K-Pax (39 page)
An
d
the
n
h
e
sai
d
somethin
g
totall
y
unexpected
,
somethin
g
precipitated
,
apparently
,
b
y
his
"reminiscing
"
abou
t
lif
e
o
n
hi
s
"world.
"
H
e
said
,
"N
o
offens
e
intended
,
gene
,
bu
t
m
y
tim
e
i
s
almos
t
u
p
here
an
d
I
can'
t
wai
t
t
o
ge
t
back."
Thi
s
too
k
m
e
completel
y
b
y
surprise
.
I
said
,
"What-t
o
K-PAX?"
"Wher
e
else?"
No
w
i
t
wa
s
m
y
tur
n
t
o
si
t
u
p
straighter
.
"Whe
n
ar
e
yo
u
plannin
g
t
o
return?"
Withou
t
a
moment'
s
hesitation
:
"O
n
augus
t
seventeenth."
"Augus
t
seventeenth
.
Wh
y
Augus
t
seventeenth?"
H
e
said
,
"It'
s
`Bea
m
m
e
up
,
scotty
'
time."
"You'r
e
`beaming
'
bac
k
t
o
K-PA
X
o
n
tha
t
date?"
"Yes,
"
h
e
replied
.
"An
d
I
shal
l
mis
s
you
.
An
d
al
l
th
e
othe
r
patients
.
And,
"
h
e
nodde
d
towar
d
the
nearl
y
empt
y
basket
,
"al
l
you
r
deliciou
s
fruits."
I
said
,
"Wh
y
doe
s
i
t
hav
e
t
o
b
e
Augus
t
seventeenth?"
"Safet
y
reasons."
"Safet
y
reasons?"
"Yo
u
see
,
I
ca
n
g
o
anywher
e
o
n
EART
H
withou
t
fea
r
o
f
bumpin
g
int
o
anyon
e
travelin
g
a
t
superlight
speed
.
Bu
t
being
s
ar
e
goin
g
t
o
an
d
comin
g
fro
m
K-PA
X
al
l
th
e
time
.
I
t
ha
s
t
o
b
e
coordinated
,
lik
e
your
airpor
t
contro
l
towers."
"Augus
t
seventeenth."
"A
t
3:3
1
A.M
.
Easter
n
time."
I
wa
s
disappointe
d
t
o
fin
d
tha
t
ou
r
ow
n
tim
e
wa
s
u
p
fo
r
thi
s
session
.
"I'
d
lik
e
t
o
tak
e
thi
s
u
p
again
nex
t
week
,
i
f
that'
s
al
l
righ
t
wit
h
you
.
Oh
,
an
d
coul
d
yo
u
dra
w
u
p
a
KPAXia
n
calenda
r
fo
r
m
e
some
time
?
Jus
t
a
typica
l
cycl
e
o
r
s
o
woul
d
b
e
fine."
"Anythin
g
yo
u
say
.
Unti
l
augus
t
seventeenth
,
I'
m
al
l
yours
.
Excep
t
fo
r
a
littl
e
sid
e
tri
p
u
p
north
,
of
course
.
I
haven'
t
bee
n
t
o
a
fe
w
place
s
yet
,
remember?
"
H
e
wa
s
alread
y
ou
t
th
e
door
.
"Ciao
,
"
h
e
called
o
n
hi
s
wa
y
dow
n
th
e
corridor.
AFTE
R
h
e
ha
d
gon
e
I
returne
d
t
o
m
y
offic
e
t
o
recop
y
m
y
notes
.
A
s
I
wa
s
tryin
g
t
o
mak
e
some
sens
e
o
f
the
m
I
foun
d
mysel
f
gazin
g
a
t
Chip'
s
pictur
e
sittin
g
o
n
m
y
desk
.
"Ciao
"
i
s
on
e
o
f
hi
s
favorite
expressions
,
alon
g
wit
h
"Truly,
"
an
d
"Yo
u
know?
"
No
w
o
n
summe
r
vacation
,
h
e
ha
d
gotte
n
a
jo
b
a
s
a
lifeguar
d
a
t
on
e
o
f
th
e
publi
c
beaches
.
A
goo
d
thing
,
too
,
sinc
e
h
e
ha
d
alread
y
weasele
d
tw
o
years'
advance
s
o
n
hi
s
allowance
.
Th
e
las
t
o
f
m
y
children
,
soo
n
ou
t
o
f
th
e
nest.
I
shoul
d
wa
x
philosophica
l
her
e
an
d
repor
t
tha
t
I
pondere
d
lon
g
an
d
har
d
th
e
implication
s
o
f
that
inevitabl
e
fledging
,
bot
h
fo
r
Chi
p
an
d
fo
r
myself
,
bu
t
th
e
trut
h
i
s
tha
t
i
t
brough
t
m
e
bac
k
t
o
prot's
