Miss Wyoming Read Online Free PDF

planet. «It's not what I would have wanted, no.»
    «What
would
you have wanted, then?»
    «Like I keep that information at the top of my “To Do” list, or something?»
    «What would be wrong with keeping that at the top of your “To Do” list?»
    This gave John pause. «Nothing, I guess.» He looked east, toward the seaboard. «Hey, look at New York! You can see the lights! It's night there now.» The view was indeed splendid.
    «Sure, John, the world is beautiful. But you were telling me what you would have wanted to do differently in your life.»
    «I dunno. Be one of those guys who buy short-sleeve golf shirts with olive checks at the pro shop — the ones who drive their kids to judo lessons and then to the pancake house afterward.»
    «You
?
»
    «Well, it'd be a start. I see these guys on the San Diego Freeway on Saturday afternoons. They're married to soccer moms and they don't have affairs.»
    «John, let's be serious. Stop wasting my time.»
    «Okay, okay. Take a sip of water, fer Chrissake. Let me think.»
    «Oh
Johnnnn,
» the vision cooed, «I'm not a table full of suits from Disney.»
    «You know what?» John said. «I'd like to simply stop being
me.
I'd like to be somebody anonymous, without any luggage. I want a clean slate.»
    «So then go clean your slate. Enter your own private witness relocation program.»
    «It's too complex. You can't do it anymore. Too many computers and stuff.»
    «It's not complex. It's the opposite of complex. What could be simpler?»
    «Who
are
you?»
    «
I'm
not the issue here.»
    «I
know
you from somewhere. Sundance? Tristar?»
    «You're wasting your time.»
    «So what happens now?»
    «Back to the hospital.»
    «Oh.»
    «You sound disappointed.»
    John went quiet as an empty room. And then he said, «I want to see you again.»
    «I don't know, John.»
    «Please?» John's body began zooming down to California at telescopic speed.
    «I have a call on another line, John.»
    Whamp!
    He felt as though he'd fallen onto concrete.

    Two days later, he was lying on his hospital bed, wide awake, and his confidant-madam, Melody, was sitting across his dark private room watching
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
on the TV screen.
    «You're awake! Hel
lo
!» Melody shouted. She pushed theMUTE button and scampered toward him, kissing him on the forehead.
    «Melody — shit — what day is it?»
    «It's Saturday, you brute. You had the
flu
. And pneumonia. The doctors said they thought you had
AIDS
because you have almost no immune system left.» The sun had nearly set outside. A supply trolley rolled past the door.
    «You've been here all this time?»
    Melody looked guilty. «Well, only about ten minutes, really.»
    John flopped his head sideways, caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror. He closed his eyes. «Jesus.»
    Melody was rustling about in her purse and found some mints. «Want a mint?»
    John's stomach turned. «No.»
    «Spoilsport.»
    Melody popped a mint and then stared at John, who closed his eyes and tried to recapture the face and voice he'd just seen. Instead he heard Melody tell him what had happened and how sick he'd been, then bridge into snatches of gossip. The captive nature of the sickbed reminded him of his childhood illnesses. He didn't want to remember that, and he brusquely let Melody know it.
    «
Excusez-moi.
I'm just trying to be friendly. I didn't
have
to come down here, you know. Ivan called from Switzerland and put me on sentry duty. Me and all none of your friends.»
    «Mel — »
    «Oh shit.» Melody felt she'd gone too far. «I'm sorry, John. For what it's worth, your mother's been camping out here for forty-eight hours. I sent her home to sleep.»
    «Forget it.»
    «No. I feel terrible for being so mean when you're so sick.» Her eyes became frantic. «I know — I've got some wonderful welcome-back pussy for you — twins!»
    «I don't want twins, Mel. Shit, I don't want anybody. Or anything.»
    «How about a bit of toot, John?» Melody removed a pink