День триффидов
Frustration
"Anyway,there’syourjob—andmindyoukeeptoyourarea."
Istoppedhimashewasonthepointofleaving.
"HaveyougotaMissPlaytonhere?"Iasked.
"Idon’tknowanyofyournames,"hesaid.
"Fair-haired,aboutfivefootsixorseven,gray-blueeyes,"Ipersisted.
"There’sagirlaboutthatsize,andblond.ButIhaven’tlookedathereyes.Gotsomethingmoreimportanttodo,"hesaidasheleft.
Istudiedthemap.Iwasnotgreatlytakenwiththedistrictallottedtome.Someofitwasasalubriousenoughsuburb,indeed,butinthecircumstancesalocationthatincludeddocksandwarehouseswouldhavemoretooffer.Itwasdoubtfulwhethertherewouldbeanysizablestoragedepotsinthispart.Still,"can’tall‘aveaprize."asAlfwoulddoubtlessexpressk—and,anyway,IIhadnointentionofstayingthereanylongerthanwasstrictlynecessary.
WhenAlfshowedupagainIaskedhimifhewouldtakeanotetoJosella.Heshookhishead.
"Sorry,mate.Notallowed."
Ipromisedhimitshouldbeharmless,butheremainedfirm.Icouldn’taltogetherblamehim.Hehadnoreasontotrustme,andwouldnotbeabletoreadthenotetoknowthatitwasasharmlessasIclaimed.Anyway,I’dneitherpencilnorpaper,soIgavethatup.Afterpressing,hedidconsenttoletherknowthatIwashereandtofindoutthedistricttowhichshewasbeingsent.
