Пролетая над гнездом кукушки

           Hewantedtocarryasockfullofbirdshotwhenhefirstcameonthejob,toworkthepatientsintoshape,butshetoldhimtheydidn’tdoitthatwayanymore,madehimleavethesapathomeandtaughthimherowntechnique;taughthimnottoshowhishateandtobecalmandwait,waitforalittleadvantage,alittleslack,thentwisttheropeandkeepthepressuresteady.Allthetime.That’sthewayyougetthemintoshape,shetaughthim.

           Theothertwoblackboyscometwoyearslater,comingtoworkonlyaboutamonthapartandbothlookingsomuchalikeIthinkshehadareplicamadeoftheonewhocamefirst.Theyaretallandsharpandbonyandtheirfacesarechippedintoexpressionsthatneverchange,likeflintarrowheads.Theireyescometopoints.Ifyoubrushagainsttheirhairitraspsthehiderightoffyou.

           Allofthemblackastelephones.Theblackertheyare,shelearnedfromthatlongdarkrowthatcamebeforethem,themoretimetheyarelikelytodevotetocleaningandscrubbingandkeepingthewardinorder.Forinstance,allthreeoftheseboys’uniformsarealwaysspotlessassnow.Whiteandcoldandstiffasherown.

           Allthreewearstarchedsnow-whitepantsandwhiteshirtswithmetalsnapsdownonesideandwhiteshoespolishedlikeice,andtheshoeshaveredrubbersolessilentasmiceupanddownthehall.Theynevermakeanynoisewhentheymove.Theymaterializeindifferentpartsofthewardeverytimeapatientfigurestocheckhimselfinprivateorwhispersomesecrettoanotherguy.Apatient’llbeinacornerallbyhimself,whenallofasuddenthere’sasqueakandfrostformsalonghischeek,andheturnsinthatdirectionandthere’sacoldstonemaskfloatingabovehimagainstthewall.