K-Pax (8 page)
"Bu
t
thes
e
wave
s
trave
l
onl
y
a
t
th
e
spee
d
o
f
light
,
don'
t
they
?
The
y
couldn'
t
possibl
y
hav
e
reached
K-PA
X
a
s
yet."
H
e
sighe
d
again
,
mor
e
loudl
y
thi
s
time
.
"Bu
t
som
e
o
f
th
e
energ
y
goe
s
int
o
highe
r
overtones
,
don'tcha
know
?
It'
s
thi
s
principle
,
i
n
fact
,
tha
t
make
s
ligh
t
trave
l
possible
.
Hav
e
yo
u
studie
d
physics?"
I
suddenl
y
remembere
d
m
y
long-sufferin
g
hig
h
schoo
l
physic
s
teacher
,
wh
o
ha
d
trie
d
t
o
dru
m
this kin
d
o
f
informatio
n
int
o
m
y
head
.
I
als
o
fel
t
a
nee
d
fo
r
a
cigarette
,
thoug
h
I
hadn'
t
smoke
d
on
e
i
n
years.
"I'l
l
tak
e
you
r
wor
d
fo
r
that
,
Mist-uh-prot
.
On
e
mor
e
thing
:
Wh
y
d
o
yo
u
trave
l
aroun
d
th
e
univers
e
al
l
by
yourself?"
"Wouldn'
t
you
,
i
f
yo
u
could?'
"Maybe
.
I
don'
t
know
.
Bu
t
wha
t
I
mean
t
was
:
Wh
y
d
o
yo
u
d
o
i
t
alone?"
"I
s
tha
t
wh
y
yo
u
thin
k
I'
m
crazy?"
"No
t
a
t
all
.
Bu
t
doesn'
t
i
t
ge
t
kin
d
o
f
lonely
,
al
l
thos
e
years-fou
r
year
s
an
d
eigh
t
months
,
wasn'
t
it?-in
space?"
"No
.
An
d
I
wasn'
t
i
n
spac
e
tha
t
long
.
I'v
e
bee
n
her
e
fo
r
fou
r
year
s
an
d
nin
e
months."
"Ho
w
lon
g
wer
e
yo
u
i
n
spacer'
"
I age
d
abou
t
seve
n
o
f
you
r
months
,
i
f
that'
s
wha
t
yo
u
mean."
"Yo
u
didn'
t
fee
l
a
nee
d
t
o
hav
e
someon
e
t
o
tal
k
t
o
fo
r
al
l
tha
t
time?"
"No.
"
I
jotte
d
down
:
Patien
t
dislike
s
everyone?
"Wha
t
di
d
yo
u
d
o
t
o
kee
p
yoursel
f
occupied?"
H
e
wagge
d
hi
s
head
.
"Yo
u
don'
t
understand
,
gene
.
Althoug
h
I
becam
e
seve
n
EART
H
month
s
older
durin
g
th
e
trip
,
i
t
reall
y
seeme
d
lik
e
a
n
instan
t
t
o
me
.
Yo
u
see
,
tim
e
i
s
warpe
d
a
t
supe
r
ligh
t
speeds
.
In
othe
r
words-"
Unforgivably
,
I
wa
s
to
o
annoye
d
t
o
le
t
hi
m
g
o
on
.
"An
d
speakin
g
o
f
time
,
our
s
i
s
u
p
fo
r
today
.
Shall w
e
continu
e
th
e
discussio
n
nex
t
week?"
"A
s
yo
u
wish."
"Good
.
I'l
l
cal
l
Mr
.
Kowalsk
i
an
d
Mr
.
Jense
n
t
o
escor
t
yo
u
bac
k
t
o
you
r
ward."
"
I
kno
w
th
e
way."
"Well
,
i
f
yo
u
don'
t
mind
,
I'
d
rathe
r
cal
l
them
.
Jus
t
routin
e
hospita
l
procedure
.
I'
m
sur
e
you
understand."
"Perfectly."
"Good.
"
Th
e
orderlie
s
arrive
d
i
n
a
momen
t
an
d
th
e
patien
t
lef
t
wit
h
them
,
noddin
g
complacentl
y
to
m
e
a
s
h
e
wen
t
out
.
I
wa
s
surprise
d
t
o
fin
d
tha
t
I
wa
s
drippin
g
wit
h
perspiration
,
an
d
I
remembe
r
getting
u
p
t
o
chec
k
th
e
thermosta
t
afte
r
switchin
g
of
f
th
e
recorder.
Whil
e
th
e
tap
e
wa
s
rewindin
g
I
copie
d
m
y
scribble
d
observation
s
fo
r
hi
s
permanen
t
file
,
making
mentio
n
o
f
m
y
distast
e
fo
r
wha
t
seeme
d
t
o
m
e
hi
s
arrogan
t
manner
,
afte
r
whic
h
I
file
d
th
e
roug
h
notes
int
o
a
separat
e
cabinet
,
alread
y
stuffe
d
wit
h
simila
r
records
.
The
n
I
listene
d
t
o
par
t
o
f
th
e
tape
,
addin
g
a
commen
t
abou
t
th
e
patient'
s
lac
k
o
f
an
y
trac
e
o
f
dialec
t
o
r
accent
.
Surprisingly
,
hearin
g
hi
s
sof
t
voice,
whic
h
wa
s
rathe
r
pleasant
,
wa
s
no
t
a
t
al
l
annoyin
g
t
o
me
.
I
t
ha
d
bee
n
hi
s
demeanor...
.
Suddenl
y
I
realized
:
Tha
t
cocky
,
lopsided
,
derisiv
e
gri
n
reminde
d
m
e
o
f
m
y
father.
