We talked a little more。 I wanted to go down and check on Zenith； Roger suggested we wait for Bill； Herb； and Sandra； then do it together。
LaShonda Evans came in before they did； plaining that the reception area smelled funny。 Roger sympathized； suggested it might be mildew in the carpet； and authorized a petty…cash expenditure for a can of Glade； which can be purchased in the Smiler's across the street。 He also suggested that she leave the editors pretty much alone for the next couple of months； they were all going to be working hard； he said； trying to live up to the parent pany's expectations。 He didn't say 〃unrealistic expectations；〃 but some people can convey a great deal with no more than a certain tone of voice； and Roger is one of them。
〃It's my policy not to go any further than right here； Mr。 Wade；〃 she said； standing in the door of Roger's office and speaking with great dignity。 〃You're okay。 。 。 and so are you； Mr。 Kenton。 。 。 most of the time。 。 。〃
I thanked her。 I've discovered that after your girl has dropped you for some West Coast smoothie who probably knows Tai Chi and has been rolphed as est…ed to a nicety； even left…handed pliments sound pretty good。
〃。 。 。but those other three are a little on the weird side。〃
With that； LaShonda left。 I imagine she had calls to make； a few of which might even have to do with the publishing business。 Roger looked at me； amused； and further rumpled his disarranged hair。 〃She didn't know what the smell was；〃 he said。
〃I don't think LaShonda spends a lot of time in the kitchen。〃
〃When you look like LaShonda； I doubt if you need to；〃 Roger said。 〃The only time you smell garlic is when the waiter brings your Shrimp Mediterranean。〃
〃Meanwhile；〃 I said； 〃there's Glade。 And the garlic…smell will be gone before long； anyway。 Unless； of course； you're either a bloodhound or a supernatural houseplant。〃
We looked at each other for a moment； then burst out laughing。 Maybe just because Tina Barfield was dead and we were alive。 Not very nice； I know； but the day brightened from that point on； that much； at least； I'm sure of。
Roger had left little notes on Herb's； Sandra's； and Bill's desks。 By nine…thirty we were all gathered in Roger's office； which doubles as our editorial conference room。 Roger began by saying that he thought both Herb and Sandra had been aided in their inspirations； and with no more preamble than that； he told them the story of our trip to Rhode Island。 I helped as much as I could。 We both tried to express how strange our visit to the greenhouse had been； how otherworldly； and I believe all three of them understood most of that。 When it came to Norville Keen； however； I don't think either Roger or I really got the point across。
Bill and Herb were sitting side by side on the floor； as they often do during our editorial conferences； drinking coffee； and I saw them exchange a glance of the kind in which eyeballs rolling heavenward play a crucial part。 I thought about trying to press the point； then didn't。 If I may misquote the wisdom of Norville Keen：〃You can't believe in a zombie unless you've seen that zombie。〃
Roger finished the job by handing Bill that day's B section of The New York Times。 We waited as it made the rounds。
〃Oh； poor woman；〃 Sandra said。 She had dragged in her office chair and was sitting in it with her knees primly together。 No sitting on the floor for Mr。 and Mrs。 Jackson's little girl。 〃I never fly unless I have to。 It's much more dangerous than they let on。〃
〃This is crap；〃 Bill said。 〃I mean； I love you； Roger； but this really is crap。 You've been under pressure…you too； John； especially since you got the gate from your girlfriend…and you guys've just。 。 。 I don't know。 。 。 let your imaginations run away with you。〃
Roger nodded as if he had expected no less。 He turned to Herb。 〃What do you think？〃 he asked him。
Herb stood up and hitched his belt in that take…charge way of his。 〃I think we ought to go take a look at the famous ivy plant。〃
〃Me too；〃 Sandra said。
〃You guys don't actually believe this； do you？〃 Bill Gelb asked。 He sounded both amused and alarmed。 〃I mean； let's not dial 1…800…MASSHYSTERIA just yet； okay？〃
〃I don't believe or disbelieve anything；〃 Sandra said。 〃Not for sure。 All I know for sure is that I got my idea about the joke…book after I was down there。 After I smelled baking cookies。 And why would the janitor's room smell like my grandma's kitchen； anyway？〃
〃Maybe for the same reason the reception area smells like garlic；〃 Bill said。 〃Because these guys have been playing jokes。〃 I opened my mouth to say that Sandra had smelled cookies and Herb toast and jam in Riddley's cubicle the day before Roger and I made our trip to Central Falls； but before I could； Bill said： 〃What about the plant； Sandy？ Did you see an ivy growing all over the place in there？〃
〃No； but I didn't turn on the light；〃 she said。 〃I just peeped my head in； and then。 。 。 I don't know。 。 。 I got a little scared。 Like it was spooky； or something。〃
〃It was spooky in spite of the smell of gramma's baking cookies； or because of it？〃 Bill asked。 Like a TV…show prosecutor hammering some hapless defense witness。
Sandra looked at him defiantly and said nothing。 Herb tried to take her hand； but she shook it off。
I stood up。 〃Enough talk。 Why describe a guest when you can see that guest？〃
Bill looked at me as if I'd flipped my lid。 〃Say what？〃
〃I believe that in his own inimitable way； John is trying to express the idea that seeing is believing；〃 Roger said。 〃Let's go have a look。 And may I suggest you all keep your hands to yourselves？ I don't think it bites…not us； anyway…but I do think we'd be wise to be careful。〃
It sounded like damned good advice to me。 As Roger lead us down the hall past our offices in a little troop； I found myself remembering the last words of the rabbit general in Richard Adams's Watership Down： 〃e back； you fools！ e back！ Dogs aren't dangerous！〃
When we got to the place where the hall jogs to the left； Bill said： 〃Hey； hold it； just a goddam minute。〃 Sounding extremely suspicious。 And a little bit spooked； maybe； as well。
〃What is it； William？〃 Herb asked； all innocence。 〃Smelling something nice？〃
〃Popcorn；〃 he said。 His hands were clenched。
〃Good smell； is it？〃 Roger asked gently。
Bill sighed。 His hands opened。 。 。 and all at once his eyes filled with tears。 〃It smells like The Nordica；〃 he said。 〃The Nordica Theater； in Freeport； Maine。 It's where we used to go to the show when I was a kid growing up in Gates Falls。 It was only open on weekends； and it was always a double feature。 There were great big wooden fans in the ceiling and they'd go around during the show。 。 。 whoosh； whoosh； whoosh。 。 。 and the popcorn was always fresh。 Fresh popcorn with real butter on it in a plain brown bag。 To me that's always been the smell of dreams。 I just。 。 。 Is this a joke？ Because if it is； tell me right now。〃
〃No joke；〃 I said。 〃I smell coffee。 Five O'Clock brand； and stronger than ever。 Sandra； do you still smell cookies？〃
She looked at me with dreamy eyes； and right then I sort of understood why Herb is so totally gone on her （yes； we all know it； I think even Riddley and LaShonda know it； the only one who doesn't know it is Sandra herself）。 Because she was beautiful。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃I smell Shalimar。 That was the first perfume I ever had。 My Aunt Coretta gave it to me for my birthday； when I was twelve。〃 Then she looked at Bill； and smiled warmly。 〃That was what dreams smelled like to me。 Shalimar perfume。〃
〃Herb？〃 I asked。
For a minute I didn't think he was going to say anything； he was cheesed at the way she was looking at Bill。 But then he must have decided this was a little bit bigger than his crush on Sandra。
〃Not toast and jam today；〃 he said。 〃New car today。 To me that's the best smell on earth。 It was when I was seventeen and couldn't afford one； and I guess it still is now。〃
Sandra said； 〃You still can't afford one。〃
Herb sighed； shrugged。 〃Yeah； but。 。 。 fresh wax。 。 。 new leather。 。 。〃
I turned to Roger。 〃What about…〃 Then I stopped。 Bill w