K-Pax (82 page)
The
y
ha
d
take
n
Howi
e
t
o
War
d
Four
.
I
le
t
hi
m
ste
w
ther
e
th
e
res
t
o
f
tha
t
da
y
an
d
mos
t
o
f
th
e
next
befor
e
I
foun
d
tim
e
t
o
tal
k
t
o
him
.
I
wa
s
angr
y
wit
h
hi
m
an
d
le
t
hi
m
kno
w
it
,
bu
t
h
e
jus
t
sa
t
ther
e
beaming a
t
me
,
hi
s
gri
n
a
perfec
t
cop
y
o
f
prot'
s
know-it-al
l
smirk
.
A
s
h
e
wa
s
headin
g
bac
k
t
o
hi
s
roo
m
o
n
Ward
Tw
o
h
e
turne
d
an
d
proclaimed
,
"pro
t
say
s
on
e
mor
e
tas
k
an
d
I'l
l
b
e
cured
,
too."
"I'l
l
decid
e
that
,
goddam
n
it!
"
I
shoute
d
afte
r
him.
ON
E
o
f
th
e
nigh
t
nurse
s
tol
d
m
e
late
r
tha
t
th
e
Duches
s
ha
d
begu
n
t
o
tak
e
som
e
o
f
he
r
meal
s
i
n
the
dinin
g
roo
m
wit
h
th
e
othe
r
patients
.
Sh
e
wa
s
shocke
d
an
d
offende
d
b
y
al
l
th
e
belchin
g
an
d
farting
(courtesy
,
primarily
,
o
f
Chuck)
,
but
,
t
o
he
r
grea
t
credit
,
sh
e
usuall
y
stuc
k
i
t
out.
A
t
he
r
firs
t
appearanc
e
Bes
s
trie
d
t
o
ge
t
u
p
an
d
serv
e
her
.
On
e
glanc
e
fro
m
pro
t
an
d
sh
e
returne
d
to
he
r
place.
A
s
usual
,
however
,
sh
e
wouldn'
t
ea
t
anythin
g
unti
l
everyon
e
els
e
ha
d
finished.
"Ho
w
di
d
h
e
ge
t
he
r
t
o
com
e
t
o
th
e
table?
"
I
aske
d
th
e
nurse.
"Sh
e
want
s
t
o
b
e
th
e
on
e
wh
o
get
s
t
o
g
o
wit
h
him,
"
cam
e
th
e
obviou
s
reply
.
Sh
e
sounde
d
envious.
Sessio
n
Twelve
WHIL
E
pro
t
wa
s
munchin
g
peache
s
an
d
plum
s
I
brough
t
u
p
th
e
'subjec
t
o
f
Howi
e
an
d
hi
s
tasks
.
I
explaine
d
tha
t
th
e
firs
t
on
e
h
e
ha
d
assigne
d
t
o
hi
m
(t
o
fin
d
th
e
"bluebir
d
o
f
happiness"
)
ha
d
produce
d
a
positiv
e
effec
t
no
t
onl
y
o
n
Howie
,
bu
t
o
n
th
e
res
t
o
f
th
e
war
d
a
s
well
.
Thoug
h
i
t
ha
d
turne
d
out
successfull
y
also
,
th
e
secon
d
(t
o
"cure
"
Ernie
)
wa
s
mor
e
problematical
.
I
aske
d
hi
m
i
f
h
e
ha
d
anything
els
e
i
n
min
d
fo
r
m
y
patient.
"Onl
y
on
e
fina
l
task."
"D
o
yo
u
min
d
tellin
g
m
e
wha
t
i
t
is?"
"Tha
t
woul
d
spoi
l
th
e
surprise."
"
I
thin
k
we'v
e
ha
d
enoug
h
surprise
s
aroun
d
her
e
fo
r
a
while
.
Ca
n
yo
u
guarante
e
thi
s
tas
k
wil
l
cause
n
o
har
m
t
o
anyone?"
"I
f
h
e
doe
s
i
t
well
,
i
t
wil
l
b
e
a
ver
y
happ
y
da
y
fo
r
everyone
,
includin
g
yourself.
"
I
wa
s
no
t
s
o
certain
abou
t
that
,
bu
t
m
y
doubt
s
wer
e
swallowe
d
u
p
b
y
hi
s
self-confidence.
M
y
fathe
r
onc
e
la
y
dow
n
o
n
th
e
livin
g
roo
m
floo
r
an
d
aske
d
m
e
t
o
mak
e
a
ru
n
a
t
him
.
H
e
wante
d
me
t
o
pus
h
of
f
o
n
hi
s
knees
,
fli
p
ove
r
him
,
an
d
lan
d
o
n
m
y
fee
t
abov
e
hi
s
head
.
I
t
sounde
d
lik
e
suicide
.
"Trust
me,
"
h
e
said
.
S
o
I
pu
t
m
y
lif
e
i
n
hi
s
hands
,
mad
e
a
ru
n
a
t
him
,
and
,
wit
h
hi
s
help
,
miraculousl
y
lande
d
on
m
y
feet
.
I
.
neve
r
di
d
i
t
again
.
pro
t
ha
d
th
e
sam
e
"trus
t
me
"
loo
k
i
n
hi
s
eye
s
whe
n
h
e
tol
d
m
e
about
Howie'
s
las
t
task
.
An
d
o
n
tha
t
not
e
w
e
bega
n
ou
r
twelft
h
session.
Th
e
minut
e
I
starte
d
t
o
count
,
pro
t
fel
l
int
o
a
dee
p
trance
.
I
aske
d
whethe
r
h
e
coul
d
hea
r
me.
"O
f
course."
"Good
.
No
w
I
wan
t
yo
u
t
o
thin
k
bac
k
t
o
th
e
yea
r
1979
;
tha
t
is
,
197
9
o
n
Earth
.
It'
s
Christma
s
Day,
