The Daredevils by Gary Amdahl Read Free Book Online Page B

longly, allowing everybody but Charles and Mother to join in. “No, no, my greatest fault is that I am old. I gave my life to San Francisco and have nothing left.”
    â€œExcepting San Francisco herself, of course,” said Pastor Tom.
    Father smiled but shook his head. He still looked like a gunfighter losing at cards.
    â€œI put one Jew behind bars,” he said. “Other men rebuilt the city.”
    â€œOne Jew, perhaps,” said Mother. “But you must admit an important Jew.”
    â€œBoss Ruef was not important. He was a sitting duck. He was a bagman.”
    â€œSitting duck,” said Gus.
    â€œBagman,” said Tony.
    â€œFor your father, boys,” said Father, “and your father’s friends.”
    â€œOh, Father, please,” Mother moaned deeply, gorgeously, “ shut up .”
    â€œThe Regenerators,” said Tony.
    â€œThat’s right,” said Father. “And remember, when you ask a Jew how things are going, across the street or around the world, and no matter what may in fact be going on, he will say, ‘For the Jews, not so good.’ My point being that anybody could have done what I did, and that I don’t really deserve the name ‘Regenerator.’ I speak in all humility and bearing foremost in mind what Pastor Tom said earlier.”
    â€œBut Father!” shouted Gus.
    â€œYou took a bullet!” Tony continued his brother’s complaint.
    â€œIn a court of law!” finished Gus.
    â€œTwice,” said Amelia. “Don’t forget Arizona just because you hadn’t yet been born, my lads!”
    And Charles said: “What would you like to be? What is your favorite quality in a man? What is your favorite quality in a woman? What is your favorite occupation? What is your present state of mind?”
    Nobody replied. Everybody looked at their plates. Someone sighed. The twins began to eat again. Soon everybody had taken at least a forkful and appeared to be musing rather than resentful.
    â€œ Your present state of mind,” said Mother. “What about that? I would say it’s horribly and gratuitously antagonistic. Why is that?”
    â€œNot antagonistic. Humorless. These are important questions. You see there is nothing ‘polite’ about them. I intend to ask the actors who have survived the second round of auditions these very questions. Those brave enough to answer thoughtfully and honestly I will invite to be part of my ensemble. And for every show we do, there will be a second unspoken and invisible performance going on at the same time. The audience will see and applaud the unreal play, completely innocent of the knowledge that the real play cannot be seen without destruction of the unreal.”
    â€œSTOP TALKING LIKE THAT!” sang Mother radiantly.
    Pastor Tom nodded.
    Amelia had tears in her eyes.
    â€œThe population, the audience, without question wants to hear its own story. They want to tell it and they want to hear it. They want us to know what it is without them telling us, assuming we have the same story they do, and will tell it. We are all San Franciscans, we are all Americans, and so on. There is great trust in these names. But they have in truth failed to remember accurately what has happened. They have lost the power of accurate memory. We all have. If in fact we ever had it. But particularly within the confines of this ruined city we are merely branded automatons.”
    â€œBut the city is no longer ruined, Charles,” said Amelia, walking her tone perfectly along the line between perplexity and helpfulness.
    â€œHave it your way,” said Charles. “I would think, though, that you of all people, you and Tom, would know that all the cities of the pleasure planet are ruined, that there are many who actually like wholesale destruction for its own sake, that is to say, someone honestly if hideously committed to, how shall I say . . . to change. ‘Thou