7بخش

Bye.

Good luck, Brooks.

Dear fellas I can’t believe how fast things move on the outside.

Watch it, old timer!

Are you trying to get killed?

I saw an automobile once, when I was a kid, but now they’re everywhere.

The world went and got itself in a big damn hurry.

The parole board got me into this halfway house called The Brewer, and a job bagging groceries at the Foodway.

It’s hard work, and I try to keep up, but my hands hurt most of the time.

Make sure your man double-bags.

Last time, the bottom near came out.

Make sure you double-bag, like the lady says. Understand?

Yes, sir.

I surely will.

I don’t think the store manager likes me very much.

Sometimes, after work, I go to the park and feed the birds.

I keep thinking Jake might just show up and say hello.

But he never does.

And I hope, wherever he is, he’s doing OK and making new friends.

I have trouble sleeping at night.

I have bad dreams, like I’m falling.

I wake up, scared.

Sometimes it takes me a while to remember where I am.

Maybe I should get me a gun and rob the Foodway, so they’d send me home.

I could shoot the manager, while I was at it.

Sort of like a bonus.

I guess I’m too old for that sort of nonsense any more.

I don’t like it here.

I’m tired of being afraid all the time.

I’ve decided not to stay.

I doubt they’ll kick up any fuss.

Not for an old crook like me.

“I doubt they’ll kick up any fuss; Not for an old crook like me.

PS, Tell Heywood I’m sorry I put a knife to his throat.

No hard feelings.

Brooks.

He should have died in here.

What the ** have you done?

It’s a goddamn mess.

I’ll tell you that.

What’s all this?

You tell me, **stick.

They’re all addressed to you.

Take it.

“Dear Mr. Dufresne.

In response to your repeated enquiries, the State has allocated the enclosed funds for your library project.”

This is 200 dollars.

“In addition, the Library District has generously responded with a charitable donation of used books and sundries.

We trust this will fill your needs.

We now consider the matter closed.

Please stop sending us letters.”

I want all this cleared out before the Warden gets back.

Yes, sir.

Good for you, Andy.

Wow!

It only took six years.

From now on, I’ll write two letters a week, instead of one.

Oh, I believe you’re crazy enough.

You’d better get all this stuff out, like the Captain said.

Now, I’m gonna go pinch a loaf.

When I come back, this is all gone, right?

Wow.

Andy, do you hear that?

Dufresne?

Dufresne?

Andy, let me out.

Andy?

Andy?

I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about.

The truth is, I don’t want to know.

Some things are best left unsaid.

I like to think they were singing about something so beautiful, it can’t be expressed in words and makes your heart ache because of it.

I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a grey place dares to dream.

It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made those walls dissolve away.

And for the briefest of moments every last man at Shawshank felt free.

It pissed the Warden off something awful.

Open the door.

Open it up!

Dufresne, open this door!

Turn that off!

I am warning you, Dufresne.

Turn that off!