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Teddy
"What’sthepoint,exactly?"
"Thepointisifhisdogreallydied,itwouldbeexactlythesamething.Only,hewouldn’tknowit.Imeanhewouldn’twakeuptillhediedhimself."Nicholson,lookingdetached,wasusinghisrighthandtogivehimselfaslow,sensuousmassageatthebackoftheneck.Hislefthand,motionlessonthearmrest,withafresh,unlightedcigarettebetweenthefingers,lookedoddlywhiteandinorganicinthebrilliantsunlight.
Teddysuddenlygotup."Ireallyhavetogonow,I’mafraid,"hesaid.Hesatdown,tentatively,ontheextendedlegattachmentofhischair,facingNicholson,andtuckedinhisTshirt."Ihaveaboutoneandahalfminutes,Iguess,togettomyswimminglesson,"hesaid."It’sallthewaydownonEDeck."
"MayIaskwhyyoutoldProfessorPeetheshouldstopteachingafterthefirstoftheyear?"Nicholsonasked,ratherbluntly."IknowBobPeet.That’swhyIask."
Teddytightenedhisalligatorbelt."Onlybecausehe’squitespiritual,andhe’steachingalotofstuffrightnowthatisn’tverygoodforhimifhewantstomakeanyrealspiritualadvancement.Itstimulateshimtoomuch.It’stimeforhimtotakeeverythingoutofhishead,insteadofputtingmorestuffin.Hecouldgetridofalotoftheappleinjustthisonelifeifhewantedto.He’sverygoodatmeditating."Teddygotup."Ibettergonow.Idon’twanttobetoolate."
Nicholsonlookedupathim,andsustainedthelook—detaininghim."Whatwouldyoudoifyoucouldchangetheeducationalsystem?"heaskedambiguously.
