День триффидов
Frustration
Itwasfarfromeasyforblindmentocarryandmaneuverheavycasesoutoftheplaceandloadthemonhandcarts.Thentherewasthejobofgettingthembacktothebilletandstowingthem.Butpracticebegantogivethemaknackwithit.
Themosthamperingfactorwasthenecessityformypresence.LittleornothingcouldgoonunlessIwastheretodirectItwasimpossibletousemorethanoneworkingpartyatatime,thoughwecouldhavemadeupadozen.NorcouldmuchgoonbackatthehotelwhileIwasoutwiththeforagingsquad.Moreover,suchtimeasIhadtospendinvestigatingandprospectingthedistrictwasprettymuchwastedforeveryoneelse.Twosightedmencouldhavegotthoughalotmorethantwicethework.
Oncewehadstarted,Iwastoobusyduringthedaytospendmuchthoughtbeyondtheactualworkinhand,andtootiredatnighttodoanythingbutsleepthemomentIlaydown.NowandagainI’dsaytomyself,"BytomorrownightI’llhavethemprettywellfixedup—enoughtokeepthemgoingforabit,anyway.ThenI’lllightoutofthisandfindJosella."
Thatsoundedallright—buteverydayitwastomorrowthatI’dbeabletodoit,andeachdayitbecamemoredifficult.Someofthemhadbeguntolearnabit,butstillpracticallynothing,fromforagingtocan-opening,couldgoonwithoutmybeingaround.Itseemed,thewaythingsweregoing,thatIbecameless,insteadofmore,dispensable.
Noneofitwastheirfault.Thatwaswhatmadeitdifficult.Someofthemweretryingsodamnedhard.
