K-Pax (11 page)
H
e
wa
s
wearin
g
th
e
sam
e
blu
e
corduroys
,
dar
k
glasses
,
an
d
familia
r
smile
.
Bu
t
thi
s
tim
e
th
e
latte
r
did
no
t
anno
y
m
e
s
o
much-i
t
ha
d
bee
n
m
y
problem
,
no
t
his
.
H
e
requeste
d
a
fe
w
banana
s
befor
e
w
e
began,
an
d
offere
d
on
e
t
o
me
.
I
declined
,
an
d
waite
d
unti
l
h
e
ha
d
devoure
d
them,
,
skin
s
an
d
all
.
"You
r
produce
alone,
"
h
e
said
,
"ha
s
mad
e
th
e
tri
p
worthwhile."
W
e
chatte
d
fo
r
a
fe
w
minute
s
abou
t
fruit
.
H
e
reminde
d
me
,
fo
r
example
,
tha
t
thei
r
characteristic
odor
s
an
d
flavor
s
ar
e
du
e
t
o
th
e
presenc
e
o
f
specifi
c
chemica
l
compound
s
know
n
a
s
esters
.
The
n
we reviewe
d
briefl
y
ou
r
previou
s
interview
.
H
e
maintaine
d
tha
t
h
e
ha
d
arrive
d
o
n
Eart
h
som
e
fou
r
year
s
and
nin
e
month
s
ago
,
travele
d
o
n
a
bea
m
o
f
light
,
etc
.
No
w
I
learne
d
tha
t
"K-PAX
"
wa
s
circle
d
b
y
seven
purpl
e
moons
.
"You
r
plane
t
mus
t
b
e
a
ver
y
romanti
c
place,
"
I
prodded
.
A
t
thi
s
poin
t
h
e
di
d
a
surprising
thing
,
somethin
g
tha
t
n
o
othe
r
patien
t
o
f
min
e
ha
s
eve
r
don
e
i
n
th
e
nearl
y
thirt
y
year
s
I
hav
e
been
practicin
g
psychoanalysis
:
H
e
pulle
d
a
penci
l
an
d
a
littl
e
re
d
noteboo
k
fro
m
hi
s
shir
t
pocke
t
an
d
began
takin
g
note
s
o
f
hi
s
own
!
Rathe
r
amuse
d
b
y
this
,
I
aske
d
hi
m
wha
t
h
e
wa
s
jottin
g
down
.
H
e
replie
d
tha
t
he ha
d
though
t
o
f
somethin
g
t
o
includ
e
i
n
hi
s
report
.
I
inquire
d
a
s
t
o
th
e
natur
e
o
f
thi
s
"report.
"
H
e
sai
d
it
wa
s
hi
s
custo
m
t
o
compil
e
a
descriptio
n
o
f
th
e
variou
s
place
s
h
e
visite
d
an
d
being
s
h
e
encountered
throughou
t
th
e
galaxy
.
I
t
appeare
d
tha
t
th
e
patien
t
wa
s
examinin
g
th
e
doctor
!
I
t
wa
s
m
y
tur
n
t
o
smile.
No
t
wantin
g
t
o
inhibi
t
hi
s
activitie
s
i
n
an
y
way
,
I
di
d
no
t
pres
s
hi
m
t
o
sho
w
m
e
wha
t
h
e
ha
d
written,
thoug
h
I
wa
s
mor
e
tha
n
a
littl
e
curious
.
Instead
,
I
aske
d
hi
m
t
o
tel
l
m
e
somethin
g
abou
t
hi
s
boyhoo
d
on
"K-PAX
"
(i.e.
,
Earth).
H
e
said
,
"Th
e
regio
n
I
wa
s
bor
n
i
n
-
incidentally
,
w
e
ar
e
bor
n
o
n
K-PAX
,
jus
t
lik
e
you
,
an
d
the
proces
s
i
s
muc
h
th
e
same
,
only-well
,
we'l
l
ge
t
int
o
tha
t
later
,
I
suppose...."
"Wh
y
don'
t
w
e
g
o
int
o
i
t
now?"
H
e
pause
d
briefly
,
a
s
i
f
take
n
aback
,
bu
t
quickl
y
recovered
.
Th
e
littl
e
grin
,
however
,
wa
s
gone
.
"If
yo
u
wish
.
Ou
r
anatom
y
i
s
muc
h
lik
e
yours
,
a
s
yo
u
kno
w
fro
m
th
e
physica
l
examination
.
Th
e
physiolog
y
is
als
o
similar
,
but
,
unlik
e
o
n
EARTH
,
th
e
reproductio
n
proces
s
i
s
quit
e
unpleasant."