第50部分（第1页）

people　who　understand　the　interaction　between　the　mind　and　the　body　study　it；　I

mean；　no　one　understands　it　—　　believe　we　have　a　lot　more　control　over　our

involuntary　functions　than　they　used　to　think。　You　can　slow　your　heartbeat　if

you　think　about　it　enough。　Speed　up　your　own　metabolism。　Make　yourself　sweat

more。　Or　make　yourself　bleed。〃

〃You　think　Danny　thought　those　bruises　onto　his　neck？　Jack；　I　just　cant

believe　that。〃

〃I　can　believe　its　possible；　although　it　seems　unlikely　to　me；　too。　Whats

more　likely　is　that　he　did　it　to　himself。〃

〃To　himself？〃

〃Hes　gone　into　these　trances　and　hurt　himself　in　the　past。　Do　you　remember

the　time　at　the　supper　table？　About　two　years　ago；　I　think。　We　were　super…pissed

at　each　other。　Nobody　talking　very　much。　Then；　all　at　once；　his　eyes　rolled　up

in　his　head　and　he　went　face…first　into　his　dinner。　Then　onto　the　floor。

Remember？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃I　sure　do。　I　thought　he　was　having　a　convulsion。〃

〃Another　time　we　were　in　the　park；〃　he　said。　〃Just　Danny　and　I。　Saturday

afternoon。　He　was　sitting　on　a　swing；　coasting　back　and　forth。　He　collapsed　onto

the　ground。　It　was　like　hed　been　shot。　I　ran　over　and　picked　him　up　and　all　of

a　sudden　he　just　came　around。　He　sort　of　blinked　at　me　and　said；　‘I　hurt　my

tummy。　Tell　Mommy　to　close　the　bedroom　windows　if　it　rains。　And　that　night　it

rained　like　hell。〃

〃Yes；　but　—　〃

〃And　hes　always　ing　in　with　cuts　and　scraped　elbows。　His　shins　look　like　a

battlefield　in　distress。　And　when　you　ask　him　how　he　got　this　one　or　that　one；

he　just　says　‘Oh；　I　was　playing；　and　thats　the　end　of　it。〃

〃Jack；　all　kids　get　bumped　and　bruised　up。　With　little　boys　its　almost

constant　from　the　time　they　learn　to　walk　until　theyre　twelve　or　thirteen。〃

〃And　Im　sure　Danny　gets　his　share；〃　Jack　responded。　〃Hes　an　active　kid。　But

I　remember　that　day　in　the　park　and　that　night　at　the　supper　table。　And　I　wonder

if　some　of　our　kids　bumps　and　bruises　e　from　just　keeling　over。　That　Dr。

Edmonds　said　Danny　did　it　right　in　his　office；　for　Christs　sake！〃

〃All　right。　But　those　bruises　were　fingers。　Id　swear　to　it。　He　didnt　get