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1、PROCEDUREINPLAINAIRBY JONATHANLETHEMOCTOBER26,2009Later,afterthemeninjumpsuitshaddrivenupandbegundiggingthehole,Stevickwouldrememberthattheguyonthebenchbesidehimhadbeengazingpuzzledlyintotheconeofhislargecoffeeandhadtriedtointeresthiminthequestionofwhethe
2、rthecafé’sbrewaftertastedofsoapornot.Thisdaywasgray,withheavyportentsofrain.Notthebestforsittingonthecoffeeshop’sbench,buttheinteriorofthecaféhadbecomeinsufferableinallwaystoStevick:theshop’sambienceandfancyname,itswell-programmediPodandfake-industrialcha
3、irsandtablesandcounterssucceedingtoocompletely,theroomseethingwithoverdressed-dishevelledtypes,nerve-rackedlyWebsurfingordoingthereal-worldequivalentwitheyeorbitsthroughtheroom,everylastoneofwhommadehimfeelmossy,corroded,replaced.Addtothatthedangerofrunni
4、ngintohisex,Charlotte,andheneverevenglancedwithininhopeofaseat—hedidn’twantone.Justblack,togo.Hewasanoutdoor-bencher,he’dtakehischanceswiththeothershere,backstotheshop’swindow,andifraindrovethemoffhe’dhaveittohimself.Nordidhecaretoconsiderwhetherthecoffee
5、tastedofsoapornot.Hewasgettinghismorningthrillon,hiseye-opener,andthisplace,besidesbeingontherightcorneroftherightblockforhimtostumblein,madeafine,joltinglystrongconcoctionstrictlyfromtheaddict’spointofview.Itcouldtasteoflysergicacidoroysters,forallhecare
6、d.Maybeeverycupofcoffeehe’deverdrunkhadtastedofsoap,sohecouldn’tdiscernsoapfromcoffee—whoknew?Stevick,meanttobejobhunting,wasn’t.Toogenerousseverancehadblurredhismotivationinthemonthswhenitwouldhavemattered.Now,seasonslantingtoMemorialDay,theflagofManhatt
7、an’sofficelifewasathalf-mastuntilSeptember.SoStevickwasproppedlikeamorningcrowonthatbenchwhenthetruckarrived.Hisfront-rowseatrecalledtohimmemoriesofchildhoodpuppetshows,ofgazingupattheslottedstagefromwhichPunchandJudyandtheirlikeprotruded.Thesoapy-coffeet
8、heoristwascurledoversomedevice,browknit,thumbs-deepinatext-messagecampaign,makingStevicktheonlywitnesstothedisembarkmentofthetruck’soccupants.Theyparked,apparentlyheedlessly,inthespaceinfrontofahydrant,butwithoutcom
