st rose up
before her again。 Somebody in the Divine Placement Service had made a mistake；
one she sometimes feared could never be corrected and which only the most
innocent bystander could pay for。
〃Stay out of the road； doc；〃 she said； and hugged him tight。
〃Sure； Mom。〃
She went upstairs and into the kitchen。 She put on the teapot and laid a
couple of Oreos on a plate for Danny in case he decided to e up while she was
lying down。 Sitting at the table with her big pottery cup in front of her； she
looked out the window at him； still sitting on the curb in his bluejeans and his
over…sized dark green Stovington Prep sweatshirt； the glider now lying beside
him。 The tears which had threatened all day now came in a cloudburst and she
leaned into the fragrant； curling steam of the tea and wept。 In grief and loss
for the past； and terror of the future。
》
WATSON
You lost your temper； Ullman had said。
〃Okay； here's your furnace；〃 Watson said； turning on a light in the dark；
musty…smelling room。 He was a beefy man with fluffy popcorn hair； white shirt；
and dark green chinos。 He swung open a small square grating in the furnace's
belly and he and Jack peered in together。 〃This here's the pilot light。〃 A
steady blue…white jet hissing steadily upward channeled destructive force； but
the key word； Jack thought； was destructive and not channeled： if you stuck your
hand in there； the barbecue would happen in three quick seconds。
Lost your temper。
（Danny； are you all right？）
The furnace filled the entire room； by far the biggest and oldest Jack had
ever seen。
〃The pilot's got a fail…safe；〃 Watson