K-Pax (91 page)

"Yes."

"Wha
t
wil
l
yo
u
d
o
next?"

"Ge
t
t
o
kno
w
th
e
being
s
here."

"An
d
the
n
what?"

"We'l
l
mov
e
o
n
t
o
anothe
r
place."

"Al
l
right
.
It'
s
si
x
month
s
later
.
Februar
y
seventeenth
,
1986
.
Wher
e
ar
e
you?"

"Egypt."

"Stil
l
i
n
Africa?"

"It'
s
a
bi
g
continent
.
B
y
EART
H
standards
,
anyway."

"I
s
you
r
frien
d
stil
l
wit
h
you?"

"O
f
course."

"Wha
t
di
d
yo
u
us
e
fo
r
mone
y
o
n
thes
e
travels?"

"Nothing
.
W
e
jus
t
too
k
wha
t
w
e
needed."

"An
d
nobod
y
objected?"

"No
t
afte
r
I
explaine
d
wh
o
w
e
were."

"Al
l
right
.
It'
s
on
e
yea
r
afte
r
yo
u
lef
t
th
e
river
.
Augus
t
seventeenth
,
1986
.
Wher
e
ar
e
yo
u
now?"

"Sweden."

"D
o
yo
u
lik
e
i
t
there?"

"Ver
y
much
.
The
y
ar
e
mor
e
lik
e
K-PAXian
s
her
e
tha
n
anywher
e
els
e
we'v
e
been."

"I
n
wha
t
way?"

"The
y
ar
e
les
s
warlike
,
an
d
mor
e
toleran
t
towar
d
thei
r
fello
w
being
s
tha
n
th
e
 
othe
r
 
countrie
s
 
w
e
 
have
visited."

"Augus
t
seventeenth
,
1987."

"Saud
i
arabia."

"Augus
t
seventeenth
,
1988."

"Queensland
,
australia."

"Augus
t
seventeenth
,
1989."

"Bolivia."

"Octobe
r
seventeenth
,
sam
e
year."

"Th
e
unite
d
states
.
indiana."

"Decembe
r
seventeenth."

"ne
w
york."

"Februar
y
seventeenth
,
1990."

"Th
e
lon
g
islan
d
psychiatri
c
hospital."

"Ma
y
seventeenth."

"Th
e
manhatta
n
psychiatri
c
institute."

"Th
e
present."

"Sam
e
ol
d
place."

"An
d
you
r
frien
d
hasn'
t
spoke
n
t
o
yo
u
i
n
al
l
thi
s
time?"

"Hardl
y
a
word."

"Hav
e
yo
u
trie
d
t
o
tal
k
t
o
him?"

"Occasionally."

"Ma
y
I
try?"

"B
e
m
y
guest."

"
I nee
d
a
name
.
I
t
woul
d
b
e
s
o
muc
h
easie
r
i
f
yo
u
woul
d
giv
e
m
e
a
nam
e
t
o
cal
l
him."

"
I can'
t
d
o
that
.
Bu
t
I'l
l
giv
e
yo
u
a
hint
.
H
e
ca
n
fly."

"Fly
?
I
s
hi
s
nam
e
Fred?"

"C'mon
,
yo
u
ca
n
d
o
bette
r
tha
n
that
.
Can'
t
yo
u
thin
k
o
f
anythin
g
tha
t
flie
s
beside
s
airplanes?"

"He'
s
a
bird
?
H
e
ha
s
th
e
nam
e
o
f
a
bird?"

"Bingo!"

"Uh
,
uh
,
Donald
?
Woody
?
Jonatha
n
Livingston?"

"Thos
e
aren'
t
rea
l
birds
,
ar
e
they
,
gene?"

"Martin
?
Jay!"

"You'r
e
gettin
g
waaaaaarmeniiii!"

"Robin
?
Robert?"

"Wel
l
done
,
docto
r
brewer
.
Th
e
res
t
i
s
u
p
t
o
you."

"Than
k
you
.
I'
d
lik
e
t
o
spea
k
t
o
hi
m
now
.
D
o
yo
u
mind?"

"Wh
y
shoul
d
I?
"
Suddenl
y
prot/Rober
t
slouche
d
dow
n
i
n
hi
s
chair
.
Hi
s
hand
s
fel
l
limpl
y
t
o
hi
s
sides.

"Robert?"

N
o
response.

"Robert
,
thi
s
i
s
Docto
r
Brewer
.
I
thin
k
I
ca
n
hel
p
you.
"
N
o
response.

"Robert
,
 
liste
n
 
t
o
 
me
.
 
You'v
e
 
ha
d
 
a
 
terribl
e
 
shock
.
 
I
 
understan
d
 
you
r
 
pai
n
 
an
d
 
suffering
.
 
Ca
n
 
you
hea
r
me?
"
N
o
response.

A
t
thi
s
poin
t
 
I
 
too
k
 
a
 
chance
.
 
Knowin
g
 
pro
t
 
and
,
 
throug
h
 
him
,
 
somethin
g
 
abou
t
 
Robert
,
 
I
 
coul
d
 
not
shak
e
 
th
e
 
feelin
g
 
tha
t
 
i
f
h
e
 
ha
d
 
i
n
fac
t
 
hurt
,
 
o
r
 
killed
,
 
someone
,
 
i
t
 
mus
t
 
hav
e
 
bee
n
 
a
n
 
acciden
t
 
or
,
 
more
likel
y
perhaps
,
self-defense
.
I
t
 
wa
s
 
mostl
y
 
speculation
,
 
bu
t
 
i
t
 
wa
s
 
al
l
I
 
had
.
 
"Robert
,
 
liste
n
 
t
o
 
me
.
 
 
What
happene
d
 
t
o
 
yo
u
 
coul
d
 
hav
e
 
happene
d
 
t
o
 
anyone
.
 
I
t
 
i
s
 
no
t
 
somethin
g
 
t
o
 
b
e
 
ashame
d
 
of
.
 
I
t
 
i
s
 
a
 
normal
respons
e
tha
t
huma
n
being
s
ar
e
programme
d
t
o
carr
y
out
.
It'
s
i
n
ou
r
 
genes
.
 
D
o
 
yo
u
 
understand
?
 
Anyone
migh
t
hav
e
don
e
th
e
sam
e
thin
g
yo
u
did
.
Anyon
e
woul
d
condon
e
wha
t
yo
u
di
d
an
d
wh
y
yo
u
di
d
it
.
I
want
yo
u
t
o
 
understan
d
 
that
.
 
I
f
 
yo
u
 
wil
l
jus
t
 
acknowledg
e
 
tha
t
 
yo
u
 
hea
r
 
m
e
 
w
e
 
ca
n
 
tal
k
 
abou
t
 
it
.
 
W
e
 
don't
hav
e
t
o
tal
k
abou
t
wha
t
happene
d
jus
t
 
yet
.
 
Onl
y
 
abou
t
 
ho
w
 
w
e
 
ca
n
 
ge
t
 
yo
u
 
t
o
 
overcom
e
 
you
r
 
grie
f
 
and
self-hatred
.
 
Won'
t
yo
u
tal
k
t
o
me
?
Won'
t
yo
u
le
t
m
e
hel
p
you?"