Вино из одуванчиков

           IhavebeenaloneinParis,aloneinVienna,aloneinLondon,andallinall,itisverymuchlikebeingaloneinGreenTown,Illinois.Itis,inessence,beingalone.Oh,youhaveplentyoftimetothink,improveyourmanners,sharpenyourconversations.ButIsometimesthinkIcouldeasilytradeaverbtenseoracurtsyforsomecompanythatwouldstayoverforathirty-yearweekend."

           Theydranktheirtea.

           "Oh,sucharushofself-pity,"shesaidgood-naturedly."Aboutyourself,now.You’rethirty-oneandstillnotmarried?"

           "Letmeputitthisway,"hesaid."Womenwhoactandthinkandtalklikeyouarerare."

           "My,"shesaidseriously,"youmustn’texpectyoungwomentotalklikeme.Thatcomeslater.They’remuchtooyoung,firstofall.Andsecondly,theaveragemanrunshelter-skelterthemomenthefindsanythinglikeabraininalady.You’veprobablymetquiteafewbrainyoneswhohiditmostsuccessfullyfromyou.You’llhavetopryaroundabittofindtheoddbeetle.Liftafewboards."

           Theywerelaughingagain.

           "Ishallprobablybeameticulousoldbachelor,"hesaid.

           "No,no,youmustn’tdothat.Itwouldn’tberight.Youshouldn’tevenbeherethisafternoon.ThisisastreetwhichendsonlyinanEgyptianpyramid.Pyramidsareallverynice,butmummiesarehardlyfitcompanions.Wherewouldyouliketogo,whatwouldyoureallyliketodowithyourlife?"

           "SeeIstanbul,PortSaid,Nairobi,Budapest.Writeabook.Smoketoomanycigarettes.Falloffacliff,butgetcaughtinatreehalfwaydown.