Midnight Sun (125 page)

Conceited
superiority
on
one
side
and
slothful
gluttony
on
the
other.
An
absurd
image
crossed
his
mind.
I
n
the
coming
panic
,
the
beautiful
couple
screaming
in
terror
as
the
frightened
fat
family
eats
them
whole.
He
suppressed
the
urge
to
laugh,
careful
not
to
damage
his
temporary
appearance.

Behind
him
,
a
thickly
accented
woman's
voice
muttered,
“
Why
you
pick
dis
spot
,
Jimmy?
We
should'a
gone
up
pron
low.
”

“
Shh,
we
got
here
too
late,
”
a
man
reponded
,
presumably
Jimmy.

“
I
canna
see
nothin',
”
said
the
woman
.
“
D
em
f
at
people
blocking
me
dis
side
and
dem
tall
people's
blocking
me
de
utha
side.
”

Farrah
felt
a
poke
on
his
shoulder,
and
he
turned
his
head
to
see
a
heavily
madeup
woman
with
tattooed
eyebrows
and
a
huge
sun
visor
giving
her
a
cartoonish
appearance.

Suddenly
changing
to
a
sweeter
-
sounding
raspy
voice
,
she
said,
“
Hi,
you
mine
ip
I
stand
nexa
you?
I'm
too
short,
canna
see
presdin
back
here.
”

Jimmy
rolled
his
eyes,
then
looked
apologetically
at
Farrah
.
“
I'm
sorry.
”
Turning
to
his
wife
,
he
said,
“
Suki, d
on't
bother
people.
”

“
No,
”
Farrah
said.
“
I
t's
quite
a
l
l
right
. T
here's
room
for
one
more.
”

“
Tank
you,
”
she
said
,
sliding
up
next
to
him
as
she
gave
Jimmy
an
“
I
told
you
so
”
look.
“
I
live
in
Medica
pipteen
years,
neba
see
presdin.
”

“
Ah,
well
,
I
suppose
you'll
get
to
see
him
momentarily.
”

“
You
not
Medican,
heh?
”
S
he
looked
at
him
quizzically.
“
You
accent
Yango
Namja,
Englishee.
”

“
Yes
,
ma'am,
”
Farrah
said
.
“
I
am
British
.
”

“
You
here
bacation?
”
Suki
asked.

“
No,
business,
”
Farrah
said,
looking
impatiently
toward
the
heavily
guarded
vehicles
from
which
the
last of the
leaders
were
slowly
dismounting.

“
I
been
England
once,
”
Suki
said
.
“
I
bisit
my
baby
bruda
at
Manchessa
Unibersty,
maybe
nineteen
ninety
six.
He
pray
chuku
dere.
”

“
I
beg
your
pardon
.” Farrah was s
urprised
to
hear
his
own
u
niversity
named
by
such
an
unc
outh
person.
“
He
played
what?
”

“
Chuku...uh...
”
S
he
turned
to
her
husband,
“
Jimmy,
wassa
chuku
call?
”

“
Soccer,
”
he
said,
“
or
football
in
England.
”

Farrah
was
shaken,
a
nd a
shocked
look
crossed
his
face
.
“
What
was
your
brother's
name?
”