"Heinlein, Robert A - Waldo (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

Waldo by Robert Heinlein

The act was billed as ballet tap - which does not describe it.
His feet created an intricate tympany of crisp, clean taps.
There was a breath-catching silence as he leaped high
into the air, higher than a human being should - and
performed, while floating there, a fantastically improbable
entrechat douze.
He landed on his toes, apparently poised, yet producing
a fortissimo of thunderous taps.
The spotlights cut, the stage lights came up. The audience
stayed silent a long moment, then realized it was time to
applaud, and gave.
He stood facing them, letting the wave of their emotion
sweep through him. He felt as if he could lean against it;
it warmed him through to his bones.
It was wonderful to dance, glorious to be applauded, to be
liked, to be wanted.
When the curtain rang down for the last time he let his
dresser lead him away. He was always a little bit drunk at
the end of a performance; dancing was a joyous intoxication
even in rehearsal, but to have an audience lifting him,
carrying him along, applauding him - He never grew jaded
to it. It was always new and heartbreakingly wonderful.
'This way, chief. Give us a little smile.' The flash bulb flared.
'Thanks.'
'Thank'you. Have a drink.' He motioned towards one end of
his dressing room. They were all such nice fellows, such grand
guys - the reporters, the photographers - all of them.
'How about one standing up?' He started to comply, but his
dresser, busy with one slipper, warned him:
'You operate in half an hour.'
'Operate?' the news photographer said. 'What's it this time?'
'A left cerebrectomy,' he answered.
'Yeah? How about covering it?'
'Glad to have you - if the hospital doesn't mind.'
'We'll fix that.'
Such grand guys.
'-trying to get a little different angle on a feature article.'
It was a feminine voice, near his ear. He looked around hastily,
slightly confused. 'For example, what made you decide to take
up dancing as a career?'
'I'm sorry,' he apologized. 'I didn't hear you. I'm afraid it's
pretty noisy in here.'
'I said, why did you decide to take up dancing?'
'Well, now, I don't quite know how to answer that. I'm afraid
we would have to go back quite a way-'

James Stevens scowled at his assistant engineer. 'What have
you got to look happy about?' he demanded.