Ifirstheardthisstoryafewyearsagofromagirl．Probablythestoryisoneofthosemysterious．bitsoffolklorethatreappeareveryfewyears．However，Istillliketothinkthatitreallydidhappen，somewhere，sometime．

TheyweregoingtoFortLauderdale--threeboysandthreegirls--andwhentheyboardedthebus，theywerecarryingsandwichesandwine，dreamingofgoldenbeachesandseatidesasthegray，coldspringofNewYorkvanishedbehindthem．

AsthebuspassedthroughNewJersey，they'begantonoticeVingo．Hesatinfrontofthem，dressedinaplainill-fittingsuit，nevermoving，hisdustyfacemaskinghisage．Hekeptchewingtheinsideofhislipalot，frozenintocompletesilence．

Deepintothenight，thebuspulledintoHowardJohnson's，andeverybodygotoffexcept Vingo．Hesatrootedinhisseat，andtheyoungpeoplebegantowonderabouthim：perhapshewasaseacaptain，arunawayfromhiswife，anoldsoldiergoinghome．Whentheywentbacktothebus，oneofthegirlssatbesidehimandintroducedherself．

¨We'regoingtoFlorida，"shesaidbrightly．"Ihearit'sreallybeautiful．"

"Itis，"hesaidquietly，asifrememberingsomethinghehadtriedtoforget．

"Wantsomewine？"shesaid．Hethankedherandretreatedagainintohissilence．Afterawhile，shewentbacktotheothers，andVingonoddedinsleep．

Inthemorning，theyawokeoutsideanotherHowardJohnson's，andthistimeVingowentin．Thegirlinsistedthathejointhem．Heseemedveryshy，and．orderedblackcoffeeandsmokednervouslyastheyoungpeoplechatteredaboutsleepingonbeaches．Whentheyreturnedtothebus，thegirlsatwithVingoagain，andafterawhile，slowlyandpainfully，hebegantotellhisstory．HehadbeeninjailinNewYorkforthepastfouryears，andnowhewasgoinghome．

¨Areyoumarried？"

"Idon'tknow．"

"Youdon'tknow？"shesaid．

"Well，whenIwasinjailIwrotetomywife，"hesaid．¨‘ItoldherthatIwasgoingtobeawayalongtime，andthatifshecouldn'tstandit，ifthekidskeptaskingquestions，she；couldjustforgetme．I'dunderstand．Getanewguy，Isaid-she'sawonderfulwoman-andforgetaboutme．Itoldhershedidn'thavet