it will be of great help in work. The crowd in the tavern roared at the screen, as if the horses and jockeys could hear them, only four hundred yards to go.Jeff was desperate.Shaddock broke forward a little at the finish opposite the end of the runway, but that was about it.As predicted by the gambling odds, this is a three-strong championship game. In the final sprint to the finish line, Schumack rode Candy Blob into the fence, leaning back into the winning position.Shaddock ran in the fourth place, three horses away from the first place. Facing such a competitor, it would never Just when the race entered the last quarter mile, Robber Buster seemed to be tired out suddenly, and he no longer wanted to participate in the competition before the finish line.It started to fall behind, leaving Indomitable and Candy Blob sprinting towards the finish, but Schumacher couldn't get the sorrel from California to make the final sprint. Shaddock overtook Candy Blob, who had the best chance at the crown, to beat the unyielding, steady and unrelenting win. The tavern was full of voices, and it was almost like a riot.Jeff didn't say a word, just sat very still, his hands almost frozen from clutching the cold glass of wine, but he didn't notice. Shaddock won by a length and a quarter of the unyielding lead, with Candy Spot nearly three horses behind.The Robber Buster came back exhausted to finish fifth or sixth. Jeff succeeded.He won. The people in the tavern began to angrily analyze the game they just watched loudly, and most of them pointed their finger at Willie.Scheumark's strategic error in the last half mile.Jeff didn't hear a word.He was waiting for the numbers to appear on the stakes board. Players who bet on the Shaddock wins paid twenty dollars or eighty cents a bet.Jeff reached out reflexively to the computer-enabled Casio watch, and couldn't help laughing when he realized how long it was before this thing existed.He grabbed a napkin from the bar and scribbled a few numbers on it with a ballpoint pen. Two thousand three hundred times half of twenty point eight, minus Frank.Jeff won nearly seventeen thousand dollars from Medoc's 30% share of the bet. What's more, the game ended exactly as he remembered it. He was only eighteen and knew every major event that was going to happen in the world for the next twenty years.