English
IdecidedtogohometoMobile,butthebusstoppedatNashvilleonthewayandIwentintotownforadrinkandsomethingtoeat.IwasgoingpastahotelwhenIlookedinthewindowandsawsomepeoplewhowereplayingchess.LikeIsaidbefore,BigSamtaughtmehowtoplaychesswhenIwasinthejungle.Well,Iwentintothehoteltowatchthem,butitwasaspecialchesstournamentanditcostfivedollarstowatch,soIdidn’tgointothechessroom.
IwasjustwalkingoutagainwhenIsawalittleoldmanwhowasplayingchesswithhimselfatatablenearthedoor.IhadanotherhourbeforeIhadtocatchthebusagain,soIwentacrossandwatchedhim.ThenIsaid,‘Ifyoumakethatmove,you’llloseyourqueen.’
Hedidn’tlookupbut,afteraminute,hesaid,‘Perhapsyou’reright.’
Itwastimeformetogetbacktothebusstation,butwhenIstartedtoleave,theoldmansaid,‘Whydon’tyousitdownandfinishthisgamewithme?’
‘Ican’t,’Isaid.‘Ihavetocatchabus.’
Sohewavedatmewithhishand,andIwentbacktothebusstation.
ButImissedthebusthatevening,andtherewasn’tanotheroneuntilthenextday.SoIwalkedbacktothehotel,andtherewasthelittleoldman,stillplayingagainsthimself.Helookedupandsawme,andtoldmetositdown.
Ittookmeanhourtowinthatchessgame.
‘Justwhoareyou?’hesaidafterthegame.
‘ForrestGump,’Isaid.
‘Wheredidyoulearntoplaychess?’heasked.
‘Inthejungle,’Itoldhim.
Helookedsurprised.‘Aren’tyouinthetournament?’heasked.
‘No,’Itoldhim.‘I’mgoinghome,andI’mgoingtostartashrimpbusiness.’
‘Youcanmakealotofmoneyfromchess,’hesaid.‘You’reverygood.’
‘AmI?’Isaid.
Theoldman’snamewasMrTribble.TwodayslaterwewereonourwaytoLosAngeles,toabigchesstournament.
Wewereadayortwoearlyforthetournament,andMrTribbletookmetoseesomepeoplewhoweremakingafilm.TheymakealotoffilmsinLosAngeles.Wewerewatchingamanwhowascrashingthroughawindowinafilmfight,whenamanwalkedovertous.‘Areyouanactor?’heaskedme.‘Who,me?’Isaid.
‘We’rehereforthechesstournament,’saidMrTribble.Buttheothermanwaslookingatme.‘Youareabig,strongman,aren’tyou?’hesaid.‘You’rejustwhatIneedforafilmthatI’mmaking.MynameisFelder.’
‘Hehastoplaychessinatournamenttomorrow,’saidMrTribble.‘Hehasn’tgottimetobeanactor.’‘Itwon’ttakelong,’saidMrFelder.
SowewentwithMrFelder,andIfoundmyselfactinginafilmaboutthejungle–withRaquelWelch,thefamousfilmstar!‘IsthatreallyRaquelWelch?’IaskedMrFelder.Butthingsdidnotgowell.Somehow,whenIwashelpingMissWelchtoescapefromthejungle,herdresscameoffandIhadtorunintothetreestohideher.Butwhodoyouthinkwemetthere?Sue,theape!Hewasinanotherfilm!
Thethreeofusranoutoftherefast,andMissWelchshoutedandscreamed.
No,thingsdidn’tgoverywell.Iwasn’tanactorforverylong.IthinkMrTribblewassecretlypleased.
IwaspleasedbecauseIwasbackwithSueagain.
Backatourhotel,thethreeofussatinourroomandtriedtodecidewhattodo.
‘It’sgoingtobedifficulttravellingwithanape,’saidMrTribble.
‘Hewon’tbeanytrouble,MrTribble,’Isaid.
ButMrTribbleseemedworried.
NextdaywasthebigchesstournamentattheBeverlyHillsHotel.MrTribbleandIgotthereearly,andIhadtoplaychessallday.
Ittookmeaboutsevenminutestowinthefirstgame,andhalfanhourtowinthenext.Iplayedallthatday,andthenext.AndsuddenlyIwasinthefinal,playingwithaRussian,HonestIvan,thebestplayerintheworld.Hewasabigman,withlongblackhair,andhedidn’twanttolose!
Itwasalonggame.HonestIvanwasgood–verygood.ButjustwhenHonestIvanseemedtobewinning,Sueranacrosstheroomandjumpedontothechesstable!
HonestIvanfelloffhischair,andeverybodystartedscreamingandrunningeverywhere.‘Let’sgetoutofhere,Forrest!’shoutedMrTribble.
Wegotbacktothehotelandhurrieduptoourroom.
‘Forrest,’saidMrTribble,‘You’reawonderfulchessplayer,butIneverknowwhat’sgoingtohappennext!Here’shalfofthemoneythatyou’vewon–it’salmostfivethousanddollars.TakeSuebacktoAlabamawithyou,andstartyourshrimpbusiness.’Heshookmyhandandgavemehisaddress.‘Writetomesometimes,Forrest.Goodluck!’
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