Пролетая над гнездом кукушки

           Hewasuponhiselbow,watchingmethewayhe’dwatchedtheblackboy,waitingformetosaysomethingelse.IpickedupthepackageofgumfromthebedspreadandhelditinmyhandandtoldhimThankyou.

           Itdidn’tsoundlikemuchbecausemythroatwasrustyandmytonguecreaked.HetoldmeIsoundedalittleoutofpracticeandlaughedatthat.Itriedtolaughwithhim,butitwasasquawkingsound,likeapullettryingtocrow.Itsoundedmorelikecryingthanlaughing.

           Hetoldmenottohurry,thathehadtillsix-thirtyinthemorningtolistenifIwantedtopractice.Hesaidamanbeenstilllongasmeprobablyhadaconsiderablelottotalkabout,andhelaybackonhispillowandwaited.Ithoughtforaminuteforsomethingtosaytohim,buttheonlythingthatcametomymindwasthekindofthingonemancan’tsaytoanotherbecauseitsoundswronginwords.WhenhesawIcouldn’tsayanythinghecrossedhishandsbehindhisheadandstartedtalkinghimself.

           "Yaknow,Chief,Iwasjustrememberin’atimedownintheWillametteValley—Iwaspickin’beansoutsideofEugeneandconsideringmyselfdamnluckytogetthejob.Itwasintheearlythirtiessotherewasn’tmanykidsabletogetjobs.IgotthejobbyprovingtothebeanbossIcouldpickjustasfastandcleanasanyoftheadults.Anyway,Iwastheonlykidintherows.Nobodyelsearoundmebutgrown-ups.AndafterItriedatimeortwototalktothemIsawtheyweren’tforlisteningtome—scrawnylittlepatchquiltredheadanyhow.SoIhushed.