from
California； they don't think things is right unless they got it hot enough to
grow a palm tree in their fuckin bedroom。 All the heat es from down here。 Got
to watch the press； though。 See her creep？〃
He tapped the main dial； which had crept from a hundred pounds per square inch
to a hundred and two as Watson soliloquized。 Jack felt a sudden shiver cross his
back in a hurry and thought： The goose just walked over my grave。 Then Watson
gave the pressure wheel a spin and dumped the boiler off： There was a great
hissing； and the needle dropped back to ninety…one。 Watson twisted the valve
shut and the hissing died reluctantly。
〃She creeps；〃 Watson said。 〃You tell that fat little peckerwood Ullman； he
drags out the account books and spends three hours showing how he can't afford a
new one until 1982。 I tell you； this whole place is gonna go sky…high someday；
and I just hope that fat fuck's here to ride the rocket。 God； I wish I could be
as charitable as my mother was。 She could see the good in everyone。 Me； I'm just
as mean as a snake with the shingles。 What the fuck； a man can't help his
nature。
〃Now you got to remember to e down here twice a day and once at night
before you rack in。 You got to check the press。 If you forget； it'll just creep
and creep and like as not you an your fambly'll wake up on the fuckin moon。 You
just dump her off a little and you'll have no trouble。〃
〃What's top end？〃
〃Oh； she's rated for two…fifty； but she'd blow long before that now。 You
couldn't get me to e down an stand next to her when that dial was up to one
hundred and eighty。〃
〃There's no automatic shutdown？〃