Цветы для Элджернона

           Fortunately,asaprecaution,IwithdrewmysavingsfromthebankassoonasIarrivedinNewYorkEighthun­dredandeighty-sixdollarswon’tlastlong,butitwillgivemetimetogetmybearings.

           I’vecheckedintotheCamdenHotelon4lstStreet,ablockfromTimesSquare.NewYork!AllthethingsI’vereadaboutit!Gotham...themeltingpot...Baghdad-on-the-Hudson.Cityoflightandcolor.IncrediblethatI’velivedandworkedallmylifejustafewstopsawayonthesubwayandbeentoTimesSquareonlyonce—withAlice.

           It’shardtokeepfromcallingher.I’vestartedandstoppedmyselfseveraltimes.I’vegottokeepawayfromher.

           Somanyconfusingthoughtstogetdown.ItellmyselfthataslongasIkeeptapingmyprogressreports,nothingwillbelost;therecordwillbecomplete.Letthembeinthedarkforawhile;Iwasinthedarkformorethanthirtyyears.ButI’mtirednow.Didn’tgettosleepontheplaneyesterday,andIcan’tkeepmyeyesopen.I’llpickupatthispointtomorrow.

           June16

           CalledAlice,buthungupbeforesheanswered.TodayIfoundafurnishedapartment.Ninety-fivedollarsamonthismorethanIplannedtospend,butit’sonForty-thirdandTenthAvenueandIcangettothelibraryintenminutestokeepupwithmyreadingandstudy.Theapart­mentisonthefourthfloor,fourrooms,andthere’sarentedpianoinit.Thelandladysaysthatoneofthesedaystherentalservicewillpullitout,butmaybebythattimeIcanlearntoplayit.

           Algernonisapleasantcompanion.