Цветы для Элджернона

           Notjustbeingclose—becauseIdon’tfeelitinacrowdedelevatororonthesubwayduringtherush—butonahotnightwheneveryoneisoutwalking,orsittinginthetheater,thereisarustling,andforamomentIbrushagainstsomeoneandsensetheconnectionbetweenthebranchandtrunkandthedeeproot.Atsuchmomentsmyfleshisthinandtight,andtheunbearablehungertobepartofitdrivesmeouttosearchinthedarkcornersandblindalleysofthenight.

           Usually,whenI’mexhaustedfromwalking,Igobacktotheapartmentanddropoffintoadeepsleep,buttonightinsteadofgoinguptomyownplaceIwenttothediner.Therewasanewdishwasher,aboyofaboutsixteen,andtherewassomethingfamiliarabouthim,hismove­ments,thelookinhiseyes.Andthen,clearingawaythetablebehindme,hedroppedsomedishes.

           Theycrashedtothefloor,shatteringandsendingbitsofwhitechinaunderthetables.Hestoodthere,dazedandfrightened,holdingtheemptytrayinhishand.Thewhistlesandcatcallsfromthecustomers(criesof"hey,theregotheprofits!"..."Mazeltov!"..and"well,hedidn’tworkhereverylong..."whichinvariablyseemstofollowthebreakingofdishwareinapublicrestaurant)confusedhim.

           Whentheownercametoseewhattheexcitementwasabout,theboycowered—threwuphisarmsasiftowardoffablow.

           "Allright!Allright,youdope,"shoutedtheman,"don’tjuststandthere!Getthebroomandsweepupthatmess.Abroom...abroom!youidiot!It’sinthekitchen.Sweepupallthepieces."