Пролетая над гнездом кукушки

           Soyoubettertakemetoyourleaderandwe’llgetitstraightenedoutwho’sgonnabebossaroundhere."

           Nobody’ssureifthisbarrel-chestedmanwiththe,scarandthewildgrinisplay-actingorifhe’scrazyenoughtobejustlikehetalks,orboth,buttheyareallbeginningtogetabigkickoutofgoingalongwithhim.TheywatchasheputsthatbigredhandonBilly’sthinarm,waitingtoseewhatBillywillsay.Billyseeshowit’suptohimtobreakthesilence,sohelooksaroundandpicksoutoneofthepinochle-players:"Handing,"Billysays,"Iguessitwouldb-b-beyou.You’rep-presidentofPay-Pay-Patient’sCouncil.Thism-manwantstotalktoyou."

           TheAcutesaregrinningnow,notsouneasyanymore,andgladthatsomethingoutoftheordinary’sgoingon.TheyallrazzHarding,askhimifhe’sbullgooseloony.Helaysdownhiscards.

           Hardingisaflat,nervousmanwithafacethatsometimesmakesyouthinkyouseenhiminthemovies,likeit’safacetooprettytojustbeaguyonthestreet.He’sgotwide,thinshouldersandhecurvestheminaroundhischestwhenhe’stryingtohideinsidehimself.He’sgothandssolongandwhiteanddaintyIthinktheycarvedeachotheroutofsoap,andsometimestheygetlooseandglidearoundinfrontofhimfreeastwowhitebirdsuntilhenoticesthemandtrapsthembetweenhisknees;itbothershimthathe’sgotprettyhands.

           He’spresidentofthePatient’sCouncilonaccountofhehasapaperthatsayshegraduatedfromcollege.Thepaper’sframedandsitsonhisnightstandnexttoapictureofawomaninabathingsuitwhoalsolookslikeyou’veseenherinthemovingpictures—she’sgotverybigbreastsandshe’sholdingthetopofthebathingsuitupoverthemwithherfingersandlookingsidewaysatthecamera.