Chapter 9 A Real Idiot

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Chapter 9 A Real Idiot

Of course, the first thing that I wanted to do when I got back to America was find Jenny. So I phoned Moses in Boston.

The Broken Eggs group has broken up,’ he told me.I don’t know what happened to Jenny. I heard that she went to Chicago, but that was five years ago.

Do you have a telephone number, or anything?I asked.

It’s an old number,’ he said, ‘but perhaps she’s still there.

I phoned the number, and she wasn’t.

Jenny Curran?a man’s voice said.She went to Indianapolis.

Got a job at the Temperer factory.

So I went to Indianapolis on the bus.

The Temperer factory was outside the town. I asked about Jenny at the office, and the woman said, ‘Yes, she works in here. Why don’t you wait at the side of the factory? It’s almost lunch-time, and she’ll probably come out.So I did.

A lot of people came out at lunch-time. Then Jenny came out.

She went and sat under a tree on the grass, and began eating an apple. I went up behind her and said, ‘That looks like a nice apple.

She didn’t look up. She just said, ‘Forrest, it has to be you.

A minute later, I had my arms round her and we were both crying. People were watching us with strange looks on their faces, but it didn’t matter. Jenny and me were together again.

I finish work in three hours, Forrest,’ Jenny said.Why don’t you wait for me in that bar across the street? Then I’ll take you to my place.

So I waited in the bar. And I got into the wrestling business. How? I’ll tell you.

It started when I arm-wrestled a man in the bar, and won some money on a bet. That gave me an idea. But at first I didn’t say anything to Jenny.

She came across to the bar after work, and we had a drink and talked.

I saw you on TV when you went up into space, Forrest,’ she said.

And I told her all about that, and about Sue, the ape.

What happened to him?she asked.

I don’t know,’ I said.But he was a good friend.

Later, we went back to Jenny’s flat, and she said, ‘You can stay here.

Next day, when Jenny went to work, I went back to the bar.

Several people wanted to try arm-wrestling with me again, and I said OK. None of them won because 1 was too strong, but plenty of people wanted to try their luck.