"Jack Dann - A Quiet Revolution for Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dann Jack)

stroll.
тАЬAll right,тАЭ Sandra says as she tears a foil cover from a food cylinder
and waits for the steam to rise. тАЬSoupтАЩs on. LetтАЩs eat everything while itтАЩs
hot.тАЭ She opens container after container. There is a rush for plates and
plasticware and the children argue and fill their dishes with the sundry
goodies. Then, except for the smacking of lips, a few moments of silence: a
burial is taking place nearby, and everyone is caught up in profound
emotion.
тАЬItтАЩs a small casket,тАЭ Roger says after a proper length of time has
passed. He watches two young men clad in red lay the casket down on the
grass beside the burial trench. тАЬIt must be a child,тАЭ Roger says. A
middle-aged man and woman stand over the tiny casket; the man rocks
back and forth and rends his garments while the woman sobs.
тАЬYou see,тАЭ Bennie says after he has cleaned his plate. тАЬThat kind of
crying and tearing clothes is for the old left-brain thinkers. I wouldnтАЩt
mind dying right now. Death is wasted on the old. Look at MommyтАФsheтАЩs
haunted by silly dreams of immortality. Old people are too perverse to
joyously give themselves back to nature.тАЭ Bennie stands up, looking
ghoulish and filthy in his death costume.
тАЬAnd where are you going?тАЭ Sandra asks.
тАЬTo dance on the fresh grave.тАЭ
 тАЬLet him go,тАЭ Roger says. тАЬIt is only proper to continue great
traditions.тАЭ



The sun is working its way toward three oтАЩclock. There is not a cloud in
the sky, only the gauzy crosshatchings of jet-trails. A few birds wing
overhead like little blue angels. Roger sits beside his lovely Sandra, and
they watch Bennie as he dances stylishly with the two young mourners
clad in red. Roger is proud and his eyes are moist. Bennie has stolen the
show. He has even attracted a small crowd of passersby.
This is a sight that would have made Jean Le Fevre turn his head!
Roger says to himself as he watches Bennie work his way through a
perfect danse macabre. The mourners are already clapping. Bennie has
their hearts. He has presented a perfect vision of death to his spectators.
тАЬWave to Benjamin,тАЭ Roger says to his family. тАЬSee, heтАЩs waving at us.тАЭ
Roger imagines that he can hear the sounds of distant machinery. He
dreams that God has sent angels to man the machinery of His cemetery.
And with the passing of each heavenly moment, the noise of GodтАЩs
machinery becomes louder.



But GodтАЩs machines turn out to be only children, hundreds of noisy
boys and girls come to join in the Sunday processions. TheyтАЩre here to
burn or bury innocents and bums and prostitutes, to learn right thinking
and body-knowing, and share in the pleasures and exquisite agonies of
deathтАЩs community. The children seem to be everywhere. TheyтАЩre turning
the cemetery into a playground.