"James P. Hogan - Realtime Interrupt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hogan James P)

тАЬYou see, youтАЩre not as well as you imagine yet,тАЭ Arnold told him when Corrigan described the experience.
тАЬYour perceptions can still be disrupted by sudden changes of mood or intent. That is why it is important for you to
get into the habit of thinking smoothly. Avoid discontinuities. . . . But wanting to get out and about again, I can
understand. ItтАЩs perfectly natural.тАЭ
тАЬMaybe I could visit my old company?тАЭ Corrigan suggested. He could remember a little now about the
organization that he used to be with, and his work there. It had involved supercomputers and other advanced
hardware.
тАЬThat project was abandoned a long time ago now, Joe,тАЭ Arnold replied. тАЬAnd IтАЩm not sure that digging up those
ghosts would really be for the best. But I agree that we should begin broadening your experiences as a start to getting
you on the road back to a normal life.тАЭ
тАЬHow long have I been here?тАЭ Corrigan asked.
тАЬItтАЩs getting close to three years now,тАЭ Arnold said.
тАЬDonтАЩt I have any family? Why does nobody come and visit?тАЭ
тАЬThey did, in the early days. DonтАЩt you remember?тАЭ
тАЬNo.тАЭ
тАЬYou didnтАЩt respond well. It set off a regression that threw us back months.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm better now. CanтАЩt we try again?тАЭ
тАЬSure. But it would be best if not for a while just yet. All in good time, Joe. All in good time. . . .тАЭ

He remembered courts of cobblestones and lawns, closed in by tall buildings with frontages of old stone. An
archway led through to a busy street with green, double-decked buses. There was a pub by a river, filled with
talkative youths in heavy-knit sweaters and pretty girls who wore black stockings. They danced and sang to music in
the back room.

тАЬYou have to get rid of Simon,тАЭ Corrigan said. тАЬI canтАЩt get along with him. ItтАЩs not working.тАЭ
тАЬWhatтАЩs the problem?тАЭ Arnold asked.
тАЬThere isnтАЩt any communication. I feel like IтАЩm talking to a sponge.тАЭ
тАЬAre you sure the problem is with him and not you?тАЭ
тАЬI didnтАЩt say it was him.тАЭ
тАЬWhatтАЩs the biggest problem area?тАЭ
тАЬHe doesnтАЩt understand jokes.тАЭ
тАЬIs that so terrible?тАЭ
тАЬIt means he isnтАЩt human. To be effective, a counselor really ought to come from oneтАЩs own species.тАЭ
Arnold considered the statement. тАЬIтАЩm not so sure of your conclusion,тАЭ he replied finally. тАЬI believe there are
traits among certain animals that some researchers have tentatively identified as indicative of humor.тАЭ To CorriganтАЩs
amazement, Arnold showed every appearance of being perfectly serious.
тАЬThat was a joke,тАЭ Corrigan said wearily.

They gave him an apartment of his ownтАФstill under supervision, but at least it was a start toward regaining
independence.
тАЬI had a wife,тАЭ he said to Arnold one day.
тАЬThings werenтАЩt so good between you, though, were they?тАЭ That was true. Corrigan could recall more now of the
conflicts of those final monthsтАФboth professional and domestic.
тАЬWhat happened to her?тАЭ Corrigan asked.
тАЬShe got a divorce on the grounds of your incapacitation,тАЭ Arnold said. тАЬI think sheтАЩs abroad somewhere now.тАЭ
тАЬNow that IтАЩm out again, maybe we could track down some of the people I used to work with. There must be
some of them still around. Maybe I could even get some kind of a job there again.тАЭ
Arnold didnтАЩt seem overenthusiastic. тАЬMaybe, in time. But we feel that reviving those associations too soon could
trigger another relapse. LetтАЩs see how well you rehabilitate in the short term first.тАЭ