Цветы для Элджернона

           You’renotahomosexual,areyou?"

           "Hell,no!"

           "Imeanyoudon’thavetohideitfrommeifyouare,becausethenwecouldbejustgoodfriends.ButI’dhavetoknow."

           "I’mnotahomosexual.Tonight,whenyouwentintoyourplacewiththatguy,Iwisheditwasme."

           Sheleanedforwardandthekimonoopenattheneckrevealedherbosom.Sheslippedherarmsaroundme,waitingformetodosomething.Iknewwhatwasex­pectedofme,andItoldmyselftherewasnoreasonnotto.Ihadthefeelingtherewouldbenopanicnow—notwithher.Afterall,Iwasn’ttheonemakingtheadvances.AndshewasdifferentfromanywomanI’devermetbe­fore.Perhapsshewasrightformeatthisemotionallevel.

           Islippedmyarmsaroundher.

           "That’sdifferent,"shecooed."Iwasbeginningtothinkyoudidn’tcare."

           "Icare,"Iwhispered,kissingherthroat.ButasIdidit,Isawthetwoofus,asifIwereathirdpersonstandinginthedoorway.Iwaswatchingamanandwomanineachother’sarms.Butseeingmyselfthatway,fromadistance,leftmeunresponsive.Therewasnopanic,itwastrue,buttherewasalsonoexcitement—nodesire.

           "Yourplaceormine?"sheasked.

           "Waitaminute."

           "What’sthematter?"

           "Maybewe’dbetternot.Idon’tfeelwellthisevening."

           ShelookedatmeWonderingly."Isthereanythingelse?...Anythingyouwantmetodo?...Idon’tmind..."

           "No,that’snotit,"Isaidsharply."Ijustdon’tfeelwelltonight."Iwascuriousaboutthewaysshehadofgettingamanexcited,butthiswasnotimetostartexperimenting.