The Green Mile | Page 9

h at f a ll , w ith h is w if e , M elin da, t o o s ic k t o
c o ok.
B ut f o r t h e o nes w ho a c tu all y h ad t o s it d ow n i n t h at c h air , t h e h um or w en t o ut o f t h e s it u ati o n i n a h urr y . I
p re sid ed o ver s e v en ty- e ig ht e x ecu tio ns d urin g m y t im e a t C old M ounta in ( th at's o ne f ig ure I 'v e n ev er b een
c o nfu se d a b out; I 'l l r e m em ber i t o n m y d eath b ed ), a n d I t h in k t h at, f o r m ost o f t h o se m en , t h e t r u th o f w hat w as
h ap pen in g t o t h em f in all y h it a ll t h e w ay h om e w hen t h eir a n kle s w ere b ein g c la m ped t o t h e s to u t o ak o f " O ld
S park y's " l e g s. T he r e aliz atio n c am e t h en ( y ou w ould s e e i t r is in g i n t h eir e y es, a k in d o f c o ld d is m ay ) t h at t h eir
o w n l e g s h ad f in is h ed t h eir c are e rs . T he b lo od s til l r a n i n t h em , t h e m usc le s w ere s til l s tr o ng, b ut t h ey w ere
f in is h ed , a ll t h e s a m e; t h ey w ere n ev er g oin g t o w alk a n oth er c o untr y m ile o r d an ce w it h a g ir l a t a b arn -
ra is in g.
O ld S park y's c lie n ts c a m e t o a k now le d ge o f t h eir d eath s f ro m t h e a n kle s u p. T here w as a b la ck s il k b ag t h at
w en t o ver t h eir h ead s a fte r t h ey h ad f in is h ed t h eir r a m bli n g a n d m ostly d is jo in te d l a st r e m ark s. I t w as s u ppose d
to b e f o r t h em , b ut I a lw ay s t h ought: i t w as r e all y f o r u s, t o k ee p u s f ro m s e ein g t h e a w fu l t id e o f d is m ay i n t h eir
e y es a s t h ey r e a liz ed t h ey w ere g oin g t o d ie w ith t h eir k nees b en t.
T here w as n o d eath r o w a t C old M