K-Pax (112 page)
I
aske
d
hi
m
whethe
r
h
e
minde
d
m
y
lookin
g
ove
r
th
e
answer
s
h
e
ha
d
formulate
d
t
o
thos
e
fift
y
queries.
Withou
t
interruptin
g
hi
s
writin
g
h
e
shoo
k
hi
s
hea
d
an
d
wave
d
m
e
int
o
th
e
othe
r
chair.
Som
e
o
f
th
e
questions
,
e.g.
,
abou
t
nuclea
r
energy
,
h
e
ha
d
lef
t
unanswered
,
fo
r
reason
s
h
e
ha
d
made
clea
r
i
n
severa
l
o
f
ou
r
session
s
together
.
Th
e
las
t
ite
m
wa
s
a
reques
t
fo
r
a
lis
t
o
f
al
l
th
e
planet
s
pro
t
had
visite
d
aroun
d
th
e
universe
,
t
o
whic
h
h
e
ha
d
replied
,
"Se
e
Appendix,
"
whic
h
tallie
d
th
e
complet
e
lis
t
of
sixty-four
.
Thi
s
inventor
y
include
d
a
brie
f
descriptio
n
o
f
thos
e
bodie
s
an
d
thei
r
inhabitants
,
a
s
wel
l
a
s
a serie
s
o
f
sta
r
charts
.
I
t
wa
s
no
t
everythin
g
Professo
r
Flyn
n
an
d
hi
s
colleagues
,
includin
g
Steve
,
ha
d
hoped
for
,
bu
t
enoug
h
t
o
kee
p
the
m
bus
y
fo
r
som
e
time
,
n
o
doubt.
A
t
aroun
d
3:1
0
h
e
thre
w
dow
n
hi
s
pencil
,
yawned
,
an
d
stretche
d
noisil
y
a
s
i
f
h
e
ha
d
jus
t
finishe
d
a
routin
e
piec
e
o
f
work.
"Ma
y
I
se
e
it?"
"Wh
y
not
?
Bu
t
i
f
yo
u
wan
t
t
o
rea
d
i
t
you'
d
bette
r
mak
e
a
cop
y
righ
t
away-it'
s
th
e
onl
y
on
e
I'v
e
got.
"
I
calle
d
on
e
o
f
th
e
nigh
t
nurse
s
t
o
tak
e
i
t
upstairs
,
admonishin
g
hi
m
t
o
ge
t
som
e
hel
p
an
d
t
o
us
e
al
l
the
copier
s
tha
t
wer
e
operational
.
H
e
hurrie
d
off
,
clutchin
g
th
e
littl
e
notebook
s
a
s
thoug
h
the
y
wer
e
s
o
many
eggs
.
Th
e
possibilit
y
o
f
stallin
g
th
e
proces
s
occurre
d
t
o
m
e
a
t
tha
t
point
,
bu
t
i
t
migh
t
wel
l
hav
e
made
matter
s
eve
n
wors
e
an
d
I
quickl
y
rejecte
d
th
e
idea.
I
ha
d
a
feelin
g
th
e
repor
t
woul
d
b
e
a
rathe
r
uncomplimentar
y
accoun
t
o
f
prot'
s
"visit
"
t
o
Earth
,
an
d
I
aske
d
him
,
"I
s
ther
e
anythin
g
abou
t
ou
r
plane
t
tha
t
yo
u
liked
?
Beside
s
ou
r
fruits
,
I
mean."
"Sure,
"
h
e
said
,
wit
h
a
n
all-too-familiar
-
grin
.
"Everythin
g
bu
t
th
e
people
.
Wit
h
on
e
o
r
two exceptions
,
o
f
course."
Ther
e
didn'
t
see
m
t
o
b
e
muc
h
lef
t
t
o
say
.
I
thanke
d
m
y
amazin
g
frien
d
fo
r
th
e
man
y
interesting
discussion
s
an
d
fo
r
hi
s
succes
s
wit
h
som
e
o
f
th
e
othe
r
patients
.
I
n
return
,
h
e
thanke
d
m
e
fo
r
"al
l
the
wonderfu
l
produce,
"
an
d
presente
d
m
e
wit
h
th
e
gossame
r
thread.
I pretende
d
t
o
tak
e
it
.
"I'
m
sorr
y
t
o
se
e
yo
u
go,
"
I
said
,
shakin
g
hi
s
brawn
y
hand
,
thoug
h
I
wante
d
to
hu
g
him
.
"W
e
wil
l
mis
s
you."
"Than
k
you
.
I
wil
l
mis
s
thi
s
place
,
too
.
I
t
ha
s
grea
t
potential.
"
A
t
th
e
tim
e
I
though
t
h
e
wa
s
referrin
g
to
th
e
hospital
,
bu
t
o
f
cours
e
h
e
mean
t
th
e
Earth.
Th
e
nurs
e
cam
e
runnin
g
bac
k
wit
h
th
e
cop
y
a
fe
w
minute
s
befor
e
i
t
wa
s
tim
e
fo
r
pro
t
t
o
leave
.
I
