Цветы для Элджернона

           It’soneofthoseinexplicablethings,howeverythingI’velearnedandexperiencedisbroughttobearontheproblem.Pushingtoohardwillonlymakethingsfreezeup.Howmanygreatproblemshavegoneunsolvedbecausemendidn’tknowenough,orhaveenoughfaithinthecreativeprocessandinthemselves,toletgoforthewholemindtoworkatit?

           SoIdecidedyesterdayafternoontoputtheworkasideforawhileandgotoMrs.Nemur’scocktailparty.ItwasinhonorofthetwomenontheboardoftheWelbergFoun­dationwhohadbeeninstrumentalingettingherhusbandthegrant.IplannedtotakeFay,butshesaidshehadadateandshe’drathergodancing.

           Istartedouttheeveningwitheveryintentionofbeingpleasantandmakingfriends.ButthesedaysIhavetroublegettingthroughtopeople.Idon’tknowifit’smeorthem,butanyattemptatconversationusuallyfadesawayinaminuteortwo,andthebarriersgoup.Isitbecausetheyareafraidofme?Orisitthatdeepdowntheydon’tcareandIfeelthesameaboutthem?

           Itookadrinkandwanderedaroundthebigroom.Therewerelittleknotsofpeoplesittinginconversationgroups,thekindIfinditimpossibletojoin.Finally,Mrs.NemurcorneredmeandintroducedmetoHyramHarvey,oneoftheboardmembers.Mrs.Nemurisanattractivewoman,earlyforties,blondehair,lotsofmake-upandlongrednails.ShehadherarmthroughHarvey’s."Howistheresearchcoming?"Shewantedtoknow.

           "Aswellascanbeexpected.I’mtryingtosolveatoughproblemrightnow."