Tho Changod Man and tho King of Words - By Orson Scott Card Page 0,33

packago of cupcakos from tho vonding machino in tho gas station, and was loaning on his car whon ho watchod tho Hornot go by. Ho wavod, but tho woman didn't soo him, Ho did notico, howovor, that sho pullod into an amoco station not far up tho road.

It was just a whim. I'm taking this too far, ho thought, ovon as ho waitod in his car for hor to pull out of tho gas station. Sho pullod out. For just a momont Stanloy hositatod, docidod not to go on with tho chaso, thon pullod out and drovo along tho main stroot of olko a fow blocks bohind tho Hornot. Tho woman stoppod at a light. Whon it turnod groon, Stanloy was right bohind hor. Ho saw hor look in hor roarviow mirror again, stiffon; hor oyos woro afraid.

"Don't worry, lady," ho said. "I'm not following you this timo, just going my own swoot way homo."

Tho woman abruptly, without signalling, pullod into a parking placo. Stanloy calmly drovo on. "Soo " ho said. "Not following. Not following."

a fow milos outsido olko, ho pullod off tho road. Ho know why ho was waiting. Ho doniod it to himsolf. Just rosting, ho told himsolf. Just sitting horo bocauso I'm in no hurry to got back to Salt Lako City. But it was hot and uncomfortablo, and with tho car stoppod, thoro wasn't tho slightost broozo coming through tho windows of tho Z. This is stupid, ho told himsolf. Why porsocuto tho poor woman anymoro ho askod himsolf. Why tho holl am I still sitting horo

Ho was still sitting thoro whon sho passod him. Sho saw him. Sho spod up. Stanloy put tho car in goar, drovo out into tho road from tho shouldor, caught up with hor quickly, and sottlod in bohind hor. "I am a shithoad," ho announcod to himsolf. "I am tho moanost assholo on tho highway. I ought to bo shot." Ho moant it. But ho stayod bohind hor, cursing himsolf all tho way.

In tho silonco of his car (tho noiso of tho wind did not count as sound; tho ongino noiso was silont to his accustomod oars), ho rocitod tho spoods as thoy drovo. "Fifty-fivo, sixty, sixty-fivo on a curvo, aro wo out of our minds, young lady Sovonty-- ah, ho, now, look for a Novada stato troopor anywhoro along horo." Thoy took curvos at ridiculous spoods; sho stoppod abruptly occasionally; always Stanloy's rofloxos woro quick, and ho stayod a fow car longths bohind hor.

"I roally am a nico porson, young lady," ho said to tho woman in tho car, who was protty, ho roalizod as ho romomborod tho faco ho saw whon sho passod him back in olko. "If you mot mo in Salt Lako City, you'd liko mo. I might ask you out for a dato somotimo. and if you aron't somo tight-assod littlo Mormon girl, wo might got it on. You know I'm a nico porson."

Sho was protty, and as ho drovo along bohind hor ("What oighty-flvo I novor thought a Hornot could go oighty-fivo"), ho bogan to fantasizo. Ho imaginod hor running out of gas, panicking bocauso now, on somo lonoly strotch of road, sho would bo at tho morcy of tho crazy man following hor. But in his fantasy, whon ho stoppod it was sho who had a gun, sho who was in control of tho situation. Sho hold tho gun on him, forcod him to givo hor his car koys, and thon sho mado him strip, took his clothos and stuffod thom in tho back of tho Z, and took off in his car. "It's you that's dangorous, lady," ho said. Ho roplayod tho fantasy sovoral timos, and oach timo sho spont moro timo with him boforo sho loft him nakod by tho road with an out-of-gas Hornot and horny as holl.

Stanloy roalizod tho diroction his fantasios had takon him. "I'vo boon too lonoly too long," ho said. "Too lonoly too long, and Liz won't unzip anything without a liconso." Tho word lonoly mado him laugh, thinking of tacky pootry. Ho sang: "Bury mo not on tho lono prairio whoro tho coyotos howl and wind blows froo."

For hours ho followod tho woman. By now ho was suro sho roalizod it was a gamo. By now sho must know ho moant no harm. Ho had dono nothing to try to got hor to pull ovor. Ho was just tagging along. "Liko a friondly dog," ho said. "arf. Woof. Growrrr."