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elieve this and neither did I。 But he spoke convincingly； his eyes filled with spontaneous emotion； a broad and profound feeling。 I felt oddly rewarded。 His passion was equal to the occasion； an impressive pity and grief。 The bad news was almost worth it。 〃Ever since I was in my twenties； I've had the fear； the dread。 Now it's been realized。 I feel enmeshed； I feel deeply involved。 It's no wonder they call this thing the airborne toxic event。 It's an event all right。 It marks the end of uneventful things。 This is just the beginning。 Wait and see。〃
A talk…show host said： 〃You are on the air。〃 The fires burned in the oil drums。 The sandwich vendor closed down his van。 〃Any episodes of déjà vu in your group？〃 〃Wife and daughter；〃 I said。 〃There's a theory about déjà vu。〃 〃I don't want to hear it。〃
〃Why do we think these things happened before？ Simple。 They did happen before； in our minds； as visions of the future。 Because these are precognitions； we can't fit the material into our system of consciousness as it is now structured。 This is basically supernatural stuff。 We're seeing into the future but haven't learned how to process the experience。 So it stays hidden until the precognition es true； until we e face to face with the event。 Now we are free to remember it； to experience it as familiar material。〃 〃Why are so many people having these episodes now？〃 〃Because death is in the air；〃 he said gently。 〃It is liberating suppressed material。 It is getting us closer to things we haven't learned about ourselves。 Most of us have probably seen our own death but haven't known how to make the material surface。 Maybe when we die； the first thing we'll say is； 'I know this feeling。 I was here before。'〃
He put his hands back on my shoulders； studied me with renewed and touching sadness。 We heard the prostitutes call out to someone。
〃I'd like to lose interest in myself；〃 I told Murray。 〃Is there any chance of that happening？〃
〃None。 Better men have tried。〃
〃I guess you're right。〃
〃It's obvious。〃
〃I wish there was something I could do。 I wish I could out…think the problem。〃
〃Work harder on your Hitler；〃 he said。
I looked at him。 How much did he know？
The car window opened a crack。 One of the women said to Murray； 〃All right； I'll do it for twenty…five。〃
〃Have you checked with your representative？〃 he said。
She rolled down the window to peer at him。 She had the opaque look of a hair…curlered woman on the evening news whose house had been buried in mud。
〃You know who I mean；〃 Murray said。 〃The fellow who sees to your emotional needs in return for one hundred percent of your earnings。 The fellow you depend on to beat you up when you're bad。〃
〃Bobby？ He's in Iron City； keeping out of the cloud。 He doesn't like to expose himself unless it's absolutely necessary。〃
The women laughed； six heads bobbing。 It was insider's laughter； a little overdone； meant to identify them as people bound together in ways not easily appreciated by the rest of us。
A second window opened half an inch； a bright mouth appeared。 〃The type pimp Bobby is； he likes to use his mind。〃
A second round of laughter。 We weren't sure whether it was at Bobby's expense； or ours； or theirs。 The windows went up。
〃It's none of my business；〃 I said； 〃but what is it she's willing to do with you for twenty…five dollars？〃
〃The Heimlich maneuver。〃
I studied the part of his face that lay between the touring cap and beard。 He seemed deep in thought； gazing at the car。 The windows were fogged； the women's heads capped in cigarette smoke。
〃Of course we'd have to find a vertical space；〃 he said absently。
〃You don't really expect her to lodge a chunk of food in her windpipe。〃
He looked at me； half startled。 〃What？ No； no； that won't be necessary。 As long as she makes gagging and choking sounds。 As long as she sighs deeply when I jolt the pelvis。 As long as she collapses helplessly backward into my life…saving embrace。〃
He took off his glove to shake my hand。 Then he went over to the car to work out details with the woman in question。 I watched him knock on the rear door。 After a moment it opened and he squeezed into the back seat。 I walked over to one of the oil drums。 Three men and a woman stood around the fire； passing rumors back and forth。
Three of the live deer at the Kung Fu Palace were dead。 The governor was dead； his pilot and co…pilot seriously injured after a crash landing in a shopping mall。 Two of the men at the switching yard were dead； tiny acid burns visible in their Mylex suits。 Packs of German shepherds； the Nyodene…sniffing dogs； had shed their parachutes and were being set loose in the affected munities。 There was a rash of UFO sightings in the area。 There was widespread looting by men in plastic sheets。 Two' looters were dead。 Six National Guardsmen were dead； killed in a firefight that broke out after a racial incident。 There were reports of miscarriages； babies born prematurely。 There were sightings of additional billowing clouds。
The people who relayed these pieces of unverified information did so with a certain respectful dread； bouncing on their toes in the cold； arms crossed on their chests。 They were fearful that the stories might be true but at the same time impressed by the dramatic character of things。 The toxic event had released a spirit of imagination。 People spun tales； others listened spellbound。 There was a growing respect for the vivid rumor； the most chilling tale。 We were no closer to believing or disbelieving a given story than we had been earlier。 But there was a greater appreciation now。 We began to marvel at our own ability to manufacture awe。
German shepherds。 That was the reassuring news I took inside with me。 The sturdy body； dense and darkish coat； fierce head； long lapping tongue。 I pictured them prowling the empty streets； heavy…gaited； alert。 Able to hear sounds we couldn't hear； able to sense changes in the flow of information。 I saw them in our house； snouting into closets； tall ears pointed； a smell about them of heat and fur and stored power。
In the barracks almost everyone was sleeping。 I made my way along a dim wall。 The massed bodies lay in heavy rest； seeming to emit a single nasal sigh。 Figures stirred； a wide…eyed Asian child watched me step among a dozen clustered sleeping bags。 Colored lights skipped past my right ear。 I heard a toilet flush。
Babette was curled on an air mattress； covered in her coat。 My son slept sitting in a chair like some boozed muter； head rolling on his chest。 I carried a camp chair over to the cot where the younger children were。 Then I sat there； leaning forward； to watch them sleep。
A random tumble of heads and dangled limbs。 In those soft warm faces was a quality of trust so absolute and pure that I did not want to think it might be misplaced。 There must be something； somewhere； large and grand and redoubtable enough to justify this shining reliance and implicit belief。 A feeling of desperate piety swept over me。 It was cosmic in nature； full of yearnings and Teachings。 It spoke of vast distances； awesome but subtle forces。 These sleeping children were like fig