"Thomas M. Disch - On Wings Of Song" - читать интересную книгу автора (Disch Thomas M)

the operator asked if he would accept the call.
He said he would.
тАЬDanny? Danny, is that you, love?тАЭ said a whinier voice than
the operatorтАЩs.
He wanted to say that no one ever called him Danny, but that
seemed unfriendly. He limited himself to an equivocal Uh.
тАЬThis is your mother, Danny.тАЭ
тАЬOh. Mother. Hi.тАЭ She still didnтАЩt say anything. It was up to
him entirely. тАЬHow are you?тАЭ
She laughed and that seemed to deepen her voice. тАЬOh, I
could be worse.тАЭ She paused, and added, тАЬBut not a lot. Where is
your father, Danny? Can I talk to him?тАЭ
тАЬHeтАЩs doing a filling.тАЭ
тАЬDoes he know IтАЩm calling?тАЭ
тАЬNo, not yet.тАЭ
тАЬWell, would you tell him? Tell him itтАЩs Milly calling from
New York.тАЭ
He weighed the name on his tongue: тАЬMilly.тАЭ
тАЬRight. Milly. Short forтАж do you know?тАЭ
He thought. тАЬMillicent?тАЭ
тАЬGod almighty, no. MildredтАФisnтАЩt that bad enough? DoesnтАЩt
he ever talk about me?тАЭ
 He wasnтАЩt trying to avoid her question. It was just that his
own seemed so much more important: тАЬAre you coming here?тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt know. It depends for one thing on whether Abe
sends me the money. Do you want me to?тАЭ
Even though he wasnтАЩt sure, it seemed required of him to say
that yes he did. But heтАЩd hesitated, noticeably, so most of the credit
for saying the right thing was lost. She knew he was being polite.
тАЬDanny, why donтАЩt you go tell him IтАЩm on the phone?тАЭ Her
voice was whiney again.
Daniel obeyed. As heтАЩd known he would be, his father was
annoyed when Daniel appeared in the doorway. For a while he just
stood there. He didnтАЩt want to say who it was out loud in front of
the patient in the chair, a fat farmwoman who was getting a crown
put on a left upper canine. He said, тАЬThereтАЩs a phone call from
New York.тАЭ
His father still looked daggers. Did he understand?
тАЬA woman,тАЭ Daniel added significantly. тАЬSheтАЩs calling
collect.тАЭ
тАЬYou know better than to interrupt me, Daniel. Tell her to
wait.тАЭ
He went back to the switchboard. Another call was coming in.
He put it on Hold quickly, then said to his mother: тАЬI told him. He
said to wait. He really canтАЩt stop in the middle.тАЭ
тАЬWell then IтАЩll wait.тАЭ
тАЬThereтАЩs another call. I have to put you on Hold.тАЭ
She laughed again. It was a pleasant laugh. He foresaw,
though not in so many words, the necessity of keeping her in a
good humor. Assuming that she came to Amesville. So, almost