He had been married and divorced twice. Outside he could hear the roaring sound of Annies bright-blue riding lawnmower — she was around front, giving the grass a good trim so those cockadoodie Roydmans wouldnt have anything to talk about in town.
"He could hardly believe it. "I dont believe anyone in Annie Wilkes Stadium — or in the home viewing audience, for that matter — thought he had the sly-test chance of getting that wheelchair moving after the blow he took, but I believe. Tony Bonasaro, who was now only so many blackened flakes of ash, had been a car-thief. "Of course it wont last — weve got a hard snap or three ahead of us yet, and probably another big storm as well — but spring is coming, Paul, and my mother always used to say that the hope of spring is like the hope of heaven.
Like those swamis who toot their flutes until ropes come out of baskets and they climb the ropes and disappear. I cant let you leave here.
He was so preoccupied with not screaming that for a moment he didnt even see what was coming into the driveway, and when he did see it, he believed at first that it must be a mirage. Beside it was a ceramic ashtray with a paddlewheel excursion boat printed on the bottom encircled by the words, SOUVENIR OF HANNIBAL, MISSOURI — HOME OF AMERICAS STORY TELLER!