Чужак в чужой стране

           Jill,Ihaven’tevenbeengoodforyou–youusedtolaugh.YouusedtolaughandgiggleuntilIworriedaboutyou.Ihaven’tlearnedtolaugh;insteadyou’veforgottenhow.Insteadofmybecominghuman?you’rebecomingMartian."

           "I’mhappy,dear.Youprobablyjusthaven’tnoticedmelaughing."

           "IfyoulaughedcleardownonMarketStreet,Iwouldhearit.Igrok.OnceIquitbeingfrightenedbyitIalwaysnoticedit–you,especially.IfIgrokkedit,thenIwouldgrokpeople–Ithink.ThenIcouldhelpsomebodylikePat?eitherteachherwhatIknow,orlearnfromherwhatsheknows.Orboth.Wecouldtalkandunderstandeachother."

           "Mike,allyouneedtodoforPattyistoseeheroccasionally.Whydon’twe,dear?Let’sgetoutofthisdrearyfog.She’shomenow;thecarnieisclosedfortheseason.Dropsouthandseeher?andI’vealwayswantedtoseeBajaCalifornia;wecouldgoonsouthintowarmerweather–andtakeherwithus,thatwouldbefun!"

           "Allright."

           Shestoodup."Letmegetadresson.Doyouwanttosaveanyofthosebooks?InsteadofoneofyourusualquickhousecleaningsIcouldshipthemtoJubal."

           HeflippedhisfingersatthemandallweregonebutPatricia’sgift."Justthisoneandwe’lltakeitwithus;Patwouldnotice.But,Jill,rightnowIneedtogoouttothezoo."

           "Allright."

           "Iwanttospitbackatacamelandaskhimwhathe’ssosourabout.Maybecamelsarethereal‘OldOnes’onthisplanet?andthat’swhatiswrongwiththeplace."