The ape in the next room grunted, just as if he didn’t think much of my reasoning.
I wondered if the poster was part of the course. The ad in the newspaper said Must have an earnest desire to save the world. That made sense. Saving the world would certainly mean saving gorillas.
But not saving people? That’s what popped into my head. You know what it’s like to have ideas pop into your head. It’s like they come from out of the blue. But this one came from outer space. I mean, I can tell strangers from friends. This was a stranger.
I gave the ape a look. The ape gave me a look—and I knew.
I vanished from that place. That’s how fast I got out of there. One second I was eyeing the gorilla, and the next I was standing out on the sidewalk, breathing hard.
I wasn’t far from the center of town, where a couple of department stores are still hanging on by their fingernails. I headed there, where I’d find some people. I wanted to be around people while I thought about this.
The gorilla had talked to me—inside my own head.
That was what I had to think about.
I didn’t have to wonder if it happened. It happened. I couldn’t make up something like that. And why would I make up something like that? To fool myself?
I went over all this while riding the escalators at Pearson’s. Six floors up. Six floors down. Very soothing. Nobody cares. Nobody bothers you. Nobody notices. At the bottom you have to switch from down to up. Jewelry and notions. Women’s clothi
ng. Men’s clothing. Housewares. Toys. Furniture. At the top you have to switch from up to down. Furniture. Toys. Housewares. Men’s clothing. Women’s clothing. Jewelry and notions. All coming at you in restful slow motion.
Teacher seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world.
I say, You mean, save the world, as in gorillas.
And the gorilla says, But not people?
Where was the teacher while all this was going on?
And what would have gone on if the teacher had been there?
What was the plan? What was the idea?
I could see an exotic teacher having an exotic pet.
A mind-talking ape. Pretty exotic. Yeah.
Teacher seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world and be able to put up with a telepathic ape.
Hey—that was me, down to a tee.
I stopped for a Coke. It wasn’t even noon yet.
I Take on The Ape
When I got back to Room 105, I put a hand to the door-knob and an ear to the wood.
And heard a man’s voice.
I couldn’t make out what he was saying. He was yards from the door—and facing the wrong way. At least that was the way I pictured it.
“Mumble umble bumble,” he said. “Bum bum umble mumble.”
Silence. A full minute of silence.
“Um bumble umble bum,” the man went on. “Bum bum mumble um bumble.”
Silence. Only half a minute this time.