Цветы для Элджернона
PROGRESS REPORT 11
"Yes,Iseethatnow."
"WhatImeanis,wehavenorighttoputthisonapersonal...emotionallevel.Youhavesomuchtodo.Ihavenorighttocomeintoyourlifeatthistime."
"That’smyworry,isn’tit?"
"Isit?Thisisn’tyourprivateaffairanymore,Charlie.You’vegotobligationsnow—notonlytoProfessorNemurandDr.Strauss,buttothemillionswhomayfollowinyourfootsteps."
Themoreshetalkedthatway,theworseIfelt.Shehighlightedmyawkwardness,mylackofknowledgeabouttherightthingstosayanddo.Iwasablunderingadolescentinhereyes,andshewastryingtoletmedowneasy.
Aswestoodatthedoortoherapartment,sheturnedandsmiledatmeandforamomentIthoughtshewasgoingtoinvitemein,butshejustwhispered:"Goodnight,Charlie.Thankyouforawonderfulevening."
Iwantedtokisshergoodnight.Ihadworriedabout
itearlier.Didn’tawomanexpectyoutokissher?InthenovelsI’dreadandthemoviesI’dseen,themanmakestheadvances.IhaddecidedlastnightthatIwouldkissher.ButIkeptthinking:whatifsheturnsmedown?
Imovedcloserandreachedforhershoulders,butshewastooquickforme.Shestoppedmeandtookmyhandinhers."We’dbetterjustsaygoodnightthisway,Charlie.Wecan’tletthisgetpersonal.Notyet."
AndbeforeIcouldprotest,oraskwhatshemeantbynotyet,shestartedinside."Goodnight,Charlie,andthankyouagainforalovely...lovelytime."Andclosedthedoor.
