Readings from a book I got at a garage sale

To introduce a more pretentiously literary dimension into my usual postings and to flesh them out with written work others have already done so that now I don't have to, we will be beginning a series of weekly readings from a book I got at a garage sale, frequently from the same book. I hope to continue this as long as there is reader interest, which I will keep you all apprised of by mentioning their emailed remarks in the posts themselves, or until Pauli finally puts a stop to it.

For our translation we will be using FreeOCR, the 4.2 Edition, although there are surely other translations and editions available which would be likely to provide even more interesting results if readers were to use them independently.

Without further ado, then, let us begin, and I hope these readings will provoke an even more robust discussion in the comments.

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We can already see from the runes the author uses to introduce the scene that this is going to be a mystery. A mystery, the way life can sometimes be a mystery. Where do we come from? Where are we going? Whoa, are those real? Continuing:

Orv was already backing away. A few yards distant he croaked in his thin voice, “Ten days. You’ve got ten days, and we’ll remind you again.” He swung around and his great hulk went lunging off into the darkness. Tim let himself in and locked the door. So Ann was right. The Baileys were deadly serious. Or at least, like good gamblers, they were pushing their bluff to the limit. Tim reminded himself that it’s almost impossible to tell when a good gambler is bluf?ng. This could be serious, and he decided he would talk to Pete Salazar in the morning.

Orv was already backing away. Retreating. Unwilling to confront the mystery.

The silent action between them was slow motion, like a lugubrious ?lm coming frame by frame and stripped of its sound track. Tim struggled desperately to talk with ]oe, while Joe mocked hilariously, taunting in pantomime, his mouth foQ Agrming the jeering words, and there was no way to break through and make sense or make ]oe stop and he had seized him! Then there was a wibg ?kvgomvld burst of sound. There was the shattering smash of glass and the heavy fall of large objects, all in a mad whirl of dark confusion. Next, abruptly, Tim found himself standing with the ?sh gaff in his hands as if it were a ball bat. And he knew what would be lying at his feet if he chose to look. Ann was clinging to him and shaking his arm. “It isn't time," she was saying. “But we'll both know. Things will happen and then we’ll know it’s time.” At ]oe’s desk, Pete Salazar was making a phone call and grinning slyly over his shoulder at them.

Further,

“I caught you," she said. “You thought you’d sneak home without telling me.” He said, “Annie, for God’s sake what time is it?” “When did you plan to tell me you were back?" she said. “I’ll bet you've been back for days.” “I got in last night. How’d you ?nd out?” “All anyone has to do is read this morning's paper." Her voice became strained and a little tight. And he said, “I’m sorry, Annie. It was a pretty awful thing." “We can have breakfast together,” she said. “\/Ve'll talk about it. \/Vhy don’t you come over and pick me up?” He said, “Could we make it tonight? I was going to call you.” He thought he wanted to wait. He wanted to learn a few more things before he saw her. “In thirty minutes,” she said, “I’ll pick you up. Take a cold shower and shave and get pretty." “Now wait.” But she had hung up.

Hung up. Gone. Just as how, in an instant, things can change.

They left CoANNA mqral Cove about midnight. She I her home, and when they were parked in front 1 moved willingly into his arms, and he kissed when she wanted to settle close into the curve turned and held her away with both hands st “O~O@~O_§ove a little while ago,” he sai should do something about you before it’s too should.” She put a hand to his lips. “When it's time. and now isn’t the time." As he drove back to town the phrase went ag his thoughts. This was all he needed, he told add to the confusion already in his mind. Since held her as a sort of firm constant. And now she sureness he’d felt about her was shaken. He

and then

Tim was forced to grin as he went into the bath and turned on the shower. He was glad he wasn’t going to wait until tonight

Be strong, Tim.

“Ridiculous. They haven’t a leg to stand on. Your name was forged. You can prove that.” His asWOQ bmce didn’t touch her. “I talked to the one called Adam," she said. “He was polite, but he wouldn’t listen to a thing I had to say. He diW%Mu't leave any doubt ab^out what he expeT5cted." Tim said, “You’re ac]tually worried.” “I guess I am," she said.

UPDATE: A reader writes, "Keith, I'm so excited we're finally going to be able to get into this book you got at a garage sale in the depth it deserves. But I'm using Maestro Recognition Server, and my copy reads totally different. Still, it's just great to be going through the motions with you."

I know how you feel about the privilege you've been offered, Reader. And don't worry about that MRS version. The most important thing you'll gain is knowing you probably spent more on it than any three other readers in our gang put together, and doesn't that make you feel better?"

Finally,

I pro“ bag Avg £8mise you.” She brought a pack c a pocket in her blue denim skirt and lit one. Sl tall enough to come above his chin. She was slenc was pleasantly full. Her black hair framed a face v and if she had beauty it was a lean and cleanly ma$9éV omwx wbxgny ways they were a pair, he tall and broad] tures too angE Q A“ 8&led and rugged to be called handst with black hair kept short because it curled and long. She said, “Was it bad last night, Tim? Acc pers it was a messy business.”

In the end, a messy business, like life itself. No one gets out alive.

UPDATE 2: Several more readers chime in.

Reader #2: "Keith, what an honor! And what a great together reading!"

I know.

Reader # 3: "I'm just blown away by the whole experience, Keith. But I have to ask. What about Orv?"

Good catch, Reader #3. What about Orv? I think we all have similar feelings.

Until next week, though:

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