English
Ofcourse,thefirstthingthatIwantedtodowhenIgotbacktoAmericawasfindJenny.SoIphonedMosesinBoston.
‘TheBrokenEggsgrouphasbrokenup,’hetoldme.‘Idon’tknowwhathappenedtoJenny.IheardthatshewenttoChicago,butthatwasfiveyearsago.’
‘Doyouhaveatelephonenumber,oranything?’Iasked.
‘It’sanoldnumber,’hesaid,‘butperhapsshe’sstillthere.’
Iphonedthenumber,andshewasn’t.
‘JennyCurran?’aman’svoicesaid.‘ShewenttoIndianapolis.GotajobattheTempererfactory.’
SoIwenttoIndianapolisonthebus.
TheTempererfactorywasoutsidethetown.IaskedaboutJennyattheoffice,andthewomansaid,‘Yes,sheworksinhere.Whydon’tyouwaitatthesideofthefactory?It’salmostlunch-time,andshe’llprobablycomeout.’SoIdid.
Alotofpeoplecameoutatlunch-time.ThenJennycameout.Shewentandsatunderatreeonthegrass,andbeganeatinganapple.Iwentupbehindherandsaid,‘Thatlookslikeaniceapple.’Shedidn’tlookup.Shejustsaid,‘Forrest,ithastobeyou.’
Aminutelater,Ihadmyarmsroundherandwewerebothcrying.Peoplewerewatchinguswithstrangelooksontheirfaces,butitdidn’tmatter.Jennyandmeweretogetheragain.
‘Ifinishworkinthreehours,Forrest,’Jennysaid.‘Whydon’tyouwaitformeinthatbaracrossthestreet?ThenI’lltakeyoutomyplace.’
SoIwaitedinthebar.
AndIgotintothewrestlingbusiness.How?I’lltellyou.
ItstartedwhenIarm-wrestledamaninthebar,andwonsomemoneyonabet.Thatgavemeanidea.ButatfirstIdidn’tsayanythingtoJenny.
Shecameacrosstothebarafterwork,andwehadadrinkandtalked.
‘IsawyouonTVwhenyouwentupintospace,Forrest,’shesaid.
AndItoldherallaboutthat,andaboutSue,theape.
‘Whathappenedtohim?’sheasked.
‘Idon’tknow,’Isaid.‘Buthewasagoodfriend.’
Later,wewentbacktoJenny’sflat,andshesaid,‘Youcanstayhere.’
Nextday,whenJennywenttowork,Iwentbacktothebar.Severalpeoplewantedtotryarm-wrestlingwithmeagain,andIsaidOK.NoneofthemwonbecauseIwastoostrong,butplentyofpeoplewantedtotrytheirluck.
Afteraboutamonth,Iwaswinningnearlytwohundreddollarsaweek,arm-wrestling.ThenonedayamancalledMikecameintothebar.
‘Youcanmakealotmoremoney,’hetoldme.
‘How?’Iasked.
‘Wrestling.Realwrestling,’hesaid.‘Icanteachyou.’
Tomakealongstoryshort–hedid.
Jennywasn’thappyaboutthewrestlingbutIwonalotofmoney–sometimesbywinningfights,sometimesbylosingthembecauseMiketoldmetolosethem.Yes,thathappens,too.ButthenIdidsomethingstupidagain.Ibetonmyselfwinningafight,afterMiketoldmetoloseit.
Jennygotreallyangry.‘Itisn’thonest,’shesaid.
Ididn’tlisten.Ibetallmymoneyonmyselftowin–andthenIlostthefight.
Buttherewasworsetocome.WhenIgotbacktotheflat,Jennywasgone,andtherewasaletterwaitingforme.Itsaid:
DearForrest
You’redoingsomethingbadtonight.Itisn’thonest,andIcannotgoonwithyoulikethis.Ithinkabouthavingahouseandafamilyandthingslikethatnow.Iwatchedyougrowupbigandstrongandgood.Andthen,inBoston,IrealizedthatIlovedyou,andIwasthehappiestgirlintheworld.ButthentherewasthatgirloutsidetheHodaddyClub.ThenyouwentupintospaceandIlostyouforfouryears,andIthinkyouchanged.AndIthinkperhapsIchanged,too.Ijustwanttoliveinanordinarywaynow.So,Imustgoandfindit.
IamcryingwhileIwritethis,butpleasedon’ttrytofindme.
Goodbye,mydear.love,Jenny
Andforthefirsttimeever,IknewthatIwasarealidiot.
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