The Green Mile | Page 4

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P ag e 1 o f 2 01S te p hen K in g: T he G re en M ile
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sto ry w as g ood, y ou d id ).
B est o f a ll , i n m y h ouse w e o fte n r e ad t h em a lo ud-m y b ro th er, D av id , o ne n ig ht, m yse lf t h e n ex t, m y m oth er
t a k in g a t u rn o n t h e t h ir d , t h en b ac k t o m y b ro th er a g ain . I t w as a r a re c h an ce t o e n jo y a w rit te n w ork a s w e
e n jo yed t h e m ovie s w e w en t t o a n d t h e T V p ro gra m s (
R aw hid e, B on anza . R oute 6 6)
t h at w e w atc h ed t o geth er;
t h ey w ere a f a m ily e v en t . I t w asn 't u nti l y ea rs l a te r t h at I d is c o vere d D ic k en s's n ovels h ad b een e n jo yed b y
f a m ilie s o f h is d ay i n m uch t h e s a m e f a sh io n. o n ly t h eir f ir e sid e a g on iz in gs o v er t h e f a te o f P ip a n d O liv er a n d
D av id C opperf ie ld w en t o n f o r y ears i n ste ad o f a c o uple o f m onth s ( e v en t h e l o ngest o f t h e P
ost
s e ria ls r a re ly
r a n m uch m ore t h an e ig ht i n sta ll m en ts ).
T here w as o ne o th er t h in g t h at I l i k ed a b out t h e i d ea , a n a p peal t h at I s u sp ect o nly t h e w rit e r o f s u sp en se t a le s
a n d s p ooky s to rie s c an f u lly a p pre cia te : i n a s to ry w hic h i s p ubli s h ed m i n sta llm en ts , t h e w rit e r g ain s a n
a sc en dan cy o v er t h e r e ad er w hic h h e o r s h e c an not o th erw is e e n jo y: s im ply p ut. C onsta n t R ead er, y o u c a n not
f lip a h ead a n d s e e h ow m atte rs t u rn o ut.
I s til l r e m em ber w alk in g i n to o ur l i v in g r o om o nce w hen I w as t w elv e o r s o a n d s e ein g