Цветы для Элджернона

           Aha!Didyounoticethatslipofthetongue,doctor?Makeanoteofit.IsaidIwantedaneggshampooinsteadofanegoshampoo.Egg...ego...close,aren’tthey?DoesthatmeanIwanttobewashedcleanofmysins?Reborn?Isitbaptismsymbolism?Orareweshavingtooclose?Doesanidiothaveanid?"

           Iwaitedforareaction,buthejustshiftedinhischair.

           "Areyouawake?"Iasked.

           "I’mlistening,Charlie."

           "Onlylistening?Don’tyouevergetangry?"

           "Whydoyouwantmetobeangrywithyou?"

           Isighed."StolidStrauss—unmovable.I’lltellyousomething.I’msickandtiredofcominghere.What’sthesenseoftherapyanymore?YouknowaswellasIdowhat’sgoingtohappen."

           "ButIthinkyoudon’twanttostop,"hesaid."Youwanttogoonwithit,don’tyou?"

           "It’sstupid.Awasteofmytimeandyours."

           Ilaythereinthedimlightandstaredatthepatternofsquaresontheceiling...noise-absorbingtileswiththou­sandsoftinyholessoakingupeveryword.Soundburiedaliveinlittleholesintheceiling.

           Ifoundmyselfbecominglightheaded.Mymindwasablank,andthatwasunusualbecauseduringtherapyses-

           sionsIalwayshadagreatdealofmaterialtobringoutandtalkabout.Dreams...memories...associations...prob­lems...ButnowIfeltisolatedandempty.

           OnlyStolidStraussbreathingbehindme.

           "Ifeelstrange,"Isaid.