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"That’s kind of you to say But the probleot to do"
"Somewhere south of here, you don’t knohere, but you’ll know the place when you get there"
"That’s right, ma’ae, but were alert, quick, and clear "This thing you’ve got to do--have you any idea what it is?"
"More or less," I said "But I’d rather not talk about it"
"Okay, then," she said, putting the li the engine running, "you be o"
"You can’t mean that, ma’am What kind of chauffeur would that be?"
"The kind I can live with A lot of the tio soot out of the li a yellow pantsuit with a white blouse that featured frilly lace-triold brooch with little dia exclamation point
When she looked up ata piece of cake labeled EAT ME
"As my chauffeur," she said, "you need to open the door for me"
"I can’t be your chauffeur, et to know you better"
"I’m sorry, but I really can’t be your--"
"I’m Edie Fischer I don’t hold with formalities, so you can just call me Edie"
"Thank you, in and in, but the way the world is sliding into darkness, I h I don’t aspire to it What’s your name, child--or are you as unsure of that as you are of where you’re going?"
I have in the past used aliases Using one now in of my first name for the ten thousandth time Instead, I said, "My name’s Odd Thomas"
"Of course, it is," Mrs Fischer said "And if you need to be paid in cash, I aement Please open the door forMiss Daisy, but I was neither as reliable nor as noble as Morgan Freeman’s character, Hoke "Ma’am--"
"Callfor a dangerous man, this trucker who dresses like a rhinestone cowboy, andfor e purse to show s "I can take care of myself, Oddie Don’t you worry about ood conscience--"
"Now that you’ve gottento shake loose ofthrough my veins Last tio, when Oscar and I outfoxed those governain"
"Poor creature?" I asked
"Never you mind" She zippered shut her purse "Let’s find your rhinestone cowboy if that’s what you want"
I opened the door She got into the limousine
Four
THE MERCEDES LIMO HAD A TWELVE-CYLINDER ENGINE and two fuel tanks, providing both speed and range
Not a single cloud sailed the sea of sky above, and the coastal land rolled in gentle waves
Riding shotgun with panache, voluminous black purse on her lap, Mrs Fischer pointed to the radar detector that was fixed to the dashboard and then to so that she called a laser foiler, which she assuredvelocity, ere at little risk of being caught e broke the law I had never heard of a laser foiler; but she claiy on the planet"
She said her previous chauffeur, Oscar, had driven her across the United States, Maine to Texas, Washington State to Florida, again and again, often with the speedootten a single speeding ticket They had explored a hundred cities and a thousand sh and lush, deserts low and arid, anywhere a superstretch limousine could be piloted
The current car was an impressive machine So little vibration translated fro swiftly southward, as if the highere a racing river
"Oscar was a good employee and a perfect friend," Mrs Fischer said "And he was as restless as I a somewhere I knew him better than I ever knew either of my brothers I would like to know you as well as I knew him, Odd Thomas Even if I just live to be as old as Oscar, you and I will travel ether, and the journey will be so much more fun if we’re friends and understand each other So … are you gay?"
"Gay? No Why would you think I’ after this rhinestone cowboy That’s all right with ays I’ve always liked men a lot, so I understand why you would"
"I don’t like men I mean, I like them, I’m not a man-hater, but I don’t love them Except, you know, in the sense that we should all love our fellow eneral You know, like the whole hurandly, and said, "So you’re bisexual"
"What? Good heavens, no I’y for that? I’ allthey in theory but not in practice"
"No I’y in theory or practice"
"Maybe you’re in denial"
"No, not at all I love a girl My girl, Stormy Llewellyn--she’s the only one for ether forever"
My contention is that I’ exchanges netisain draw the cowboy toaccusto the massive limo, I was distracted
Mrs Fischer said, " ‘Destined to be together forever’ That’s sweet You’re a sweet child"
"We once got a card fro machine, and that’s what it said"
As the speedoht have been a runway I felt as if ere on the brink of being airborne
Mrs Fischer said, "I hope you’re not one of theseto irl, aren’t you?"
"Yes,that just to please an old woman and keep your new job, would you?"
"No, ma’am I haven’t accepted the job I’m not your chauffeur"
"Callmy car, like you are a chauffeur Of course,to marry this Stormy?"
"I don’t know an exact date, ma’am I have to die first Wait I’ll need to explain that Storether in this world now, only in the next"
"This is true? Yes, I see it is You believe in an afterlife?"
"Yes, ma’am Stormy believed in two afterlives She said this world was boot cahen us, to prepare us for the next life of service in soreat adventure Our third and eternal life comes after that"