K-Pax (108 page)
I
ha
d
lunc
h
i
n
War
d
Tw
o
an
d
lai
d
dow
n
th
e
law
:
n
o
cat
s
o
n
th
e
table
.
I
sa
t
acros
s
fro
m
Mrs
.
Archer,
wh
o
wa
s
no
w
takin
g
al
l
he
r
meal
s
i
n
th
e
dinin
g
room
.
Sh
e
wa
s
flanke
d
b
y
pro
t
an
d
Chuck
.
Bot
h
were
talkin
g
animatedl
y
wit
h
her
.
Sh
e
looke
d
uncertainl
y
fro
m
on
e
t
o
th
e
other
,
the
n
slowl
y
lifte
d
a
spoonfu
l
of
sou
p
t
o
he
r
mouth
.
Suddenly
,
wit
h
a
soun
d
tha
t
coul
d
hav
e
bee
n
hear
d
clea
r
u
p
i
n
War
d
Four
,
she slurpe
d
i
t
in
.
The
n
sh
e
grabbe
d
a
handfu
l
o
f
cracker
s
an
d
crumble
d
the
m
vigorousl
y
int
o
he
r
bowl
.
She
finishe
d
he
r
mea
l
wit
h
hal
f
th
e
sou
p
smeare
d
al
l
ove
r
he
r
leather
y
face
.
"God,
"
sh
e
sai
d
happily
,
"I've
alway
s
wante
d
t
o
d
o
that."
"Nex
t
time,
"
sai
d
Chuck
,
"belch!"
I
though
t
I
sa
w
Bes
s
smil
e
a
little
,
thoug
h
i
t
migh
t
hav
e
bee
n
wishfu
l
thinkin
g
o
n
m
y
part.
Afte
r
th
e
mea
l
I
returne
d
t
o
m
y
offic
e
an
d
aske
d
Mrs
.
Trexler
,
wh
o
ha
d
regaine
d
he
r
composure
,
to
cance
l
al
l
m
y
appointment
s
fo
r
th
e
res
t
o
f
th
e
day
.
Sh
e
mumble
d
somethin
g
unintelligibl
e
abou
t
doctors,
bu
t
agree
d
t
o
d
o
so
.
The
n
I
wen
t
t
o
fin
d
prot.
H
e
wa
s
i
n
th
e
lounge
,
surrounde
d
b
y
al
l
th
e
patient
s
an
d
staf
f
fro
m
Ward
s
On
e
an
d
Two
.
Even Russell
,
wh
o
ha
d
experience
d
som
e
sor
t
o
f
revelatio
n
afte
r
h
e
understoo
d
tha
t
i
t
wa
s
pro
t
wh
o
ha
d
been
responsibl
e
fo
r
Maria'
s
decidin
g
t
o
becom
e
a
nun
,
wa
s
there
.
Whe
n
I
cam
e
int
o
th
e
roo
m
h
e
exclaimed,
"Th
e
Teache
r
saith
,
M
y
tim
e
i
s
a
t
hand.
"
Th
e
corner
s
o
f
hi
s
mout
h
wer
e
cake
d
wit
h
drie
d
spittle.
"No
t
jus
t
yet
,
Russ,
"
I
said
.
"
I
nee
d
t
o
tal
k
t
o
hi
m
first
.
Wil
l
everyon
e
excus
e
us
,
please?
"
I
calme
d
a
choru
s
o
f
protes
t
b
y
assurin
g
the
m
h
e
woul
d
b
e
bac
k
shortly.
O
n
th
e
wa
y
t
o
hi
s
roo
m
I
remarked
,
"Ever
y
on
e
o
f
the
m
woul
d
d
o
anythin
g
yo
u
aske
d
the
m
to
.
Why
d
o
yo
u
suppos
e
tha
t
is?"
"Becaus
e
I
spea
k
t
o
the
m
a
s
equals
.
That'
s
somethin
g
yo
u
doctor
s
see
m
t
o
hav
e
a
har
d
tim
e
with
.
I
liste
n
t
o
the
m
bein
g
t
o
being."
"
I
liste
n
t
o
them!"
"Yo
u
liste
n
t
o
the
m
i
n
a
differen
t
way
.
Yo
u
ar
e
no
t
a
s
concerne
d
wit
h
the
m
o
r
thei
r
problem
s
a
s
you
ar
e
wit
h
th
e
paper
s
an
d
book
s
yo
u
ge
t
ou
t
o
f
it
.
No
t
t
o
mentio
n
you
r
salary
,
whic
h
i
s
fa
r
to
o
high."
H
e
wa
s
wron
g
abou
t
that
,
bu
t
thi
s
wasn'
t
th
e
tim
e
t
o
argu
e
th
e
matter
.
"Yo
u
hav
e
a
point,
"
I
said
,
"but
m
y
professiona
l
manne
r
i
s
necessar
y
i
n
orde
r
t
o
hel
p
them."
"Let'
s
see-i
f
yo
u
believ
e
that
,
the
n
i
t
mus
t
b
e
true
.
Right?'
"That'
s
exactl
y
wha
t
I
wante
d
t
o
tal
k
t
o
yo
u
about.
"
W
e
cam
e
t
o
hi
s
room
,
th
e
firs
t
tim
e
I
ha
d
been
ther
e
sinc
e
hi
s
earlie
r
disappearance
.
I
t
wa
s
virtuall
y
bar
e
excep
t
fo
r
hi
s
notebook
s
lyin
g
o
n
th
e
desk.
