./hen the doctor removed the plaste

./hen the doctor removed the plaster, Macon's leg came out"dead-white and ugly. He still limped a bit, but he now hadno excuse for not getting on with the new U.S. guides that Julianwanted. The New York trip was the first one, and Rose drovehim to the station to catch the train.She was worried about Edward. 'I wish you weren't leavinghim with me,' she said. 'You know how out of control he gets.''What could happen in such a short time?' Macon said. 'I'llbe home by tomorrow night. If worst comes to worst, you couldlock him in the pantry till I get back.'New York was a foreign city to Macon. He could never getused to the sense of purposefulness there -everyone was alwaysrushing somewhere without a moment to look around them. Hebegan his usual visits to hotels and restaurants, making notes inthe old guidebook in his tiny, neat handwriting.In the evening Julian wanted him to try a new restaurant,which was on the top of an impossibly tall building. The cabdriverwho took him there clearly thought it was a bad idea.'Cup of coffee there will cost you five dollars,' he told Macon.Most of the people in the restaurant were in evening dress andseemed to be celebrating something. Macon was given a tablewithout a view, and after he had given his order, he took hisdrink over to one of the great black windows that encircled theroom from floor to ceiling.All of a sudden, he thought he had died. He saw the city far below him like a shining golden ocean, thestreets tiny lines of light, the sky a purple hollow that went onforever.lt wasn't the height; it was the distance- his huge, lonelydistance from everyone who mattered, Ethan, Sarah ... He hadgone too far, he would never, ever get back.His heart began to beat twice as fast as normal and his handsshook. He dropped his glass, and ran clumsily across the roomand out the door. In the corridor he found a telephone and calledhome, worrying that they would not answer. But Charles did.'Charles? I'm on top of this building and ... and a silly thinghas happened. Listen- you've got to get me out of here.''You out! What are you talking about? You've got to get meout!' Charles sounded unusually excited.'What?''I'm shut in the pantry. Your dog won't let me out. It's luckythere's a phone in here. You have to come home right away.''But I'm in New York! I'm on top of this building and I can'tget down!''Macon, do you hear that barking? That's Edward. Every timeI open the door he attacks me. And now he's attacking the door.'Macon held the phone tightly. 'Charles, where's Rose?''She's out. Julian came to take her to dinner and-''Julian my boss?''Yes, and it's Porter's night for visiting his children. Macon,I can't just sit here waiting for Edward to break through.'How Macon wished he was safe in the pantry, surrounded byall Rose's groceries lined up in alphabetical order!'If you don't get me out of this, I'm going to call for the policeto come shoot him,' Charles said.'No! Don't do that! Listen. I'm going to ... I'll phone Sarah.She'll come over and take charge of Edward. Just wait!' He hung up and found Sarah's number with trembling hands.But she didn't answer. What now? What on earth now?He looked through the other numbers in his wallet and sawa name: Muriel Pritchett, animal trainer. She answered at once.'Muriel?' he said. 'It's Macon Leary.''Oh! How're you doing?''I'm fine. Or, rather .. .'He tried to explain about Edwardand Charles and being on top of a building in New York.'Let's make sure I've got this right,' Muriel said. 'Edward'sin your pantry-'Macon tried again. 'Edward's outside the pantry. My brother'sinside, and says he's going to call the police to come shootEdward so I thought if you could go over and-''I'll go right away, and take Edward to the Meow-Bow.''Oh, wonderful. And there's something else ... I'm having thiskind of ... See, I'm on top of this very tall building and I don'tknow what it is but something has scared the hell out of me.''Oh, I think people who go up those buildings are so brave.'Macon gave a dry laugh, and held the phone more tightly.'Yes, you ought to be feeling so proud of yourself, just beingup there!' she said. 'And Macon, when you get back from yourtrip, we need to talk about Edward's training. Things just can'tgo on this way, can they? I mean, this is ridiculous.''Yes. Yes, you're absolutely right,' Macon said.'See you, then. Bye.'After Macon hung up, he went back into the restaurant andsat down at his table. He felt calm and tired and terribly hungry.~ ~ ~'I'll be honest,' Muriel said, 'my baby was not exactly plannedfor. If you want to know the truth, the baby was the reason Imarried Norman in the first place. But I didn't push him into it.' She looked past Macon at Edward, who lay on the hall rug.He'd had to be pushed down, but at least he was staying there.'Now I'm going

. / hen the doctor removed, the plaster Macon "s leg came out."Dead-white and ugly. He still limped, a bit but he now had.No excuse for not getting on with the new U.S. Guides that Julian.Wanted. The New York trip was the first one and Rose, drove.Him to the station to catch the train.She was worried about Edward. "I wish you weren t leaving."Him with me, "she said." You know how out of control he gets. "."What could happen in such a short time?" Macon said. "I LL."Be home by tomorrow night. If worst comes to worst you could,,Lock him in the pantry till I get back. ".New York was a foreign city to Macon. He could never get.Used to the sense of purposefulness there - everyone was always.Rushing somewhere without a moment to look around them. He.Began his usual visits to hotels and restaurants making notes, in.The old guidebook in, his tiny neat handwriting.In the evening Julian wanted him to try a, new restaurantWhich was on the top of an impossibly tall building. The cabdriver.Who took him there clearly thought it was a bad idea."Cup of coffee there will cost you five dollars," he told Macon.Most of the people in the restaurant were in evening dress and.Seemed to be celebrating something. Macon was given a table.Without a view and after, he had given his order he took, his.Drink over to one of the great black windows that encircled the.Room from floor to ceiling.All of a sudden he thought, he had died.He saw the city far below him like a shining, golden ocean the.Streets tiny lines of light the sky, a purple hollow that went on.Forever.lt wasn "t the height; it was the distance - his huge lonely,,Distance from everyone who,, mattered Ethan Sarah... He had.Gone too far he would, never ever get, back.His heart began to beat twice as fast as normal and his hands.Shook. He dropped his glass and ran, clumsily across the room.And out the door. In the corridor he found a telephone and called.Home worrying that, they would not answer. But Charles did."Charles? I" m on top of this building and... And a silly thing.Has happened. Listen - you "ve got to get me out of here."."You out! What are you talking about? You" ve got to get me.Out! "Charles sounded unusually excited."What?"."I" m shut in the pantry. Your dog won "t let me out. It s lucky."There "s a phone in here. You have to come home right away."."But I" m in New York! I "m on top of this building and I can t."Get down! "."Macon do you, hear that barking? That" s Edward. Every time.I open the door he attacks me. And now he "s attacking the door.".Macon held the phone tightly. "Charles where", s Rose? "."She" s out. Julian came to take her to dinner and - "."Julian my boss?".Yes and ", it" s Porter "s night for visiting his, Macon children.I can "t just sit here waiting for Edward to break through.".How Macon wished he was safe in the pantry surrounded by,,All Rose "s groceries lined up in alphabetical order!"If you don" t get me out, of this I "m going to call for the police.To come shoot him, "Charles said."No! Don" t do that! Listen. I "m going to... I" ll phone Sarah.She "ll come over and take charge of Edward. Just wait!".He hung up and found Sarah "s number with trembling hands.But she didn "t answer. What now? What on earth now?He looked through the other numbers in his wallet and saw.A name: Muriel, Pritchett animal trainer. She answered at once."Muriel?" he said. "It" s Macon Leary. "."Oh! How" re you doing? "."I" m, fine. Or rather... "He tried to explain about Edward.And Charles and being on top of a building in New York."Let" s make sure I "ve got this right," Muriel said. "Edward s."In your pantry - ".Macon tried again. "Edward" s outside the pantry. My brother s. "Inside and says, he "s going to call the police to come shoot.Edward so I thought if you could go over and - "."I" ll go right away and take, Edward to the Meow-Bow. "."Oh wonderful. And, there" s something else... I "m having this.Kind of... See I ", m on top of this very tall building and I don t."Know what it is but something has scared the hell out of me. "."Oh I think, people who go up those buildings are so brave.".Macon gave a dry laugh and held, the phone more tightly."Yes you ought, to be feeling so proud of yourself just being,,Up there! "she said." And Macon when you, get back from your.Trip we need, to talk about Edward "s training. Things just can t."Go on, this way can they? I mean this is, ridiculous. "."Yes. Yes you", re absolutely right, "Macon said."See, you then. Bye.".After Macon, hung up he went back into the restaurant and.Sat down at his table. He felt calm and tired and terribly hungry.~ ~ ~."I" ll be honest, "Muriel said," my baby was not exactly planned.For. If you want to know, the truth the baby was the reason I.Married Norman in the first place. But I didn "t push him into it.".She looked past Macon at Edward who lay, on the hall rug.He "d had to be, pushed down but at least he was staying there.Now I m going. ""