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Well,IfinallywenthometoMobileagain.ThetraingotintoMobilestationaboutthreeo’clockinthemorning,andSueandIgotoff.Wewalkedintothetownandfinallyfoundaplacetosleepinanemptybuilding.
ThenextmorningIboughtsomebreakfastandgotSuesomebananastoeat.ThenwewenttoseeMom.Shewaspleasedtoseeme.
‘Oh,Forrest,’shesaid,‘you’rehomeatlast!’
‘Yes,Mom,’Isaid.
ButIdidn’tstaylong.Twodayslater,SueandIgotthebustoBayouLaBatre,whereBubba’sparentslived,andIexplainedtoBubba’sdaddyabouttheshrimpbusinessthatBubbaandIplannedtostartafterwecameoutofthearmy.Helistened,andhewasveryinterested.AndthenextdayhetookSueandmeoutinhislittleboat,tolookforagoodplacetostarttheshrimpbusiness.
Ittookalmostamonthtostartthingsup–togetnets,andaboat,andeverything.FinallythedaycamewhenSueandIwerereadytogoshrimping.Andbythatnightwehadhundredsandhundredsofshrimpsinournets!
Itwasthebeginningofmyshrimpbusiness.Weworkedhard,allthatsummer,andthatautumnandwinterandthenextspring.Andafterayear,Momwasworkingforme,andMrTribble,andCurtis(myoldfootballfriend),andBubba’sdaddy.
Attheendofthatyear,wehadthirtythousanddollars!
Everybodywasveryhappy.Butme?IwaschinkingofJenny,ofcourse.Iwantedtofindheragain.AndonedayIdressedinmybestclothesandgotthebustoMobile,andIwenttoJenny’sMom’shouse.
‘ForrestGump!’shesaid,whenshesawme.‘Comeonin!’
Well,wetalkedaboutMomandtheshrimpbusinessandeverything.ThenIaskedaboutJenny.
‘Idon’thearfromherveryoften,’shesaid.‘IthinktheylivesomewhereinNorthCarolinanow.’
‘They?’Isaid.
Didn’tyouknow?’shesaid.‘Jennymarriedtwoyearsago;
Whywasn’tIreadyforthatnews?Idon’tknow,butIwasn’t.AndpartofmeseemedtodiewhenIheardit.ButJennyonlydidwhatshehadtodo.BecauseI’manidiot.Alotofpeoplesaythattheymarriedanidiot,buttheydon’tknowwhatit’sliketomarryarealone.Icriedthatnight,butitdidn’thelp.
‘I’mjustgoingtoworkhard,’Itoldmyself.‘It’sallIcando.’
AndIdid.Andattheendofthatyearwehadseventy-fivethousanddollars.
Timewenton.Ilookedinthemirrorandsawlinesonmyfaceandgreyinmyhair.Thebusinesswasdoingwell,butIaskedmyself,‘Whatareyoudoingallthisfor?’AndIknewthatIhadtogetaway.
MrTribbleunderstood.‘Whydon’tyoutelleverybodythatyou’retakingalongholiday,Forrest?’hesaid.‘Thebusinesswillbeherewhenyouwantitagain.’
SoIdid.Suecamewithme,andwewenttothebusstation.
‘Wheredoyouwanttogo?’thewomanintheticketofficeasked.
‘Idon’tknow,’Isaid.
‘Whydon’tyougotoSavannah?’shesaid.‘It’sanicetown.’
‘OK,’Isaid.
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