Цветы для Элджернона

           Iusuallydon’trunshort,butIhadaproblemlastweek"

           BeforeIcouldanswer,shescreechedandstartedovertothepianointhecorner."Iusedtoplaythepiano.Iheardyoufoolingaroundwithitafewtimes,andIsaidtomyselfthatguy’sgoddamnedgood.That’showIknowIwantedtomeetyouevenbeforeIsawyou.Ihaven’tplayedinsuchagoddamnedlongtime."ShewaspickingawayatthepianoasIwentintothekitchentomakecoffee.

           "You’rewelcometopracticeonitanytime,"Isaid.Idon’tknowwhyIsuddenlybecamesofreewithmyplace,buttherewassomethingaboutherthatdemandedcom­pleteunselfishness."Idon’tleavethefrontdooropenyet,butthewindowisn’tlocked,andifI’mnothereallyou’vegottodoisclimbinthroughthefireescape.Creamandsugarinyourcoffee?"

           Whenshedidn’tanswer,Ilookedbackintothelivingroom.Shewasn’tthere,andasIstartedtowardsthewin­dow,IheardhervoicefromAlgernon’sroom.

           "Hey,what’sthis?"Shewasexaminingthethreedi­mensionalplasticmazeIhadbuilt.Shestudieditandthenletoutanothersqueal."Modernsculpture!Allboxesandstraightlines!"

           "It’saspecialmaze,"Iexplained."AcomplexlearningdeviceforAlgernon."

           Butshewascirclingaroundit,excited."They’llgomadforitattheMuseumofModernArt."

           "It’snotsculpture,"Iinsisted.IopenedthedoortoAlgernon’sliving-cageattachedtothemaze,andlethimintothemazeopening.

           "MyGod!"shewhispered."Sculpturewithalivingelement.