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ke in a clear； resonant baritone。
〃To cowardice；〃 he said； and flung the empty glass against the back wall of the fireplace with a savageness I had never seen in him before。
Fast Eddie stuck his head in the door。 〃Jeezis Christ； boss； de whole unprintable parkin' lot blew up。〃
〃I know； Eddie；〃 Callahan said gently。 〃Thanks。 Anybody hurt？〃
Eddie scratched his head。 〃I don't t'ink so；〃 he allowed； 〃but dere's a lotta dead cars。〃
〃Least of my worries；〃 Callahan assured him。 〃Call the cops； will you？ Tell 'em whatever you like。〃 Eddie got busy on the phone。
Callahan came back to our table； stood over Finn。 〃Well； buddy； what do you say？ Can you take 'em？〃
Finn looked up at him for a while； figuring some things。
〃That blast was powerful； Michael。 They must have strong defenses。〃
〃That's why I stepped on your toes and let that joker go； Mickey。 If you two tangled in here； we'd have lost a lot more'n a few cars we can't gas anyway。 But you heard what he said about violence。〃
〃They abhor it；〃 Finn agreed。 〃Even if they will employ it in self…defense； they are unused to it。 Michael； I can take them。 I will。〃
He rose and left the bar。
〃Thanks； Mickey；〃 Callahan called after him。 I reckon your dues are paid in full。〃
There's been a lot of noise in the papers lately about the series of seismic shocks that have been recorded over the past few weeks in the unlikeliest places。 An unpredicted miniquake every day or two for three weeks； culminating in a blockbuster where no quake had a right to be； is bound to cause talk。
The seismologist confess themselves baffled。 Some note that none of the quakes took place in a densely populated area； and are reassured。 Some note the uniquely powerful though strictly local intensity of the shocks； and are perturbed。 Some note the utter inability of their science to explain the quakes even after the fact； and fear the end of the world is at hand。
But me and some of the boys at Callahan's Place suspect it's more like the beginning。
9
THE WONDERFUL CONSPIRACY
I used to think that almost anything could happen at Callahan's Place。 It wasn't long before I realized the truth： that anything can happen at Callahan's Place。。。 and not long after that it was made clear to me that anything can happen at Callahan's。
But I confess I was still surprised the night I learned that A*N*Y*T*H*I*N*G can happen at Callahan's Place … and that； sooner or later； it probably will。
It was New Year's Eve； a natural time for introspection I guess。 The Place was virtually empty； for the first time in a long while。 Now that might strike you as downright implausible； but it's just another one of the inexplicable eccentricities of Callahan's that stop startling you after you've been hanging out there awhile。 You see； the kind of guys that e in there regularly； if they've got families； tend to spend holidays with 'em at home。
It's that kind of crowd。
There are； of course； a handful who don't have families； and aren't willing to settle for the surrogate of a date； so Callahan stays open on holidays … but I'm sure he runs a net loss。 This particular New Year's Eve； the entire congregation consisted of him； me； Fast Eddie； the Doc and Long…Drink McGonnigle。
Funny。 You take men who already consider themselves deep and true friends： they've been drinking together regularly for many years； have experienced some memorable moments in each other's pany； have given each other an awful lot。 And yet somehow； on a night when there's just a few of them； there because they have no better place to be； such men can find an even deeper level of sharing； can； perhaps； truly bee brothers。 At such times they relax the shoulders of their souls； and turn their collective attention to those profound questions that can overawe a man alone。 They bring out their utterly true selves。 We shared a rich plane of awareness that night； Callahan behind the bar and the rest of us sitting together in front of it； lost in the glow of that special kind of intimacy that drink and good pany bring； looking back over the year gone by and talking of nothing in general and everything in particular。 What we were doing； we were telling dumb puns。
It started when Callahan taped over the cash…box a hand…lettered sign that read； 〃the buck stops here。〃
〃Oh boy；〃 rumbled the Doc； 〃I can see there'll be no quarter given tonight。〃 … which is a pun because he chucked his glass into the fireplace as he said it； which meant the cigar…box at the end of the bar held at least two quarters that he wouldn't be given tonight。
Long…Drink got up and walked to the chalk line； and I assumed he wanted to give Doc's stinker the honor of a formal throw。 I should have known he was setting us up。 He toed the mark； announced； 〃To the poor corpuscle；〃 drained his glass； and waited。
The Doc had reflexively drained the fresh glass Callahan had already supplied unasked … Doc will drink to anything； sight unseen … but he paused with his arm in midthrow。 〃Wait a minute；〃 he said。 〃Why the hell should I drink to ‘the poor corpuscle'？〃
〃He labors in vein；〃 Long…Drink said simply。
〃Ah yes；〃 I said without missing a beat； 〃but he vessles vhile he vorks。〃
〃Plasma soul；〃 exclaimed Callahan。
The Doc's eyes got round and his jaw hung down。 〃By god；〃 he said at last； 〃I've never been outpunned by you rummies yet； and I'm not about to go down on medical puns。 As a doctor I happen to know for certain there's only one other blood pun … I got it straight from the Auricle of Delphi。〃
There was an extended pause； and I was saying to myself； yep； as usual； no one can top the Doc … when all of a sudden Fast Eddie spoke up。 Now you have to understand that while he's a genius at the piano； lightning wit has never been Eddie's strong suit； I don't think I'd ever heard him attempt a pun in the presence of so many masters。
But he by God opened his mouth and said with the nearest thing to a straight face he owns； 〃Well I dunno about youse guys； but anemia drink。〃
And even then he was not done； because while the Doc spluttered and the rest of us roared； Callahan quietly went into the gag that … unknown to us … Eddie had worked out with him before the rest of us arrived。 Instead of Eddie's usual shot； the barkeep mixed him a drink； and served it with a wooden chopstick jutting out of the glass。
〃What the hell kind of a drink is that？〃 Doc Webster demanded grumpily。 And Eddie delivered it magnificently。
〃A hickory daiquiri； Doc。〃
And the laughter of a mere three of us nearly blew out the windows。
The Doc was a good sport about it。 In fact； he laughed so hard at himself that he lost three shirt buttons。 But you could tell he was severely shaken： he paid for the next round。 I felt as though I'd just seen a bulldozer to a tapdance myself。 The world is full of surprises； I told myself。
Callahan put it even more succinctly。 〃It's a miracle；〃 he whooped； setting up fresh glasses。 〃A genuine damn miracle。〃
Long…Drink snorted。 〃Miracles are a dime a dozen in this joint。〃
〃You know； Drink；〃 I said suddenly； 〃you sa