Пролетая над гнездом кукушки

           Icouldtouchthem.

           IwanttotouchhimbecauseI’moneofthesequeers!

           Butthat’salietoo.That’sonefearhidingbehindanother.IfIwasoneofthesequeersI’dwanttodootherthingswithhim.Ijustwanttotouchhimbecausehe’swhoheis.

           ButasIwasabouttoreachovertothatarmhesaid,"Say,Chief,"androlledinbedwithalurchofcovers,facingme,"Say,Chief,whydon’tyoucomeonthisfishin’tripwithustomorrow?"

           Ididn’tanswer.

           "Comeon,whatdoyasay?Ilookforittobeonehellofanoccasion.Youknowthesetwoauntsofminecomin’topickusup?Why,thoseain’taunts,man,no;boththosegirlsareworkin’shimmydancersandhustlersIknowfromPortland.Whatdoyousaytothat?"

           IfinallytoldhimIwasoneoftheIndigents.

           "You’rewhat?"

           "I’mbroke."

           "Oh,"hesaid."Yeah,Ihadn’tthoughtofthat."

           Hewasquietforatimeagain,rubbingthatscaronhisnosewithhisfinger.Thefingerstopped.Heraiseduponhiselbowandlookedatme.

           "Chief,"hesaidslowly,lookingmeover,"whenyouwerefull-sized,whenyouusedtobe,let’ssay,sixsevenoreightandweighedtwoeightyorso—wereyoustrongenoughto,say,liftsomethingthesizeofthatcontrolpanelinthetubroom?"

           Ithoughtaboutthatpanel.Itprobablydidn’tweighalotmore’noildrumsI’dliftedintheArmy.ItoldhimIprobablycouldofatonetime.

           "Ifyougotthatbigagain,couldyoustillliftit?"

           ItoldhimIthoughtso.