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file:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20Stephen%20King%20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htmnovels he had read as a teenager—novels by Robert A. Heinlein, Murray Leinster, Gordon R. Dickson.The natives here on Planet Quark have an odd custom when one of their children dies, LieutenantAbelson: they “meet for lunch.” I know how grotesque and barbaric that sounds, but remember, thisplanet has not been terra formed yet.“Sure,” Louis said. “What’s a good restaurant for half time between funeral viewings, Steve?”“Take it easy, Lou,” Steve said, but he didn’t seem entirely displeased. In this state of crazy calm, Louisfelt better able to see into people than ever before in his life. Perhaps it was an illusion, but right now hesuspected Steve was thinking that even a sudden spate of sarcasm, squirted out like an abrupt mouthfulof bile, was preferable to his earlier state of disconnection.“Don’t worry,” he said to Steve now. “What about Benjamin's?”“Sure,” Steve said. “Benjamin’s would be fine.”He had made the call from the office of the funeral director. Now, as Louis passed the East Room on hisway out, he saw that the room was almost empty, but Irwin and Dory Goldman sat down in the frontrow, heads bowed. They looked to Louis as if they might sit there forever.Benjamin’s was the right choice. Bangor was an early-lunch town, and around one o’clock it was nearlydeserted. Jud had come along with Steve and Rachel, and the four of them ate friedchicken. At one point Rachel went to the ladies’ room and remained in there so long that Steve becamenervous. He was on the verge of asking a waitress to check on her when she came back to the table, hereyes red.Louis picked at his chicken and drank a lot of Schlitz beer. Jud matched him bottle for bottle, not talkingmuch.Their four meals went back almost uneaten, and with his preternatural insight, Louis saw the waitress, afat girl with a pretty face, debating with herself about whether or not to ask them if their meals had beenall right, finally taking another look at Rachel’s red-rimmed eyes and deciding it would be the wrongquestion. Over coffee Rachel said something so suddenly and so baldly that it rather shocked them all—particularly Louis, who at last was becoming sleepy with the beer. “I’m going to give his clothes to theSalvation Army.”“Are you?” Steve said after a moment.“Yes,” Rachel said. “There’s a lot of wear in them yet. All his jumpers . . . his corduroy pants . . . hisshirts. Someone will be glad to get them. They’re all very serviceable. Except for the ones he waswearing, of course. They’re. . . ruined.”file:///E|/Funny%20&%20Weird%20Shit/75%20-%20St...20Books/Stephen%20King%20-%20Pet%20Sematary.htm (192 of 333)7/28/2005 9:21:49 PM