"Mel Gilden - Zoot Marlow 2 - Hawaiian UFO Aliens" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gilden Mel)

except me had ever visited Hollywood, so when I said, 'Trust me,' that's what they did.
A day or two later, the media discovered me, and I became a celebrity. I was on shows explaining
Earth's radio programmes. I told the same lie about Terrible Old Earth, or variations on it, till I had it
down pretty good. The photographs I had taken of Whipper Will and the other surfers caused quite a
sensation, and a lot of biologists went back to their drawing boards shaking their heads. Dad's
chocolate-covered coffee beans disappeared almost overnight. The loan was paid off, and Dad gave me
the money that was left over.
After that, things got quiet. I'd had my fifteen minutes of fame on T'toom. I read my books and hung
with my family, but very soon, I was bored. I didn't know if I had changed or life on T'toom was more
placid than it had been, but I was bored. Then I realized that I wasn't just bored, I was hungry for Earth.
Trouble is my business, after all, and there isn't much of it on T'toom.
I began to collect stuff to take to Earth with me: personal papers; pictures of the family; a little of the
household ooze, just for old times' sake; boxes of Toomler stories; and a couple of extra slaberingeo
spines, you never know when your sneeve might need a replacement.
I was listening to a Beethoven symphony on a recording of Voice of Firestone when Grampa Zamp
caught me with all this stuff laid out on my bed. While he watched, I kind of moved it around, hoping the
collection looked natural, like something anybody might have on their bed.
Grampa Zamp said, 'Going somewhere?'
I looked at Grampa Zamp. My nose must have been twitching a mile a minute, but he was very
relaxed. I took a chance and said, 'Yeah. I'm going back to Earth.'
His nose went up, then down, 'I thought Earth was some kind of interstellar death trap.'
'Depends on who you ask,' I said. After that, I told Grampa Zamp the whole truth and nothing but the
truth. I told him about Sylvia Woods and Surfing Samurai Robots and Whipper Will and the gang. He
asked a lot of questions. I guess he found the story pretty entertaining because when I got down he
asked me, 'Why did you lie?'
'I like Earth. I like it the way it is.' I rubbed my face with one hand and said, 'Remember the beginning
of Grand Central Station? All those trains heading for the same place. All those people. All that
confusion.'
'I don't want Earth to become Grand Central Station.'
He thought that over. 'Too many handprints on the ooze.'
'That's right.'
I waited while he nodded. He said, 'I'll square it with your parents. When do you leave?'
'As soon as I can.'
'Now's a good time. Everybody's at the plant.'
So I went back to Earth. I remember the kid I had been the first time I'd gone there, afraid, but not
even knowing what of. I knew a lot more about Earth now, but that didn't make me any less afraid.
I dropped into Earth's atmosphere, and as I descended through black clouds toward Malibu, they
began to throw me around as if my sneeve were a Frisbee. Lightning flashed, making sudden stark
shadows in my ship. Rain pelted the ship as if someone were throwing chocolate-covered coffee beans at
me. The computer had a tough time navigating, but at last Philip Marlowe dived into the white-caps and
suddenly everything quietened down. My ship settled through the fish to the bottom. I put on my short
Johns and cycled myself out into the freezing water.
I swam toward the shore, but it was not always a sure thing that I would make it. I swallowed a lot of
salt water, but there was plenty left to slap me in the face and try to hold me under.



CHAPTER 1
DOUBLE-O ZOOTтАФLICENCE GRANTED
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