That's John LaPointe inside. He's supposed to be keepin an eye out for speeders - downtown's a go-slow zone, you know, especially when school lets out - but if you shade your eyes and look close, you'll see what he's really doin is starin at a picture he took out of his wallet. I can't see it from here, but I know what it is just as well as I know my mother's maiden name. That's the snapshot Andy Clutterbuck took of John and Sally Ratcliffe at the Fryeburg State Fair, just about a year ago. John's got his arm around her in that picture, and shes holdin the stuffed bear he won her in the shootin gallery, and they both look so happy they could just about split. But that was then and this is now, as they say; these days Sally is engaged to Lester Pratt, the high school Phys ed coach. He's a true-blue Baptist, just like herself. John hasn't got over the shocka losin her yet. See him fech that sigh? He's worked himself into a pretty good case of the blues. Only a man who's in love (or thinks he is) can fetch a sigh that deep.
...Trouble and aggravation's mostly made up of ordinary things, did you ever notice that? Undramatic things ...
It's just small-town life, though - it's just folks eatin pie and drinkin' coffee and talkin about each other behind their hands.
It's the same here as where you grew up, most likely. People gettin het up over religion, people carryin torches, people carryin secrets, people carryin grudges ...
...Always been one of the good places, and when people get scratchy, you know what we say? We say 'He'll get over it' or 'She'll get over it'.
Henry Beaufort, for instance, is sick of Hugh Priest kickin the Rock-Ola when he's drunk...But Henry will get over it. Wilma Jerzyck and Nettie Cobb are mad at each other...but Nettie will get over it (probably) and bein mad's just a way of life for Wilma. Sheriff Pangborn's still mournin his wife and younger child, who died untimely, and it was a sure-enough tragedy, but he'll get over it in time. Polly Chalmer's arthritis isn't gettin any better - in fact, its getting worse, a little atta time - and she may not ever get over it, but she'll learn to live with it. Millions have.
We bump up against each other every now and again, but mostly things all go alright. Or always have, until now. But I have to tell you a real secret, my friend; it's mostly why I called you over once I saw you back in town. I think trouble, real trouble, is on its way ..."
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~ Extracted from Needful Things ...by Stephen King.
One of the better and most intriguing prologues I've read in a while. King knows just how. A method that reminds me of ''everyone likes a bit of gossip'', or ''everyone likes reading about things they relate to'' ... Or the wit of small-town humor..My copy of Needful Things is rather old and belongs to my brother.. The book was first published in 1988, but remains a scary story of high quality, hence the author.Let me know about your bedside read ...
