Пролетая над гнездом кукушки

           SoIfigurewhathappenedintheshowerroomthatafternoonwasmoremyfaultthananybodyelse’s.Andthat’swhytheonlywayIcouldmakeanykindofamendswasbydoingwhatIdid,withoutthinkingaboutbeingcageyorsafeorwhatwouldhappentome—andnotworryingaboutanythingelseforoncebutthethingthatneededtobedoneandthedoingofit.

           Justafterweleftthelatrinethethreeblackboyscamearound,gatheringthebunchofusforourspecialshower.Theleastblackboy,scramblingalongthebaseboardwithablack,crookedhandcoldasacrowbar,pryingguyslooseleaningthere,saiditwaswhattheBigNursecalledacautionarycleansing.Inviewofthecompanywe’dhadonourtripweshouldgetcleanedbeforewespreadanythingthroughtherestofthehospital.

           Welinedupnudeagainstthetile,andhereoneblackboycame,ablackplastictubeinhishand,squirtingastinkingsalvethickandstickyaseggwhite.Inthehairfirst,thenturnaroundan’bendoveran’spreadyourcheeks!

           Theguyscomplainedandkiddedandjokedaboutit,tryingnottolookatoneanotherorthosefloatingslatemasksworkingdownthelinebehindthetubes,likenightmarefacesinnegative,sightingdownsoft,squeezynightmaregunbarrels.Theykiddedtheblackboysbysayingthingslike"He,Washington,whatdoyoufellasdoforfuntheothersixteenhours?""Hey,Williams,canyoutellmewhatIhadforbreakfast?"

           Everybodylaughed.