K-Pax (95 page)
I rejecte
d
thi
s
idea
,
o
f
course
,
fo
r
a
numbe
r
o
f
reasons
.
I
suggested
,
however
,
tha
t
h
e
sen
d
m
e
a
list
o
f
fift
y
o
f
th
e
ke
y
question
s
h
e
wante
d
t
o
as
k
prot
,
an
d
assure
d
hi
m
tha
t
I
woul
d
b
e
happ
y
t
o
present
the
m
t
o
him
.
"Bu
t
mak
e
i
t
fast,
"
I
said
.
"H
e
claim
s
he'
s
leavin
g
o
n
Augus
t
seventeenth."
"Ca
n
yo
u
ge
t
hi
m
t
o
sta
y
longer?"
"
I doub
t
it."
"Ca
n
yo
u
try?"
"I'
m
tryin
g
m
y
damnedest,
"
I
retorted.
TH
E
res
t
o
f
th
e
mornin
g
wa
s
take
n
u
p
wit
h
meeting
s
an
d
a
n
intervie
w
wit
h
th
e
thir
d
candidat
e
fo
r
the
directorship
.
I'
m
afrai
d
I
didn'
t
giv
e
hi
m
th
e
attentio
n
h
e
deserved
.
H
e
seeme
d
capabl
e
enough
,
an
d
had
publishe
d
som
e
excellen
t
work
.
Hi
s
specialt
y
wa
s
Tourette'
s
syndrome
,
an
d
h
e
suffere
d
fro
m
a
mil
d
form
o
f
th
e
afflictio
n
himself-nervou
s
tics
,
primarily
,
thoug
h
h
e
occasionall
y
calle
d
m
e
"
a
piec
e
o
f
shit.
"
Bu
t
I wa
s
to
o
preoccupie
d
wit
h
tryin
g
t
o
formulat
e
a
wa
y
t
o
ge
t
throug
h
t
o
Rober
t
t
o
listen
.
A
t
las
t
a
n
idea
cam
e
t
o
mind
,
an
d
unforgivabl
y
I
sa
t
u
p
an
d
blurted
,
"Ah!
"
Thinkin
g
I
wa
s
referrin
g
t
o
hi
s
discourse
,
our
gues
t
wa
s
quit
e
please
d
b
y
m
y
outburs
t
an
d
wen
t
o
n
an
d
o
n
wit
h
a
n
eve
n
greate
r
displa
y
o
f
facial
twitchin
g
an
d
nam
e
callin
g
tha
n
before
.
I
pai
d
n
o
attentio
n
t
o
him-
I
wa
s
absorbe
d
b
y
th
e
question
:
Could
th
e
hos
t
personalit
y
b
e
hypnotize
d
whil
e
th
e
secondar
y
alte
r
i
s
alread
y
unde
r
hypnosis?
"OKAY
,
read
y
fo
r
anything,
"
pro
t
sai
d
afte
r
finishin
g
a
hug
e
mixe
d
frui
t
sala
d
an
d
blowin
g
hi
s
nose
o
n
hi
s
napkin
.
H
e
tosse
d
i
t
int
o
th
e
bow
l
an
d
looke
d
fo
r
th
e
spo
t
o
n
th
e
wal
l
behin
d
me
.
Knowin
g
he
woul
d
jum
p
th
e
gun
,
however
,
I
ha
d
covere
d
i
t
u
p
befor
e
h
e
coul
d
thro
w
himsel
f
int
o
a
trance.
"I'
m
no
t
goin
g
t
o
hypnotiz
e
yo
u
fo
r
a
while."
"
I
tol
d
yo
u
i
t
wouldn'
t
work,
"
h
e
said
,
breakin
g
int
o
th
e
all-too-familia
r
grin.
"
I
wan
t
t
o
tal
k
t
o
yo
u
abou
t
Rober
t
first."
Th
e
smil
e
vanished
.
"Ho
w
di
d
yo
u
fin
d
ou
t
hi
s
name?"
"Yo
u
tol
d
me."
"Unde
r
hypnosis?"
"Yes."
"Well
,
flatte
n
m
y
fee
t
an
d
cal
l
m
e
daffy."
"Wha
t
happene
d
t
o
hi
s
wif
e
an
d
child?"
pro
t
seeme
d
confused
,
edgy
.
"
I
don'
t
know."
"Oh
,
com
e
on
.
H
e
mus
t
hav
e
tol
d
yo
u
that."
"Wrong
.
He'
s
neve
r
mentione
d
the
m
sinc
e
I
foun
d
hi
m
b
y
th
e
river."
"Wher
e
ar
e
the
y
now?"
"
I
hav
e
n
o
idea."
Eithe
r
pro
t
wa
s
lying
,
whic
h
I
strongl
y
doubted
,
o
r
h
e
wa
s
genuinel
y
unawar
e
o
f
Robert'
s
activities
whe
n
th
e
latte
r
didn'
t
communicat
e
them
.
I
f
tha
t
wer
e
th
e
cas
e
Ro
b
coul
d
tr
y
almos
t
anything-possibly