tri-star was struck by lightning on its final approach , and she had whispered you could n't save me , george , we scrimped for you , we saved for you , we went without for you , your dad fixed up the scrape you got into with that girl and you still could n't save me god damn you , and he had awakened screaming , and he was vaguely aware of someone pounding on the wall , but by then he was already pelting into the bathroom , and he barely made it to the kneeling penitential position before the porcelain altar before dinner came up the express elevator .