elf　with　a　copy　of　E。　L。　Doctorow's

Wele　to　Hard　Times；　when　his　wife　and　son　rattled　up　the　driveway　in　the

hotel　truck。

Wendy　parked　it　in　the　turn…around；　raced　the　engine　sportily；　and　then　turned

it　off。　The　truck's　single　taillight　died。　The　engine　rumbled　grumpily　with

post…ignition　and　finally　stopped。　Jack　got　out　of　his　chair　and　ambled　down　to

meet　them。

〃Hi；　Dad！〃　Danny　called；　and　raced　up　the　hill。　He　had　a　box　in　one　hand。

〃Look　what　Mommy　bought　me！〃

Jack　picked　his　son　up；　swung　him　around　twice；　and　kissed　him　heartily　on　the

mouth。

〃Jack　Torrance；　the　Eugene　O'Neill　of　his　generation；　the　American

Shakespeare！〃　Wendy　said；　smiling。　〃Fancy　meeting　you　here；　so　far　up　in　the

mountains。〃

〃The　mon　ruck　became　too　much　for　me；　dear　lady；〃　he　said；　and　slipped　his

arms　around　her。　They　kissed。　〃How　was　your　trip？〃

〃Very　good。　Danny　plains　that　I　keep　jerking　him　but　I　didn't　stall　the

truck　once　and　。。。　oh；　Jack；　you　finished　it！〃

She　was　looking　at　the　roof；　and　Danny　followed　her　gaze。　A　faint　frown

touched　his　face　as　he　looked　at　the　wide　swatch　of　fresh　shingles　atop　the

Overlook's　west　wing；　a　lighter　green　than　the　rest　of　the　roof。　Then　he　looked

down　at　the　box　in　his　hand　and　his　face　cleared　again。　At　night　the　pictures

Tony　had　showed　him　came　back　to　haunt　in　all　their　original　clarity；　but　in

sunny　daylight　they　were　easier　to　disregard。

〃Look；　Daddy；　look！〃

Jack　took　the　box　from　his　son。　It　was　a　model　car；　one　of　the　Big　Daddy　Roth

caricatures　that　Danny　bad　expressed　an　admiration　for　in　the　past。　This　one　was

the　Violent　Violet　Volkswagen；　and　the　pictu