K-Pax (121 page)
An
d
o
f
cours
e
I
bra
g
abou
t
m
y
tw
o
grandsons
,
who
m
I
ge
t
t
o
se
e
quit
e
often-the
y
ar
e
Shasta's
favorit
e
visitor
s
an
d
wh
o
ar
e
th
e
smartes
t
an
d
nices
t
kid
s
I'v
e
eve
r
known
,
wit
h
th
e
possibl
e
exceptio
n
of
m
y
ow
n
children
.
I'
m
prou
d
o
f
al
l
o
f
them.
I
gav
e
u
p
th
e
chairmanshi
p
t
o
Klau
s
Villers
.
Despit
e
hi
s
decre
e
limitin
g
th
e
numbe
r
o
f
cat
s
an
d
dogs
i
n
th
e
hospita
l
t
o
si
x
pe
r
floo
r
h
e
i
s
doin
g
a
fa
r
bette
r
jo
b
tha
n
I
eve
r
coul
d
have
.
Now
,
unencumbere
d
by
al
l
administrativ
e
dutie
s
an
d
th
e
radi
o
tal
k
sho
w
an
d
a
s
muc
h
o
f
th
e
othe
r
extraneou
s
baggag
e
as
possible
,
I
spen
d
m
y
workin
g
hour
s
wit
h
m
y
patients
,
an
d
mos
t
o
f
m
y
fre
e
tim
e
wit
h
m
y
family
.
I
no
longe
r
sin
g
a
t
th
e
hospita
l
Christma
s
party
,
bu
t
m
y
wif
e
insist
s
I
continu
e
t
o
d
o
s
o
i
n
th
e
shower-sh
e
says
sh
e
can'
t
slee
p
otherwise
.
W
e
bot
h
kno
w
I'
m
n
o
Pavarotti
,
bu
t
I
stil
l
thin
k
I
soun
d
a
lo
t
lik
e
him
,
and
perhap
s
that'
s
al
l
tha
t
matters.
I
wis
h
I
coul
d
tel
l
Rober
t
tha
t
Bes
s
i
s
al
l
right
,
bu
t
sh
e
ha
s
neve
r
turne
d
up
,
no
r
hav
e
th
e
flashlight,
mirror
,
bo
x
o
f
souvenirs
,
etc.
,
an
d
w
e
hav
e
n
o
ide
a
a
s
t
o
he
r
whereabouts
.
I
f
yo
u
se
e
a
youn
g
black
woma
n
wit
h
a
prett
y
face
,
perhap
s
sittin
g
o
n
a
par
k
benc
h
huggin
g
hersel
f
an
d
rocking
,
pleas
e
hel
p
he
r
if
yo
u
ca
n
an
d
le
t
u
s
kno
w
wher
e
sh
e
is.
An
d
o
f
cours
e
I
dearl
y
wis
h
I
coul
d
tel
l
hi
m
wher
e
hi
s
frien
d
pro
t
ha
s
gone
.
I
hav
e
playe
d
fo
r
hi
m
all
th
e
tape
s
o
f
ou
r
session
s
together
,
bu
t
ther
e
i
s
n
o
sig
n
o
f
comprehensio
n
o
n
hi
s
part
.
I
tel
l
hi
m
t
o
wai
t
a
littl
e
longer
,
tha
t
pro
t
ha
s
promise
d
t
o
return
.
H
e
hear
s
al
l
this
,
curle
d
u
p
o
n
hi
s
co
t
lik
e
som
e
chrysalis,
withou
t
battin
g
a
n
eye
.
Bu
t
perhap
s
h
e
understands.
Wil
l
pro
t
eve
r
sho
w
u
p
again
?
An
d
ho
w
di
d
h
e
ge
t
fro
m
hi
s
roo
m
t
o
Bess'
s
unde
r
ou
r
ver
y
noses?
Di
d
thi
s
involv
e
a
kin
d
o
f
hypnosi
s
o
n
hi
s
part
,
o
r
a
simila
r
abilit
y
w
e
don'
t
comprehend
?
W
e
ma
y
never
know
.
I
ferventl
y
wis
h
I
coul
d
tal
k
wit
h
hi
m
again
,
jus
t
fo
r
a
littl
e
while
,
t
o
as
k
hi
m
al
l
th
e
question
s
I
neve
r
go
t
th
e
chanc
e
t
o
as
k
before
.
I
stil
l
thin
k
w
e
coul
d
hav
e
learne
d
a
grea
t
dea
l
mor
e
fro
m
pro
t
and,
perhaps
,
fro
m
al
l
ou
r
patients
.
A
s
th
e
cure
s
t
o
man
y
o
f
ou
r
physica
l
ailment
s
ma
y
b
e
waitin
g
fo
r
u
s
i
n
the
rai
n
forests
,
s
o
ma
y
th
e
remedie
s
fo
r
ou
r
socia
l
ill
s
li
e
i
n
th
e
deepes
t
recesse
s
o
f
ou
r
minds
.
Wh
o
knows
wha
t
an
y
o
f
u
s
coul
d
d
o
i
f
w
e
wer
e
abl
e
t
o
concentrat
e
ou
r
thought
s
wit
h
prot'
s
degre
e
o
f
intensity
,
o
r
if
w
e
simpl
y
ha
d
sufficien
t
willpower
?
Coul
d
we
,
lik
e
him
,
se
e
ultraviole
t
ligh
t
i
f
w
e
wante
d
t
o
badly
enough
?
O
r
fly
?
O
r
outgro
w
ou
r
"childhood
"
an
d
creat
e
a
bette
r
worl
d
fo
r
al
l
th
e
inhabitant
s
o
f
the
EARTH?
