Цветы для Элджернона

           AsifAlicecouldn’tmakeuphermindwhoshewasandwhichworldshewantedtolivein.

           "Youhaven’tbeentothelabforafewdays,"shecalledfromthekitchen."ProfessorNemurisworriedaboutyou."

           "Icouldn’tfacethem,"Isaid."Iknowthere’snoreasonformetobeashamed,butit’sanemptyfeelingnotgoingintoworkeveryday—notseeingtheshop,theovens,thepeople.It’stoomuch.Lastnightandthenightbefore,Ihadnightmaresofdrowning."

           Shesetthetrayinthecenterofthecoffeetable—thenapkinsfoldedintotriangles,andthecookieslaidoutinacirculardisplaypattern."Youmustn’ttakeitsohard,Char­lie.Ithasnothingtodowithyou."

           "Itdoesn’thelptotellmyselfthat.Thosepeople—foralltheseyears—weremyfamily.Itwaslikebeingthrownoutofmyownhome."

           "That’sjustit,"shesaid."Thishasbecomeasymbolicrepetitionofexperiencesyouhadasachild.Beingrejectedbyyourparents...beingsentaway..."

           "Oh,Christ!Nevermindgivingitaniceneatlabel.WhatmattersisthatbeforeIgotinvolvedinthisexperi­mentIhadfriends,peoplewhocaredforme.NowI’mafraid..."

           "You’vestillgotfriends."

           "It’snotthesame."

           "Fearisanormalreaction."

           "It’smorethanthat.I’vebeenafraidbefore.AfraidofbeingstrappedfornotgivingintoNorma,afraidofpassingHowellsStreetwherethegangusedtoteasemeandpushmearound.AndIwasafraidoftheschoolteacher,Mrs.Libby,whotiedmyhandssoIwouldn’tfidgetwiththingsonmydesk.