Девять рассказов
Just Before the War with the Eskimos
"What’sshelooklike?"sheaskedsuddenly.
Noanswer.
"What’sshelooklike?"Ginnierepeated.
"Ifshewashalfasgood-lookingasshethinkssheis,she’dbegoddamlucky,"Selena’sbrothersaid.Thishadthestatureofaninterestinganswer,inGinnie’ssecretopinion.
"Ineverheardhermentionyou,"shesaid.
"Thatworriesme.Thatworrieshelloutame."
"Anyway,she’sengaged,"Ginniesaid,watchinghim."She’sgonnabemarriednextmonth."
"Whoto?"heasked,lookingup.
Ginnietookfulladvantageofhishavinglookedup."Nobodyyouknow."
Heresumedpickingathisownfirst-aidwork."Ipityhim,"hesaid.
Ginniesnorted.
"It’sstillbleedin’likemad.YathinkIoughtaputsomethingonit?What’sgoodtoputonit?Mercurochromeanygood?"
"Iodine’sbetter,"Ginniesaid.Then,feelingheranswerwastoocivilunderthecircumstances,sheadded,"Mercurochrome’snogoodatallforthat."
"Whynot?What’sthematterwithit?"
"Itjustisn’tanygoodforthatstuff,that’sall.Yaneediodine."
HelookedatGinnie."Itstingsalot,though,doesn’tit?"heasked."Doesn’titstingahelluvalot?"
"Itstings,"Ginniesaid,"butitwon’tkillyouoranything."
ApparentlywithoutresentingGinnie’stone,Selena’sbrotherturnedbacktohisfinger."Idon’tlikeitwhenitstings,"hesaid.
"Nobodydoes."
Henoddedinagreement."Yeah,"hesaid.
Ginniewatchedhimforaminute."Stoptouchingit,"shesaidsuddenly.
Asthoughrespondingtoanelectricshock,Selena’sbrotherpulledbackhisuninjuredhand.
