Цветы для Элджернона

           Shelaughedagain,embarrassedatherseriousness."It’shardworkhere,butworthit."

           Backdownstairs,whereWinslowwaswaitingforus,thedinnerbellsounded,andtheboysfiledintothediningroom.Inoticedthatthebigboywhohadheldthesmalleroneinhislapwasnowleadinghimtothetablebythehand.

           "Quiteathing,"Isaid,noddinginthatdirection.

           Winslownoddedtoo."Jerry’sthebigone,andthat’sDusty.Weseethatsortofthingoftenhere.Whenthere’snooneelsewhohastimeforthem,sometimestheyknowenoughtoseekhumancontactandaffectionfromeachother."

           Aswepassedoneoftheothercottagesonourwaytotheschool,Iheardashriekfollowedbyawailing,pickedupandechoedbytwoorthreeothervoices.Therewerebarsonthewindows.

           Winslowlookeduncomfortableforthefirsttimethatmorning."Specialsecuritycottage,"heexplained."Emo­tionallydisturbedretardates.Whenthere’sachancethey’llharmthemselvesorothers,weputtheminCottageK.Lockedupatalltimes."

           "Emotionallydisturbedpatientshere?Don’ttheybe­longinpsychiatrichospitals?"

           "Oh,sure,"hesaid,"butit’sadifficultthingtocon­trol.Some,theborderlineemotionallydisturbed,don’tbreakdownuntilafterthey’vebeenhereforawhile.Oth­erswerecommittedbythecourts,andwehadnochoicebuttoadmitthemeventhoughthere’sreallynoroomforthem.Therealproblemisthatthere’snoroomforanyoneanywhere.Doyouknowhowlongourownwaitinglistis?Fourteenhundred.