Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           AllenansweredasArthurhadcoachedhim:"WhenIwasintheNavy,therewasapharmacists’schoolatGreatLakesNavalBase.Iworkedinthehospitalthere."

           Itwasn’texactlyalie.Arthurhadstudiedthosethingsonhisown.Hehadn’texactlysaidhe’dbeentrainedasamedic.

           ThefollowingweekthecallcamedownfromtheprisonhospitalthatDr.HarrisSteinberg,themedicaldirector,wantedtoseeMilligan.Walkingthewidehalls,AllennoticedthatLebanonwaslaidoutintheformofagiantnine-leggedcrab.Thecentralcorridorwaslinedwithoffices,butatvariousintervalsthecell-blockcorridorbranchedoffinalldirections.AtthehospitalAllenwaitedintheouterroomseparatedbyunbreakableglasspartitions,watchingDr.Steinberg,anelderlywhite-hairedmanwithakind,ruddyfaceandagentlesmile.Allennoticedtherewerepaintingsonthewalls.

           FinallyDr.Steinbergwavedhimintohisoffice."Iunderstandyouhavelabexperience."

           "AllmylifeI’vewantedtobeadoctor,"Allensaid."Ithoughtwithabigprisonpopulationlikethis,youmightbeabletousesomeonewhocoulddobloodcountsandurinetests."

           "Everdothatbefore?"

           Allennodded."Ofcourse,itwasalongtimeagoandIprobablyforgotagreatdeal,butIcanlearn.I’mfast.AndlikeIsay,workinginthisfieldismygreatambitionwhenIgetoutofhere.I’vegotmedicalbooksatfiomeI’vestudiedonmyown.