"George Alec Effinger - Slow, Slow Burn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Effinger George Alec)

тАЬEight hundred thousand,тАЭ says Kit noncommittally.

тАЬIn one day, I sell eight hundred thousand. Eight hundred

thousand people come out of their house all over the world, they

just to get the new moddy. You don't know what can be happeningтАФ

the rain, the bombs in the airport, the policeтАФall these people come

out to pay money for me.тАЭ

Kit presses a key and columns of figures begin to scroll up the

screen. тАЬSales are up in Provence and Aragon,тАЭ he says. тАЬThey love

you here.тАЭ




25
 Slow, Slow Burn
by George Alec Effinger



тАЬI see that, I see,тАЭ says Honey. She tosses the bulk of the melon

into a corner of the white-on-white brocade couch. тАЬI see also I have

no million sales today, first day. You told me a million sales.тАЭ

Kit glances up at the ceiling, hoping for courage. тАЬA million sales,

eight hundred thousand, what difference does it make?тАЭ

тАЬSales up at home,тАЭ she says, turning her back on him, looking out

the window. Far below, the crisp thin line of surf wrinkles toward the

beach. тАЬSales down in England, Burgundy, Catalonia. That list get

longer.тАЭ She faces the screen again, and the sales reports are like

the incessant waves, in their sum victorious, devastating. тАЬTurn it

off,тАЭ she pleads.