"Carolyn Ives Gilman - Okanoggan Falls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gilman Carolyn Ives)

Susan said, тАЬBecause they remind us that we're human. Without other species around, we'd forget."

"Ah. I see,тАЭ the Wattesoon said. тАЬWe feel the same."

In the awkward silence that followed, the humans all wondered who were the WattesoonsтАЩ pets.

They were saved by the timer. The pizza came out of the oven, and soon all was cheerful confusion
again.

The internet had told Susan that Wattesoons were frugal eaters, but Captain Groton seemed ravenous.
He ate some of everything she put on the table, including two slices of pizza.
****
To spare their guest the troubling sight of counters, tabletop, and utensils being smeared with water,
Susan asked him out to see the back yard so the others could clean up. The screen door banged shut
behind them and the dog came trotting up, eager to smell the stranger, till Susan shooed him into the
kitchen. She then led the Wattesoon out into the humid, crickety twilight.

It was a Midwestern evening. The yard backed up onto the river bluff, a weathered limestone cliff
overgrown with sumac and grapevine. Susan strolled out past the scattered detritus of Frisbees and lawn
darts toward the quiet of the lower yard, where nature had started to encroach. There was an old swing
hung from a gnarled oak tree, and she sat down in it, making the ropes creak. In the shady quiet, she
swung idly to and fro, thinking of other evenings.

She had never realized how desperately she loved this place until she was forced to think of losing it.
Looking toward the dark bushes by the cliff, she saw the silent flare of fireflies. тАЬAre you able to find this
beautiful?тАЭ she said, not trying to hide the longing in her voice.

After a few moments of silence, she looked over to find the captain gazing into the dark, lost in thought.
тАЬI am sorry,тАЭ he said, recollecting himself. тАЬWhat did you ask?"

Instead of answering, she said, тАЬI think we each get imprinted on a certain kind of landscape when we're
young. We can enjoy other spots, but only one seems like we're made from it, down to our bones. This
is mine."

"Yes,тАЭ he said.

"Can you understand how it is for us, then? We talk a lot about our investments and our livelihoods, but
that's just to hide the pain. We love this place. We're bonded to it."

He didn't answer at once, so she stopped the swing to look at him.

"I understand,тАЭ he said.

"Do you?тАЭ she said hopefully.

"It changes nothing. I am sorry."

Disappointed, she stared at his lumpy face. Now that she was a little more accustomed to him, he did not
seem quite so rubbly and squat. He gave an impatient gesture. тАЬWhy are your people so fond of being
discontent? You relish resisting, protesting, always pushing against the inevitable. It is an immature