Марсианские хроники
June 2003: Way in the Middle of the Air
Teece,youdon’tmindItakethedayoff,"hesaidapologetically.
"Andtomorrowanddayaftertomorrowandthedayafterthedayafterthat,"saidTeece.
"I’mafraidso,sir."
"Youshouldbeafraid,boy.Comehere."Hemarchedtheboyacrosstheporchanddrewapaperoutofadesk."Rememberthis?"
"Sir?"
"It’syourworkin’paper.Yousignedit,there’syourXrightthere,ain’tit?Answerme."
"Ididn’tsignthat,Mr.Teece."Theboytrembled."AnyonecanmakeanX."
"Listentothis,Silly.Contract:«IwillworkforMr.SamuelTeecetwoyears,startingJuly15,2001,andifintendingtoleavewillgivefourweeks’noticeandcontinueworkinguntilmypositionisfilled.»There."Teeceslappedthepaper,hiseyesglittering."Youcausetrouble,we’lltakeittocourt."
"Ican’tdothat,"wailedtheboy,tearsstartingtorolldownhisface,"IfIdon’tgotoday,Idon’tgo."
"Iknowjusthowyoufeel,Silly;yes,sir,Isympathizewithyou,boy.Butwe’lltreatyougoodandgiveyougoodfood,boy.Nowyoujustgetinsideandstartworkingandforgetallaboutthatnonsense,eh,Silly?Sure."Teecegrinnedandpattedtheboy’sshoulder.
Theboyturnedandlookedattheoldmensittingontheporch.Hecouldhardlyseenowforhistears."Maybe—maybeoneofthesegentlemenhere…"Themenlookedupinthehot,uneasyshadows,lookingfirstattheboyandthenatTeece.
"Youmeanin’tosayyouthinkawhitemanshouldtakeyourplace,boy?"askedTeececoldly.
