"Brad Ferguson - The Forever Con" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ferguson Brad)

There were about thirty or forty old people gathered in the common
room. Several couples were slow-dancing to classic rock тАШn roll tunes that
had remained popular since their first release fifty years before and more.
Others were seated around tables playing games. Kevin Biederbecke easily
recognized Monopoly and Challenge, but there were other groups playing
games that involved only oddly-shaped dice and many pieces of paper.
тАЬRoleplaying,тАЭ Dr. Poffenberger said to KevinтАЩs unasked question.
тАЬMostly dungeon-and-dwarves stuff. Sometimes a single adventure takes
years to complete.тАЭ
тАЬThey have the time now,тАЭ Kevin said, nodding.
Over in the corner, a group of six laughing women were singing a
nonsense song while making appropriate gestures:

тАЬIf youтАЩre happy and you know it,
point your ears!
If youтАЩre happy and you know it, point your ears!
If youтАЩre happy and you know it,
Then hereтАЩs the way to show it тАФ
If youтАЩre happy and you know it, point your ears!
Point your ears!тАЭ
 тАЬTrekkies?тАЭ Kevin asked.
тАЬThatтАЩs right,тАЭ Dr. Poffenberger said. тАЬUnfortunately, they have to
amuse themselves more and more often, because itтАЩs getting hard to find
good guests for them. Actually, weтАЩre rather hoping тАФ тАЭ
тАЬWhatтАЩs that supposed to be?тАЭ Ms. Biederbecke snapped, point at an
antique phone booth standing in the corner of the room.
тАЬOh,тАЭ Dr. Poffenberger said. тАЬThatтАЩs the Tardis. The Doctor Who fans
are rebuilding it again. I suppose theyтАЩve knocked off for lunch.тАЭ
тАЬTheyтАЩve got it all wrong,тАЭ Ms. Biederbecke sniffed. тАЬFor one thing, the
door opens the other way out. Amateurs!тАЭ
тАЬWhat are your favorite activities back in Mount Willow, Ms.
Biederbecke?тАЭ asked Dr. Poffenberger.
The old lady shrugged, still examining the Tardis. тАЬI donтАЩt much care for
the Who stuff, but I dabble in it from time to time. I do some Star Trek
once in a while, when I can stand it тАФ mostly Third Generation, though. I
used to edit a Quantum Leap slashzine, too, until my eyes started getting
a little funny.тАЭ
тАЬHave you ever thought about perhaps trying a facility in another
genre?тАЭ Dr. Poffenberger asked. тАЬSay, one of the romance homes?тАЭ
тАЬAre you kidding?тАЭ Ms. Biederbecke said, shocked. тАЬGafiate? Me? Why,
IтАЩve been involved in fanac for fifty-seven years, young man тАФ !тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm sorry тАФ тАЭ
тАЬA romance resort?тАЭ she snapped. тАЬGet my thrills by being chased
around the corridors by old coots wearing armor they make themselves
out of tinfoil? Well, I never! Kevin, take me home. Right now.тАЭ
тАЬPlease, Ms. Biederbecke тАФ !тАЭ Dr. Poffenberger began.
тАЬI thought these people were serious, Kevin.тАЭ She sniffed. тАЬYou misled
me, son. I really didnтАЩt want to come down here at all, you know.тАЭ
тАЬSorry, Mom,тАЭ Kevin said sheepishly. тАЬLetтАЩs go back.тАЭ
тАЬMs. Biederbecke, I do most sincerely apologize,тАЭ the doctor said. тАЬI