K-Pax (105 page)
"
I
didn'
t
ignor
e
m
y
children!"
"The
n
wh
y
d
o
yo
u
no
t
kno
w
tha
t
you
r
so
n
i
s
a
cocain
e
addict?"
"What
?
Whic
h
son?"
"Th
e
younge
r
one
.
`Chip,
'
yo
u
cal
l
him."
Ther
e
ha
d
bee
n
certai
n
signs-
a
distinc
t
personalit
y
change
,
a
constan
t
shortag
e
o
f
funds-sign
s
I
chose
t
o
disregar
d
unti
l
I
foun
d
tim
e
t
o
dea
l
wit
h
them
.
Lik
e
mos
t
parent
s
I
didn'
t
wan
t
t
o
kno
w
tha
t
m
y
son
wa
s
a
dru
g
addict
,
an
d
I
wa
s
jus
t
puttin
g
of
f
findin
g
ou
t
th
e
truth
.
Bu
t
I
certainl
y
didn'
t
wan
t
t
o
lear
n
about
th
e
proble
m
fro
m
on
e
o
f
m
y
patients
.
"Anythin
g
els
e
yo
u
wan
t
t
o
ge
t
of
f
you
r
chest?"
"Yes
.
Giv
e
you
r
wif
e
a
brea
k
an
d
sto
p
singin
g
i
n
th
e
shower."
"Why?"
"Becaus
e
yo
u
can'
t
carr
y
a
tun
e
i
n
a
basket."
"I'l
l
thin
k
abou
t
it
.
Wha
t
else?"
"Russel
l
ha
s
a
malignanc
y
i
n
hi
s
colon."
"What
?
Ho
w
d
o
yo
u
kno
w
that?"
"
I
ca
n
smel
l
i
t
o
n
hi
s
breath."
"Anythin
g
else?"
"That'
s
all
.
Fo
r
now."
W
e
ha
d
a
fe
w
mor
e
drink
s
i
n
tota
l
silence
,
i
f
yo
u
don'
t
coun
t
th
e
thought
s
roarin
g
throug
h
m
y
head.
Thi
s
wa
s
interrupted
,
finally
,
b
y
a
ta
p
o
n
th
e
door
.
I
yelled
,
"Com
e
in!
"
I
t
wa
s
Giselle
,
bac
k
fro
m
the
library.
pro
t
nodde
d
t
o
he
r
an
d
smile
d
warmly
.
Sh
e
too
k
hi
s
han
d
an
d
kisse
d
hi
m
o
n
th
e
chee
k
before
slippin
g
ove
r
an
d
whisperin
g
i
n
m
y
ear
,
"It'
s
Rober
t
Porter
.
That'
s
abou
t
al
l
w
e
kno
w
s
o
far.
"
The
n
she
ploppe
d
dow
n
i
n
th
e
corne
r
chair
.
I
brough
t
he
r
a
drink
,
whic
h
sh
e
gratefull
y
accepted.
W
e
chatte
d
abou
t
inconsequentia
l
thing
s
fo
r
a
while
.
pro
t
wa
s
havin
g
a
fin
e
time
.
Afte
r
hi
s
fourth
Scotch
,
whe
n
h
e
wa
s
gigglin
g
a
t
everythin
g
anyon
e
said
,
I
shouted
,
"Rober
t
Porter
!
Ca
n
yo
u
hea
r
me? W
e
kno
w
wh
o
yo
u
are!"
pro
t
seeme
d
take
n
aback
,
bu
t
h
e
finall
y
realize
d
wha
t
I
wa
s
doing
.
"
I
tol
'
yo
u
an
'
tol
'
you,
"
h
e
snorted
unhappily
.
"H
e
ain
'
cumin
'
out!"
"As
k
hi
m
again!"
"I'v
e
tried
.
I'v
e
rill
y
rill
y
rill
y
tried
.
Wha
t
els
e
c'
n
I
do?"
"Yo
u
ca
n
stay
!
Gisell
e
cried.
H
e
turne
d
slowl
y
t
o
fac
e
her
.
"
I
can't,
"
h
e
sai
d
sadly
.
"It'
s
no
w
o
r
never."
"Why?"
"A
s
I
a'-read
y
'splaine
d
t
o
docto
r
bew-bew-docto
r
brewer
,
I
a
m
shed-shed-
I
a
m
'xpected
.
The
windo
w
i
s
op'n
.
I
c'
n
onl
y
g
o
bac
k
o
n
Augus
t
seventeenth
.
A
t
3:3
1
inn
a
norming."
I
le
t
he
r
g
o
on
.
Sh
e
couldn'
t
d
o
an
y
wors
e
tha
n
I
had
.
"It'
s
no
t
s
o
ba
d
here
,
i
s
it?
"
sh
e
pleaded.
pro
t
sai
d
nothin
g
fo
r
a
moment
.
I
recognize
d
th
e
loo
k
o
n
hi
s
face
,
tha
t
combinatio
n
o
f
amazemen
t
and
disgus
t
whic
h
mean
t
h
e
wa
s
tryin
g
t
o
fin
d
word
s
sh
e
coul
d
comprehend
.
Finall
y
h
e
said
,
"Yes
,
i
t
is."
Gisell
e
bowe
d
he
r
head.
I
poure
d
hi
m
anothe
r
drink
.
I
t
wa
s
tim
e
t
o
pla
y
m
y
las
t
trump
.
"prot
,
I
wan
t
yo
u
t
o
sta
y
too."
