Пролетая над гнездом кукушки

           Infactit’ssomuchlikewateritfloatsmerightupoutofmychairandIdon’tknowwhichendisupforawhile.Floatingmakesmealittlesicktothestomachatfirst.Ican’tseeathing.Ineverhaditsothickitfloatedmelikethis.

           Thewordsgetdimandloud,offandon,asIfloataround,butasloudastheyget,loudenoughsometimesIknowI’mrightnexttotheguythat’stalking,Istillcan’tseeathing.

           IrecognizeBilly’svoice,stutteringworsethaneverbecausehe’snervous."...fuh-fuh-flunkedoutofcollegebe-be-causeIquitROTC.Ic-c-couldn’ttakeit.Wh-wh-wh-whenevertheofficerinchargeofclasswouldcallroll,call‘Bibbit,’Icouldn’tanswer.Youweres-s-supposedtosayheh—heh—heh...He’schokingontheword,likeit’saboneinhisthroat.Ihearhimswallowandstartagain."Youweresupposedtosay,‘Heresir,’andIneverc-c-couldgetitout."

           Hisvoicegetsdim;thentheBigNurse’svoicecomescuttingfromtheleft."Canyourecall,Billy,whenyoufirsthadspeechtrouble?Whendidyoufirststutter,doyouremember?"

           Ican’ttellishelaughingorwhat."Fir-firststutter?Firststutter?ThefirstwordIsaidIst-stut-tered:m-m-m-m-mamma."

           Thenthetalkingfadesoutaltogether:Ineverknewthattohappenbefore.MaybeBilly’shidhimselfinthefogtoo.Maybealltheguysfinallyandforevercrowdedbackintothefog.

           Achairandmefloatpasteachother.It’sthefirstthingI’veseen.