Book3:WereMyDreamIs (第225/327页)

eopleinthecrowdwerepointingandchatteringsaying,

    “Hey,look!Themusipyingthesaxophoneisblind!Hisclothesaresooldandraggedyhelookslikeahomelessperson;buthismusiotbad!”

    “What’sseaboutthat?Theviolinistseemsfamiliar.HelookslikeMr.Kaffee,thatmobsterthatdomihtheunderworldandtheworldofhighfinanceawhileback.Yah,yah,that’shim,that’shimalright!Howeheissodesperatenowthathehasbeeastreetmusiinthepanyofhobos?Buthisviolinperformanceisfirstcss!”

    “Hey,Iknowthatdrummer.HeisJamaz.ThatonepyingthebaseguitarisRichard.Thesetwoareinseparablepals.Whentheywereflushwithcashtheylivedalifeofdebauchery,eatingdrinkingandwomanizing.Whenthemoneywasgoheywoulddooddjobs.Ididn’tknowtheyrettygoodmusis.”

    “Whoisthatguyinamonks’habitonthefrihecrowddoingsecuritywork?”

    “Youdon’tknowhim?IftheviolinistisMr.Kaffee,thatmonkmustbehishenBig-O,that#1assassioosonhischestishistrademark.Seeit?Seeit?Dooonearhim.Hecouldbreakyourneckwithowistofhishands.”

    “Hey!Theguyovertherestoopingonthegroundpigupsandpaperbillsisthatpoorhobowhoisalwaysaroundherepigupcigarettebutts.Nowhehasbeeedtothejobofcollegmoneyfroup.Looksasiffortunehassmiledonhimandhewillbemakingsomemohesquarewasquitewindyandthepaperbillspeoplethrewdowncouldeasilybeblownawaybythewind,soDavidwasbusycollegthebillsandthrustiohisbosomwhilethrowingthesintoatinboxbeforehim.Whenthepaperbillsthrustintohisbosomforsafe-keepingbecameathickwad,helookedmeaningfullyatBig-O,asiftellinghimthey’vegotenoughmoneyforfoodanddrinksthatnightandtheoldmonknodded.Big-Ostrodetothefrontandshouted,

    “That’sit!Thankyoueveryoneforyourkindtributions.Wearedoheday.We’llbebackheretomorrow.Hopeyoueagain.”Hisboomingvoiceseemedtohavetheeffeilitaryorderandthecrowdobedientlydispersed.Thegoodfriendsgatheredtogethertocarefullyputawaythemusistruments,thetoolsoftheirtradethattheyrelyonfortheirlivelihoodandotbedamaged.Richardwastheohoughtofthepntoformabandandperformoreetstoearnsomemoheywouldrichbyit,butitwasenoughforthefriendstogetsomefoodanddrinksfortheday.Notenoughforthemtogetreallyqualitygoodliquorperhaps,buttheyweresatisfiedwithcheapwhiskey.

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    ThatdayRichardledDimitritothebackyardofDream-maker’sBakerywherehemetwithhisoldfriends.DimitriwasnottoodistressedtolearnthatMegginnhaddonatedallhisassetstotheDream-maker’sFund.Heoorhoboanddidgreatstoreonmoney,whiwastraandasquicklyvanishingascloudandsmoke.ButhisfriendswereiraitsandDimitriwaodosomethingfortheirdailyexpethemomenttheyhadnoroofovertheirheadsandocallhome.Richard,however,wasnotworried.

    “Don’tworry”hesaid.“Wearenotpiddon’tneedmuch.It’snothardtothinkofsomethingwedotofeedourselves.”Suddenly,heseemedtohavehituphtideaandrushedoutside,ingbacksoonwithargecasethatobviouslyheldsomevaluablemusistrument.KnowingthatRichard’sbusinessdealingshadalwaysbeenon-ventionaionable,hisfriendshadlonglearurnablindeyeandnotinquiretooclosely.Heopehecaseandashinygoldtenorsaxophonecameintoview.Hejoihetwoseparateparts,addedareedtothemouthpiedhaovertoDimitri.Dimitriwasgreatlyetedtofindthatitwashisfavoriteinstrument,so