Цветы для Элджернона

           Everythingwascleanedup,andatfirstIthoughtIwasinthewrongapartment,butthenIsawshehadn’ttouchedthesmashedrecordsorthetornbooksorthesheetmusicinthecorneroftheroom.Thefloorcreakedandshewokeupandlookedatme.

           "Hi,"shelaughed."Somenightowl."

           "Notanowl.Moreofadodo.Adumbdodo.How’dyougetinhere?"

           "Throughthefireescape.Fay’splace.Icalledhertofindoutaboutyouandshesaidshewasworried.Shesaysyou’vebeenactingstrangely—causingdisturbances.So,Idecideditwastimeformetoputinanappearance.Istraightenedupabit.Ididn’tthinkyou’dmind."

           "Idomind...verymuch.Idon’twantanybodycom­ingaroundfeelingsorryforme."

           Shewenttothemirrortocombherhair."I’mnotherebecauseIfeelsorryforyou.It’sbecauseIfeelsorryforme."

           "What’sthatsupposedtomean?"

           "Itdoesn’tmean,"sheshrugged."Itjustis—likeapoem.Iwantedtoseeyou."

           "What’swrongwiththezoo?"

           "Oh,comeoffit,Charlie.Don’tfencewithme.Iwaitedlongenoughforyoutocomeandgetme.Idecidedtocometoyou."

           "Why?"

           "Becausethere’sstilltime.AndIwanttospenditwithyou."

           "Isthatasong?"

           "Charlie,don’tlaughatme."

           "I’mnotlaughing.ButIcan’taffordtospendmytimewithanyone—there’sonlyenoughleftformyself."

           "Ican’tbelieveyouwanttobecompletelyalone."

           "Ido."

           "Wehadalittletimetogetherbeforewegotoutoftouch.Wehadthingstotalkabout,andthingstodoto­gether.Itdidn’tlastverylongbutitwassomething.