The City and the Pillar: A Novel by Gore Vidal

Author:Gore Vidal [Vidal, Gore]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
ISBN: 9781400030378
Amazon: 1400030374
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 2003-12-02T05:00:00+00:00

Jim was soon a friend of the corporal, whose name was Ken Woodrow, from Cleveland, aged twenty-one, in the Army a year and a half. He was a graduate of a secretarial college, and his ambition was to work for an important industrialist. Preferably in the Midwest, "where the people are real." Ken told him everything about himself and Jim listened intently, infatuated, unable to think of anything except how to get Ken to bed. Not since Bob had anyone so excited him. But with Bob there had been a sense of identity, of twins complementing one another; with Ken what he felt was absolute lust. He must have him.

They saw each other daily. Yet Ken seemed serenely unaware of what Jim wanted. Leading questions were invariably deflected by innocent answers. It was hugely frustrating. Meanwhile, Sergeant Kervinski observed them darkly and suspected the worst; he was particularly angry with Jim, who continued to refuse to have dinner with him in town.

At last, unable to bear the waiting another moment, Jim talked Ken into going with him to Colorado Springs. It was a sharp November night. They had an overnight pass. They would sleep at a hotel. Something would have to happen.

Colorado Springs was crowded with soldiers. They came not only from the air base but also from a neighboring infantry camp, crowding the streets, bars, movie theaters, poolrooms, bowling alleys, looking for sex and a good time.

Jim and Ken had dinner at an Italian restaurant. At the next table two pretty girls dined alone.

"See that girl staring at me?" Ken whispered, delighted. "You think we ought to ask them to join us?"

"Oh, no," said Jim as though the thought tired him. "I'm not up to it. I worked hard today. And I'm beat."

"Gosh, you never go out with girls, do you?" said Ken as though the thought had just occurred to him.

Jim had been waiting for this question for weeks. He had a lie ready. "Well, I got this one girl here in town, and I see her regularly, alone."

Ken nodded wisely. "See what you mean. Keep it to yourself. I figured you must have a setup like that, because you've been here quite a while and it wouldn't be natural not to have a chick somewhere." Ken nodded several times. They ate their spaghetti. Then Ken said, "She doesn't have any friends, does she? You know the kind I mean."

"Does who?"

"Your girl in town, does she... well, have friends?"

"Oh, no. At least I don't think so. That is, I'd have to ask her. She doesn't go out much."

"Well, where'd you meet her?"

Jim was irritated by the necessity to invent. "I met her at the USO, but like I told you she doesn't go out much. She works for the telephone company," he added, attempting verisimilitude.

"Oh." Ken was silent for a moment, his long fingers playing with a fork. "I met a girl last week. She was really stacked, and she had this apartment out by Pikes Peak. But

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