carried aloft on the shoulders of the crowd while newscasters from
below lobbed questions at them.
“No more hard questions for a while,” Bob replied, “Let’s party!”
Muchoman, enjoying the adulation so much that he was nearly
brought to tears, said, “My work is done here. I’ve decided to become
just a regular guy. Let’s go get some pancakes!”
The crowd burst out in wild affirmation of laughing, crying, and
dancing, and slowly, they migrated down the street in search of a
restaurant that could accommodate them all. There was some talk
about trying to finagle a group discount at Denny’s.
It was a very happy moment for everyone, one that would soon
be immortalized in countless television commercials honoring the
indomitable human spirit. Despite the fact that the world economic
system was in shambles, people couldn’t help but feel hopelessly
giddy.
Actually, not everyone was so happy. Wade and Leonard had to
stay behind to console Doug, who aside from losing his girlfriend in
the fire had just received a disturbing call on his cellular phone. Due
to the stock market crash, and the resulting economic collapse,
Doug’s accountant informed him, he was now completely broke.
Luckily, something came along that cheered him up a little.
“Look! It is good-luck monkey!” cried Doug, “This is special
monkey! Believe me, you! Hello, monkey! Hello!”
Wade and Leonard would soon have to admit that it was indeed
a special monkey. It’s not everyday, after all, that a chimp comes up
to you on the street and drives you to a party at the end of the world,
and the beginning of a new one.
CHAPTER 43
There was no moon.
Hopkins had never seen such an enormous nothingness before in
his entire life. How cruel, he thought, that he should miraculously
overcome his deafness, only to find himself sent here, the most silent
place on earth. Below, white sand. Above, black sky. They had both
shown up hand in hand for his protracted funeral.
It was as if he were in a dream, or a nightmare rather, in which
he knew he was dreaming, but also knew that he could never wake up
from. This was his penance: wandering lost and alone through the
H O L Y S H I T !
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