High Hunt Read Online Free PDF Page B

sat there.
    I watched the mass family reunion taking place in the dim gloom under the high roof of the pier. There was a lot of crying and hugging and so forth, but we weren’t involved in any of that. I wished to hell we could get going.
    After about a half hour the buses started and we pulled away from the festivities. I slouched low in the seat and watched the city slide by. Several of the guys were pretty boisterous, and the bus driver had to tell them to quiet down several times.
    â€œLook,” Benson said, nudging me in the ribs. “ Eine amerikanische Fräulein .”
    â€œQuit showing off,” I said, not bothering to look.
    â€œWhat the hell’s buggin’ you?” he demanded.
    â€œI’m tired, Benson.”
    â€œYou been tired all your life. Wake up, man. You’re home.”
    â€œBig goddamn deal.”
    He looked hurt, but he quit pestering me.
    After they’d wandered around for a while, the guys who were driving the buses finally found a train station. There was a sergeant there, and he called roll, got us on the train, and then hung around to make sure none of us bugged out. That’s Army logic for you. You couldn’t have gotten most of those guys off that train with a machine gun.
    After they got permission from the White House or someplace, the train started to move. I gave the sergeant standing on the platform the finger by way of farewell. I was in a foul humor.
    First there was more city, and then we were out in the country.
    â€œWe in Pennsylvania yet?” Benson asked.
    â€œI think so.”
    â€œHow many states we gonna go through before we get back to Washington?”
    â€œTen or twelve. I’m not sure.”
    â€œShit! That’ll take weeks .”
    â€œIt’ll just seem like it,” I told him.
    â€œI’m dyin’ for a drink.”
    â€œYou’re too young to drink.”
    â€œOh, bullshit. Trouble is, I’m broke.”
    â€œDon’t worry about it, Kid. I’ll buy you a drink when they open the club car.”
    â€œThanks,” he said. “That game cleaned me out.”
    â€œI know.”
    We watched Pennsylvania slide by outside.
    â€œDifferent, huh?” Benson said.
    â€œYeah,” I agreed. “More than just a little bit.”
    â€œBut it’s home, man. It’s all part of the same country.”
    â€œSure, Kid,” I said flatly.
    â€œYou don’t give a shit about anything, do you, Alders?” Sometimes Benson could be pretty sharp. “Being in Germany, winning all that money in the game, coming home—none of it really means anything to you, does it?”
    â€œDon’t worry about it, Kid.” I looked back out the window.
    He was right though. At first I’d thought I was just cool—that I’d finally achieved a level of indifference to the materialworld that’s supposed to be the prelude to peace of mind or whatever the hell you call it. The last day or so, though, I’d begun to suspect that it was more just plain, old-fashioned alienation than anything else—and that’s a prelude to a vacation at the funny-farm. So I looked out at the farmland and the grubby backsides of little towns and really tried to feel something. It didn’t work.
    A couple guys came by with a deck of cards, trying to get up a game. They had me figured for a big winner from the boat, and they wanted a shot at my ass. I was used up on poker though. I’d thought about what Riker had told me, and I decided that I wasn’t really a gambler. I was a bad winner. At least I could have let that poor bastard keep his pants, for Christ’s sake. The two guys with the cards got a little snotty about the whole thing, but I ignored them and they finally went away.
    â€œYou oughta get in,” Benson said, his eyes lighting up.
    â€œI’ve had poker,” I told him.
    â€œI don’t suppose you’d want to loan me a few