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considered that i am six feet six inches tall when he built the hovel； cause the top of my torch is
bumpin against the ceiling。
mad tom； he is now sposed to say； 〃poor tom'；s a…cold；〃 but instead； he say； 〃watch that
torch！〃
i look down at my book to see where that line e from； an elmer harrington iii say to me；
〃look out for that torch； you idiot！〃 an i say back to him； 〃for once in my life i am not the
idiot— you is！〃 an then all of a sudden the roof to the hovel catch on fire an fall on mad tom'；s
beatle wig an set it on fire too。
〃turn off the goddamn wind machine！〃 somebody shout； but it is too late。 everthing burning
up！
mad tom is hollerin an yellin an king lear take off his colander an jam it on mad tom'；s
head to put the fire out。 people is jumpin aroun an choakin an coughin an cussin an the girl playin
the fool gets hysterical an mence to shriek an cry； 〃we will all be kilt！〃 for a moment or two；
it actually looks that way。
i turn behin me； an damn if my cape ain'；t caught on fire； an so i thowed open the winder an
grapped the fool aroun her waist an out we leaped。 it was only from the secont story winder； an
they was a bunch of shrubs down there that broke our fall； but it was also lunchtime an hundrits
of people was wanderin aroun the yard。 there we was； all a…fire an smolderin。
black smoke e pourin from up in the open winder of the class an all of a sudden there is
professor quackenbush； leanin out an lookin aroun； shakin his fist； face all covered up with soot。
〃gump； you fuckin idiot— you stupid asshole！ you will pay for this！〃 he shoutin。
the fool is grovelin aroun on the groun an bawlin an wringing her hans but she is okay— just
singed up a bit— so i just took off— bounded across the yard fast as i could run； cape still on fire；
smoke trailin behin me。 i didn'；t stop till i got home； an when i get into the apartment； jenny say；
〃oh； forrest； how was it？ i bet you was wonderful！〃 then she get a peculiar look on her face。
〃say； do you smell somethin burnin？〃 she axes。
〃it is a long story；〃 i say。
anyhow； after that i did not attend the 〃role of the idiot in world literature〃 no more； as i
have seen quite enough。 but ever night i an jenny are playin with the cracked eggs an all day
long we is makin love an takin walks an havin picnics on the banks of the charles river an it is
heaven。 jenny has written a nice tender song called 〃do it to me hard an fast；〃 in which i get to
take bout a five…minute ride on my harmonica。 it were a splendid spring an summer； an we went
down to new yawk an made the tapes for mister feeblestein an a few weeks later he call up to
say we is gonna have a record album。 not too long after that； everbody be callin us up to play in
their towns an we took the money we got from mister feeblestein an bought us a big bus with
beds an shit in it an go on the road。
now there is somethin else durin that period that played a great role in my life。 one night
after we is finished the first set at the hodaddy club； mose； the drummer for the cracked eggs；
take me aside an say； 〃forrest； you is a nice clean…cut feller an all； but they is somethin i want
you to try that i think will make you play that harmonica better。〃
i axe what it is； an mose say； 〃here；〃 an he give me a little cigarette。 i tell him i don'；t smoke；
but thanks； an mose say； 〃it is not a regular cigarette； forrest。 it have got somethin in it to expand
your horizons。〃
i tole mose i ain'；t sure i need my horizons expanded； but he sort of insisted。 〃at least try it；〃
he say； an i thought for a minute； an conclude that one cigarette ain'；t gonna hurt none； an so i do。
well let me say this： my horizons indeed bee expanded。
everthing seem to slow down an get rosy keen。 that secont set we played that night was the
best of my life； i seemed to hear all the notes a hundrit times as i was playin them； an mose
e up to me later an say； 〃forrest； you think that'；s good— use it when you'；re screwin。〃
i did； an he was right bout that too。 i used some of my money to buy me some of that stuff；
an before you know it； i was doin it day in an day out。 the only problem was； it kind of made me
stupider after a wile。 i just get up in the mornin an light up one of them joints； which is what they
called them； an lie there all day till it was time to go an play。 jenny didn'；t say nothin for a wile；
cause she been known to take a puff or two hersef； but then one day she say to me； 〃forrest； don'；t
you think you been doin too much of that shit？〃
〃i dunno；〃 i says； 〃how much is too much？〃
an jenny say； 〃as much as you are doin is too much。〃
but i didn'；t want to stop。 somehow； it got rid of everthing i might be worried bout； tho there
wadn'；t too much of that at that time anyway。 at night i'；d go out between sets at the hodaddy club
an set in the little alley an look up at the stars。 if they weren'；t any stars； i'；d look up anyway； an
one night jenny e out an find me lookin up at the rain。
〃forrest； you has got to quit this；〃 she say。 〃i am worried bout you； cause you ain'；t doin
nothin cept playin an lyin aroun all day。 it ain'；t healthy。 i think you need to get away for a wile。
we ain'；t got no concerts booked after tomorrow down in provincetown； so i think maybe we
ought to go someplace an take a vacation。 go up to the mountains maybe。〃
i jus nod my head。 i ain'；t even sure i heard all she said。
well； the nex night in provincetown； i find the backstage exit an go on outside to lite up a
joint。 i am settin there by mysef； mindin my business； when these two girls e up。 one of them
say； 〃hey； ain'；t you the harmonica player with the cracked eggs？〃
i nod yes； an she jus plop hersef down in my lap。 the other girl is grinnin an squealin an
suddenly she take off her blouse。 an the other girl is tryin to unzip my pants an have her skirt
pulled up an i am jus settin there blowed