Таинственная история Билли Миллигана

           That’stheotherBill."

           ItseemedtoDelthatBillyhadnoskillsoraptitudeofanykindexceptpainting.Andhenevertookadviceorlistenedtoinstructions.Delsaid,"Billywouldlistentoatotalstrangerbeforehewouldlistentosomeonewhohadhiswell-beingatheart."

           WhenDelaskedhimwhothepeoplewerethatgavehiminformationoradvice,Billywouldalwayssay,"SomeguyIknowtoldme."Neveranameorexplanationwho"they"wereorwherehe’dmet"them."

           ItirritatedDelthatBillyoftenwouldnotevenbothertorespondtosimplequestions,preferringtosilentlyleavetheroomorturnhisback.DelalsogrewangrywithBilly’sfearsandphobias.Heknew,forinstance,thatBillywasterrifiedofguns—eventhoughtheboyknewnothingatallaboutthem.AsfarasDelwasconcerned,Billyknewnothingaboutanything.

           ButtherewasonethingaboutBillyhecouldneverexplain.DelknewhewasmuchstrongerthanBilly;timeandagaintheywouldarm-wrestle,andtherewasjustnoquestioninhismindthatBillywasnomatchforhim.ButoneeveningwhenDelchallengedhimtoanarm-wrestlingmatch,hewasastonishedwhenBillyputhimdown.

           "Let’sdoitagain,"Delinsisted."Butthistimelet’ddoitright-handed."

           Billyputhimdownagainwithoutsayingaword,thengotuptoleave.

           "Bigstrongguylikeyououghttobeoutworking,"Delsaid.