"John Kessel - Downtown" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kessel John)

First, food. We got some food. A CosmicBoy accosted us in front of the cheesetaurant. тАЬYouтАЩre outliers,
right? For a very reasonable price, I can provide an interstellar experience.тАЭ

тАЬHow much?тАЭ the Duck asked.

Before Cosmic could answer I put the bigger of my two handsтАФmy pushing handтАФon his chest. I
pushed. тАЬWe arenтАЩt interested, Chaz. My friend may look like a Duck, but he wasnтАЩt fledged
yesterday.тАЭ

Cosmic sauntered off. тАЬWhy did you chase him away?тАЭ the Duck asked.

My right brain informed me that I regretted saying the Duck could come. Thanks, right brain. тАЬLook,
Duck, LetтАЩs split up. IтАЩll meet you back here at daybreak and a half.тАЭ

His display feathers drooped, but he didnтАЩt protest.

So I had me a night and a day and a night. Various transactions were made, physical and psychological.
Fluids were transferred. Charges were discharged. Frankly, I donтАЩt remember most of it.

What I do remember is waking in an alley between a Tavern and a Frothel. The Duck was leaning over
me. He had lost most of his feathers; his downy cheeks made him look like a girl. Holy calamityтАФhe was
a girl.

тАЬDuck?тАЭ I said groggily.

тАЬThe one and only,тАЭ she replied. She levered herself under my arm and helped me to stand. My weekend
skin was ruined. My right brain whirled. тАЬCome on, Schmee,тАЭ she said. тАЬTime to slip home.тАЭ

тАЬI canтАЩt slip,тАЭ I croaked. тАЬIтАЩm completely discharged.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩll loan you.тАЭ

We limped through the street. Downtown was just as bright and attractive as it had been when we
arrived, in a completely meretricious sort of way. Meretricious. That was my left brain coming back.

We stood on the platform waiting for the slip. Ahead: another week in the reality mines. тАЬLife sucks,тАЭ I
muttered.

тАЬThis can be remedied,тАЭ the Duck said. To my utter and complete surprise, she kissed me sweetly on the
cheek.

She is really quite attractive, for a duck.




About the Author
John Kessel is director of Creative Writing at North Carolina State University. His novella тАЬAnother
OrphanтАЭ received the 1982 Nebula Award, and his short story тАЬBuffaloтАЭ won the 1991 Theodore