K-Pax (58 page)

"Ar
e
yo
u
tellin
g
m
e
yo
u
hav
e
name
s
fo
r
al
l
th
e
frog
s
o
n
K-PAX?"

"O
f
cours
e
not
.
Onl
y
th
e
one
s
I
know."

"Yo
u
kno
w
a
lo
t
o
f
lowe
r
animals?"

"The
y
ar
e
no
t
`lower.
'
Jus
t
different."

"Ho
w
d
o
thes
e
specie
s
compar
e
wit
h
thos
e
w
e
hav
e
o
n
Earth?"

"Yo
u
hav
e
mor
e
variety
,
but
,
o
n
th
e
othe
r
 
hand
,
 
w
e
 
hav
e
 
n
o
 
carnivores
.
 
And,
"
 
h
e
 
beamed
,
 
"n
o
 
flies,
n
o
mosquitoes
,
n
o
cockroaches."

"Sound
s
to
o
goo
d
t
o
b
e
true."

"Oh
,
it'
s
tru
e
al
l
right
,
believ
e
me."

"Let'
s
ge
t
bac
k
t
o
th
e
people."

"Ther
e
ar
e
n
o
`people
'
o
n
K-PAX."

"
I
mean
t
th
e
being
s
o
f
you
r
ow
n
species
.
Th
e
-
-
 
u
h
-
-
 
dremers."

"A
s
yo
u
wish."

"Tel
l
m
e
mor
e
abou
t
you
r
frien
d
mano."

"
I
tol
d
you
:
Sh
e
i
s
fascinate
d
b
y
th
e
behavio
r
o
f
th
e
horns."

"Tel
l
m
e
mor
e
abou
t
her."

"Sh
e
ha
s
sof
t
brow
n
hai
r
an
d
a
smoot
h
forehea
d
an
d
sh
e
like
s
t
o
mak
e
things."

"D
o
yo
u
ge
t
alon
g
wel
l
wit
h
her?"

"O
f
course."

"Bette
r
tha
n
wit
h
othe
r
K-PAXians?"

"
I
ge
t
alon
g
wel
l
wit
h
everyone."

"Aren'
t
ther
e
a
fe
w
o
f
you
r
fello
w
dremer
s
tha
t
yo
u
ge
t
alon
g
with-tha
t
yo
u
like-bette
r
tha
n
others?"

"
I
lik
e
al
l
o
f
them."

"Nam
e
a
few."

Tha
t
wa
s
a
mistake
.
H
e
name
d
thirty-od
d
K-PAXian
s
befor
e
I
 
stoppe
d
 
hi
m
with
:
 
"D
o
 
yo
u
 
ge
t
 
along
wel
l
wit
h
you
r
father?"

"Really
,
gene
,
you'v
e
go
t
t
o
d
o
somethin
g
abou
t
tha
t
memor
y
o
f
yours
.
I
ca
n
giv
e
yo
u
som
e
tip
s
if-"

"Ho
w
abou
t
you
r
mother?"

"O
f
course."

"Woul
d
yo
u
sa
y
yo
u
lov
e
her?"

"Lov
e
implie
s
hate."

"Yo
u
didn'
t
answe
r
m
y
question."

"Lov
e
..
.
lik
e
..
.
it'
s
al
l
a
matte
r
o
f
semantics."

"Al
l
 
right
.
 
Le
t
 
m
e
 
tur
n
 
tha
t
 
around
.
 
I
s
 
ther
e
 
anyon
e
 
yo
u
 
don'
t
 
like
?
 
I
s
 
ther
e
 
anyon
e
 
yo
u
 
actually
dislike?"

"Everyon
e
o
n
K-PA
X
i
s
jus
t
lik
e
me
!
Wh
y
woul
d
I
hat
e
anyone
?
Shoul
d
I
hat
e
myself?"

"O
n
 
Eart
h
 
ther
e
 
ar
e
 
thos
e
 
wh
o
 
d
o
 
hat
e
 
themselves
.
 
Thos
e
 
wh
o
 
haven'
t
 
live
d
 
u
p
 
t
o
 
thei
r
 
own
standard
s
 
o
r
 
expectations
.
 
Thos
e
 
wh
o
 
hav
e
 
faile
d
 
t
o
 
achiev
e
 
thei
r
 
goals
.
 
Thos
e
 
wh
o
 
hav
e
 
made disastrou
s
mistakes
.
 
Thos
e
wh
o
hav
e
cause
d
har
m
t
o
someon
e
an
d
regrette
d
i
t
late
r
on...."

"
I
tol
d
yo
u
before-n
o
on
e
o
n
K-PA
X
woul
d
caus
e
har
m
t
o
anyon
e
else!"

"No
t
eve
n
unintentionally?"

"No!"

"Never?"

Yelling
:
"Ar
e
yo
u
deaf?"

"No
.
I
hea
r
yo
u
quit
e
clearly
.
Pleas
e
cal
m
down
.
I'
m
sorr
y
i
f
I
upse
t
you.
"
H
e
nodde
d
brusquely.

I
kne
w
I
wa
s
ont
o
somethin
g
here
,
bu
t
I
wasn'
t
certai
n
a
s
 
t
o
 
th
e
 
bes
t
 
wa
y
 
t
o
 
proceed
.
 
Whil
e
 
h
e
 
was
composin
g
himsel
f
w
e
talke
d
abou
t
som
e
o
f
th
e
patients
,
includin
g
Mari
a
an
d
he
r
protectiv
e
alte
r
 
egos-he
seeme
d
 
quit
e
 
intereste
d
 
i
n
he
r
 
condition
.
 
Wh
o
 
know
s
 
wher
e
 
inspiratio
n
 
come
s
 
from
?
 
O
r
 
i
s
 
i
t
 
merel
y
 
a
momentar
y
clearin
g
i
n
th
e
fo
g
o
f
stupidity
?
I
n
an
y
cas
e
I
realize
d
a
t
tha
t
momen
t
tha
t
I
 
ha
d
 
bee
n
 
focusing,
perhap
s
fo
r
reason
s
o
f
self-interest
,
o
n
hi
s
delusion
.
Wha
t
I
shoul
d
hav
e
bee
n
attackin
g
wa
s
th
e
 
hysterical
amnesia!