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136 and scotch in his glass. "I encountered death many times," said Jon. "in the war people tried to kill me everyday." He spoke to the refrigerator. "I was repsonsible for my men." "He was a hero," said Bush. "The French gave him the Croix de Guerre after Normandy." "A torpedo lodged in our hull and it took us a day to dismantle the charge," said Jon. "We waited a day." He looked at Red. "So I know how to wait." "You're an excellent waiter," said Bush. "You can wait with the best of them." "It was harder then," said Jon. "I didn't have my voices." "His old voices are back," said xx Bush. "They wouldn't help me during the war because they're anti-communist. " Jon perused the table. "There's a war on now, you know. Between good and evil. Between those who believe a in God and those who don't." "Why don't you build a bomb shelter," said Neda. Bush shook a finger at her. Now Kxx Uncle Stanley was in the room with Aunt Sylvia. "Did you here what Kruschev said?" said Stanley. "He said they'll kxi bury us. I'd like to see them try and bury us." "They will," said Jon. "Because they know it's a war." Red had started to crack a little grin. He was moving into stage two. "We just had a war," said Red. "When's everybody going to wise up?" That was pretty xaxi smart. Maybe i The Year of Two Hundred Books did something for Red. "The next one will be the last," said Jon. "Want to bet?" said Red. "I'll tell you one thing. My kids aint going. Nobody in my family's going to get shot up so we can change enemies. I never met a god-damn Russian. What do I know about the Russians. £ They eat and shit, don't they? They put pants on and go to work, don't they?" "They're athiests," said Jon. "We have to pray," said Helen. "We should say the rosary everyday to Our Lady of Fatima." "Doesn't the Infant cover that?" I asked Helen. "The Infant is plenty busy," Helen said.