Чужак в чужой стране

           Bythentheycanaccept?andacceptingismuchharderthangiving."

           "Hmm?son,Ithinkmaybeyoushouldwriteabookonhumanpsychology."

           "Ihave.Butit’sinMartian.Stinkyhasthetapes."Mikelookedagainathisglass,tookaslowsybariticsip."Wedousesomeliquor.Afewofus–Saul,myself,Sven,someothers–likeit.AndI’velearnedthatIcanletithavejustalittleeffect,thenholditrightatthatpoint,andgainaeuphoricgrowing-closermuchliketrancewithouthavingtowithdraw.Theminordamageiseasytorepair."Hesippedagain."That’swhatI’mdoingthismorning–lettingmyselfgetjustthemildestglowandbehappywithyou."

           Jubalstudiedhimclosely."Son,youaren’tdrinkingentirelytobesociable;you’vegotsomethingonyourmind."

           "Yes,Ihave."

           "Doyouwanttotalkitout?"

           "Yes.Father,it’salwaysagreatgoodnesstobewithyou,evenifnothingistroublingme.ButyouaretheonlyhumanIcanalwaystalktoandknowthatyouwillgrokandthatyouyourselfwon’tbeoverwhelmedbyit,too.Jill?Jillalwaysgroks–butifithurtsme,ithurtsherstillmore.Dawnthesame.Patty?well,Pattycanalwaystakemyhurtaway,butshedoesitbykeepingitherself.AllthreeofthemaretooeasilyhurtformetorisksharinginfullwiththemanythingIcan’tgrokandcherishbeforeIshareit."Mikelookedverythoughtful."Confessionisneedful.TheCatholicsknowthat,theyhaveit–andtheyhaveacorpsofstrongmentotakeit.