Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           Onceinside,seeingtherewasnooneelsethere,hegrabbedalooserolloftoiletpaperofftheledgeandflungitacrosstheroom."Shit!Shit!Shit!"heshouted."Goddamnit,Ican’ttakeanymoreofthisshit!"

           Whenhesettleddown,hewashedhisface,brushedhishairbackandputhiswhitecaponatajauntyangletofacethepeopleattheticketcoounter

           "Allright,"thewomansaid."It’sbeenworkedout.I’llwriteyouupanewticket.You’vegotaseatonthenextflightout.Itleavesintwohours."

           DuringtheflightbacktoColumbus,AllenmulledoverhisannoyanceathavingbeeninNewYorkforfivedayswithoutseeinganyofitexcepttheinsideofataxiandKennedyInternationalAirport.Hehadnoideahowhehadgottenthere,whohadstolenthetimeorwhathadhappened.Hewonderedifhewouldeverfindout.OnthebustoLancaster,hesettledbackforanapandmumbled—hopingArthurorRagenwouldhearit—"Somebodysurescrewedup."

           Allengotajobsellingvacuumcleanersandtrashcompactorsdoor-to-doorforInterstateEngineering.Fast-talkingAllendidwellforaboutamonth.Heobservedhisco-workerSamGarrisonmakingdateswithwaitressesandsecretariesaswellascustomers.Allenadmiredhishustle.

           OntheFourthofJuly,1972,Garrisonasked,astheysattalking,"Howcomeyoudon’tdatesomeofthesechicks?"

           "Idon’thavetime,"Allensaid.