Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           "Forthefirsttimeinmylife,"hesaid,"IthinkI’mhavinganormalhumanreaction.I’vegotwhatIusedtohearreferredtoas‘mixedemotions.’I’veneverbeenabletohavethembefore."Friday,October6,thedayhewastobetakenaway,wasRosalie’sdayoff,butshecamedowntothehospitaltobewithhim.SheknewshewouldfaceraisedeyebrowsandsarcasticcommentsfromsomeoftheWakefieldstaff,butshedidn’tcare.Shewalkedintotherecroomandsawhim,dressedinhisbluethree-piecesuit,pacing,waiting,apparentlycalmandincontrol.

           SheandDonnaEgarwalkedwithhimtotheadministrationbuilding,whereasheriff’sdeputy,indarkglasses,waitedatthefrontdesk.

           Whenthedeputywhippedoutthehandcuffs,RosaliesteppedinfrontofBillyanddemandedtoknowifitwasreallynecessarytohandcuffhimlikeananimal.

           "Yes,ma’am,"thedeputysaid."It’sthelaw."

           "Well,forGod’ssake,"Donnashouted."Whenhewasbroughtoverhere,hewasescortedbytwofemales,andnowyou’regoingtobeabigbadcopandhandcuffhim?"

           "That’sthewayithastobe,ma’am.I’msorry."

           Billyheldouthiswrists,andwhenthecuffssnappedintoplace,Rosaliesawhimwince.Heclimbedintothepaddywagon,andtheywalkedbesideitasitslowlymovedalongthecurvingroadtowardthestonebridge.Theywavedgood-by,wentbacktotheunitandahadalong,hardcry.