Вино из одуванчиков

           Hewantedtosay,"You’restillthere,aren’tyou?Allof:youpeopleinthatcityinthetimeoftheearlysiesta,theshopsclosing,thelittleboyscryingloterianacionalparahoy!toselllotterytickets.Youareallthere,thepeopleinthecity.Ican’tbelieveIwaseveramongyou.WhenyouareawayI:fromacityitbecomesafantasy.Anytown,NewYork,Chicago,withitspeople,becomesimprobablewithdistance.JustasIamimprobablehere,inIllinois,inasmalltownbya’quietlake.Allofusimprobabletooneanotherbecausewearenotpresenttooneanother.Anditissogoodtohearthesounds,andknowthatMexicoCityisstillthereandthepeoplemovingandliving..."

           Hesatwiththereceivertightlypressedtohisear.

           Andatlast,thedearest,mostimprobablesoundofall—thesoundofagreentrolleycargoingaroundacomer—atrolleyburdenedwithbrownandalienandbeautifulpeople,andthesoundofotherpeoplerunningandcallingoutwithtriumphastheyleapedupandswungaboardandvanishedaroundacornerontheshriekingrailsandwereborneawayinthesun-blazeddistancetoleaveonlythesoundoftortillasfryingonthemarketstoves,orwasitmerelytheeverrisingandfallinghumandburnofstaticquiveringalongtwothousandmilesofcopperwire...

           Theoldmansatonthefloor.

           Timepassed.

           Adownstairsdooropenedslowly.Lightfootstepscamein,hesitated,thenventuredupthestairs.Voicesmurmured.

           "Weshouldn’tbehere!"

           "Hephonedme,Itellyou.Heneedsvisitorsbad.Wecan’tlethimdown."