Hearts in Atlantis Page #2

A certain something I have.

Let's leave it at that.

What do they look like?

Well, they wear dark clothes,

dark hats.

They're kind of anonymous...

...but you can recognize their cars...

...loud and flashy.

When they move, they move in packs...

...like animals closing

in on the kill.

And they cast long shadows.

Oh, what a world.

They're not cops, are they?

Or secret agents?

Are you asking me if I'm a bad guy

or a commie spy?

I've scamped my share of fines...

...and if there were library police...

...I'd be one of their

10 most wanted.

But I never robbed a bank

or stole a military secret.

So who are they?

They're thugs, relentless...

...when they're after something.

- Like this something you have?

- That's right.

And what they want is me,

back under their control.

Look out. When they're closing in...

...they leave strange signs in code...

...in obvious places

like telephone poles...

...posters and notices

for lost pets and lost dogs.

If I knew what they'd do,

they'd never catch me.

- What do I do if I see them?

- Run and tell me what you've seen.

Remember when I asked if you knew

what was going on around here?

- Sure.

- That's why you're my man, kiddo.

Don't worry,

I won't let the bogeymen get you.

- Bobby?

- She can't know what you're thinking.

You think she can,

and that's a mother's power.

Mrs. Garfield.

Well, it's very cozy in here.

Mom, Ted... I mean, Mr. Brautigan...

...he's gonna pay me a dollar a week

to read him the paper.

Well, that's very generous.

Do you always have boys read to you,

Mr. Brattigan?

It's Brautigan, ma'am.

And, yes, I need someone to do it.

My eyes aren't what they used to be

since I retired.

And what did you do before that?

I worked up north. Various places.

Well, come along, Bobby.

Time and tide wait for no man.

- Bye, Mr. Brautigan.

- Bobby.

Mom, guess what Mr. Brautigan...

- Something doesn't make sense.

- What?

Why would a man his age wanna

spend time with a kid?

I don't know.

I do know that he said

I must be some lucky kid...

...to have a mom who'd let me...

...have a grownup library card

for my birthday.

I don't know. I trust him...

...about as far as I could

sling a piano.

That's right, spoil it for me.

You never want me to get that bike.

I do, and I wish I could've

gotten it for you.

But your father didn't exactly

leave us well-off.

It's only reading.

All right, what's the harm?

Yes, yes, yes!

But only on the porch,

mind, in the fresh air.

Okay.

- Bye, Bobby.

- Bye, Carol.

Sorry I'm late. I forgot the time.

That's all right.

We're all time's captives,

hostages to eternity.

Ben Jonson?

No, Boris Pasternak.

He was a Russian

of no account, I think.

What's going on in the world?

Something scurrilous.

"Vice President Richard M. Nixon...

...after having won

the Republican nomination...

...on the first ballot,

confers with Henry Cabot Lodge..."

- We're going for ice cream.

- Can't. Earning my daily bread.

- Afternoon, Mrs. Gerber. Carol.

- Hi, Ted.

I never, ever saw a girl

as special as Carol Gerber.

There's millions.

Oh, yeah?

- Have you kissed her yet?

- Yuck!

- Well, you will, I promise you.

- Stay away.

You will. It will be the kiss

by which all others...

...in your life will be judged,

and found wanting.

Are you done?

Yeah. Come on, read to me. Go on.

- Come back here and do your job.

- Okay.

But you will kiss her.

Oh, my God!

Nice going.

Get in! Get in, Bobby!

Come on. Come on, Sully.

Sully!

"FBI announces new measures

to combat Red infiltrators."

- Hey, Bobby.

- Yeah?

Tell me what Dale Arden's wearing

in Flash Gordon.

What is it with you and her?

When I was younger I thought

she was a real hotsie-totsie.

Okay, before comics,

we've got sports, baseball.

"Maury Wills on the way

to break Ty Cobb's record."

I saw Cobb.

My dad saw Babe Ruth.

He saw him point for the home run.

Against the Cubs.

He told me all about it.

He tell you of Nagurski's

comeback game?

I know he saw it, though.

Were you there?

- Yeah.

- You and Dad were at the same place.

You know about Nagurski?

He was my dad's hero, that's all.

The greatest football player ever.

He came to Chicago...

...played eight years

to make the Bears champions.

Then he retired.

When he was old, six years retired...

...the Bears brought him back.

Last game of the season,

they played...

...the Cardinals, sworn enemies.

The Bears had to beat

the Cardinals to win.

Nagurski wasn't supposed to play.

Third-string fullback.

In the first half

the starter went down.

- The second half there was a pileup.

- Oh, no.

If your dad was here

he'd say he was frightened.

- He was just so scared.

- But why? Nagurski was in the game.

I was scared too. We all were.

We wanted a miracle, you see, Bobby.

We wanted him the way he was,

the old Nagurski.

We wanted him the way he was

in the old days.

Did he do good?

I don't wanna hear this if he didn't.

The quarterback gave him the ball...

...and Nagurski ran slowly

up to the line...

...and the Cardinals crushed him.

But somehow...

...somehow, he gained a few yards.

Next play, the same.

They just kept giving the ball

to the old man...

...and the Bears began to move down

the field, five yards, seven more.

If he could score for us,

we'd be champions again.

Go on, Ted! You can't stop!

Ted!

Come on. I gotta know

what happened.

Come on.

You know what your dad did then?

No, what did my father do?

We were all screaming. We couldn't

believe what was happening.

My God, what was it? Go on.

It was our miracle, you see,

because he was crawling.

Bronko Nagurski was crawling

toward the goal line...

...and they did everything

they could to stop him.

But nothing could stop him.

Yeah, that's right, Bobby.

Not on that day.

Not when your dad and I

saw the miracle...

...when the old man brought us home.

He scored. He scored for us.

We were champions again.

I just knew he would.

Then he was gone again,

back to the North where he came from.

Bronko Nagurski.

Bobby? Bobby-o!

- Ted?

- Yeah?

Well, I know the low men

don't exist...

...but if they started

driving around here...

...and the signs started

appearing on the poles...

Well, we both know

that couldn't happen.

But if it did...

...would you have to go away?

It wouldn't be safe

for me here.

And wishing cannot make it so.

Bobby!

Bobby? This Ted of yours...

...did he say where he's from?

Someplace not as nice as here,

I think.

Well, that doesn't tell us much,

does it?

- Anything else?

- Nope.

Bobby?

- Does he...?

- What?

Nothing.

You'll tell me if anything

unusual happens?

Hello?

Hi.

You promised.

I really need the...

Who was that?

Nothing, honey.

Just a wrong number.

Son of a b*tch!

- I know it's you!

- Your mom says she's almost ready.

- Think Ted would come?

- To the fair?

- Don't you think we should ask?

- I guess.

- You do it. I'll get Sully.

- Okay.

- Do you like being beaten by a girl?

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