Чужак в чужой стране

           Ifyouliveamonguslongenough,onedayyouwillseehowfunnyweare–andyouwilllaugh."

           "Iwill?"

           "Youwill.Don’tworryaboutitanddon’ttrytogrokit;justletitcome.Why,son,evenaMartianwouldlaughoncehegrokkedus."

           "Iwillwait,"Smithagreedplacidly.

           "Andwhileyouarewaiting,don’teverdoubtthatyouareaman.Youare.Manbornofwomanandborntotrouble?andsomedayyouwillgrokitsfullnessandyouwilllaugh–becausemanistheanimalthatlaughsathimself.AboutyourMartianfriends,Idonotknow.Ihavenevermetthem,Idonotgrokthem.ButIgrokthattheymaybe‘man.’"

           "Yes,Jubal."

           Harshawthoughtthattheinterviewwasoverandfeltrelieved.Hedecidedthathehadnotbeensoembarrassedsinceadaylonggonewhenhisfatherhadundertakentoexplaintohimthebirdsandthebeesandtheflowers–muchtoolate.

           ButtheManfromMarswasnotquitedone."Jubalmybrother,youwereaskme,‘WhomadetheWorld?’andIdidnothavewordstosaywhyIdidnotrightlygrokittobeaquestion.Ihavebeenthinkingwords."

           "So?"

           "Youtoldme,‘GodmadetheWorld.’"

           "No,no!"Harshawsaidhastily."Itoldyouthat,whileallthesemanyreligionssaidmanythings,mostofthemsaid,‘GodmadetheWorld.’ItoldyouthatIdidnotgrokthefullness,butthat‘God’wasthewordthatwasused."

           "Yes,Jubal,"Mikeagreed."Wordis‘God’"Headded."Yougrok."

           "No,ImustadmitIdon’tgrok."

           "Yougrok,"Smithrepeatedfirmly.