"Harlan Ellison - Paladin of the Lost Hour" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ellison Harlan)

were an old woman, instead of a spunky old man, same agethough, I'd have lost considerable of the
calcium in my bones, and those two would havedone me some mischief. Did you know that women lose
a considerable part of their calciumwhen they reach my age? I read a report." Then he paused, and said
shyly, "Comeon, why don't you and I sit and chew the fat over a nice cup of tea?"

Billy shook his head with bemusement, smiling despite himself. "You're somethingelse, Dad. I don't even
know you."

"I like that."

"What: that I don't know you?"

"No, that you called me 'Dad' and not 'Pop.' I hate 'Pop.' Always makesme think the wise-apple wants to
snap off my cap with a bottle opener. Now Dadhas a ring of respect to it. I like that right down to the
ground. Yes, I believe weshould find someplace warm and quiet to sit and get to know each other. After
all, yousaved my life. And you know what that means in the Orient."

Billy was smiling continuously now. "In the first place, I doubt very much I savedyour life. Your wallet,
maybe. And in the second place, I don't even know your name; whatwould we have to talk about?"

"Gaspar," he said, extending his hand. "That's a first name. Gaspar.Know what it means?"

Billy shook his head.

"See, already we have something to talk about."

So Billy, still smiling, began walking Gaspar out of the cemetery. "Where do youlive? I'll take you
home."



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 Harlan Ellison - Paladin of the Lost Hour

They were on the street, approaching Billy Kinetta's 1979 Cutlass. "Where I liveis too far for now. I'm
beginning to feel a bit peaky. I'd like to lie down for a minute.We can just go on over to your place, if
that doesn't bother you. For a few minutes. A cupof tea. Is that all right?"

He was standing beside the Cutlass, looking at Billy with an old man's expectant smile,waiting for him to
unlock the door and hold it for him till he'd placed hisstill-calcium-rich but nonetheless old bones in the
passenger seat. Billy stared at him,trying to figure out what was at risk if he unlocked that door. Then he
snorted a tinylaugh, unlocked the door, held it for Gaspar as he seated himself, slammed it and
wentaround to unlock the other side and get in. Gaspar reached across and thumbed up the doorlock
knob. And they drove off together in the rain.

Through all of this the timepiece made no sound, no sound at all.

####

Like Gaspar, Billy Kinetta was alone in the world.