"Ian R. MacLeod - Papa" - читать интересную книгу автора (Macleod Ian R)

I blink and swallow. I stop myself from blinking again. Doc FanianтАЩs in beach shorts and a bright,
ridiculous shirt; his usual attire for a consultation.
тАЬDid you know,тАЭ I say, тАЬthat theyтАЩve installed a big red neon sign just above the moon that says
Please Stop Drinking Alcohol?тАЭ
тАЬSo the cursor did work!тАЭ Doc Fanian looks pleased with himself. His boyish features crinkle. тАЬThen
I suppose you passed out?тАЭ
тАЬNot long after. I thought it was just the drink.тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs a safety circuit. Of course, the body has got one too, but itтАЩs less reliable at your age.тАЭ
тАЬI havenтАЩt even got a hangover.тАЭ
тАЬThe filters will have seen to that.тАЭ
Doc Fanian gazes around my bedroom. ThereтАЩs a photo of Hannah on the far wall. SheтАЩs hugging her
knees as she sits on a grassy bank with nothing but sky behind her; a time and place I canтАЩt even
remember. He peers at it, but says nothing. HeтАЩs probably had a good mooch around the whole house
by now, looking for signs, seeing how PapaтАЩs managing. Which is exactly why I normally make a point of
visiting him at the surgery. I never used to be afraid of doctors when I was fitter, younger. But I am now.
Now that I need themтАж
тАЬYour grandchildren called me in. They were worried. ItтАЩs understandable, although there was really
no cause. None at all.тАЭ ThereтАЩs a faint tone of irritation in Doc FanianтАЩs voice. HeтАЩs annoyed that anyone
should doubt his professional handiwork, or think that PapaтАЩs systems might have been so casually set up
that a few glasses of wine would cause any difficulty.
тАЬWell, thanks.тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs no problem.тАЭ He smiles. He starts humming again. He forgives easily. тАЬIf youтАЩd care to pop into
the surgery in the next week or two, thereтАЩs some new stuff IтАЩd like to show you. ItтАЩs a kind of
short-term memory enhancement. You knowтАФit helps if you forget things youтАЩve been doing recently.тАЭ
I say nothing, wondering what Doc Fanian has encountered around the house to make him come up
with this suggestion.
тАЬWhere are Saul and Agatha?тАЭ
тАЬJust next door. Packing.тАЭ
тАЬPacking?тАЭ
тАЬAnyway.тАЭ He smiles. тАЬI really must be going. IтАЩd like to stay for breakfast, butтАжтАЭ
тАЬMaybe some other universe, eh?тАЭ
He turns and gazes back at me for a moment. He understands more about me than I do myself, but
still he looks puzzled.
тАЬYes,тАЭ he nods. Half-smiling. Humoring an old man. тАЬTake care, you hear?тАЭ
He leaves the door open behind him. I can hear Saul and Agatha. Laughing, squabbling. Packing. I
shift myself up. The bedhelper trundles out and offers arms for me to grab. IтАЩm standing when Saul
comes into the room.
тАЬIтАЩm sorry about getting the doc out, Papa. We just thought, you knowтАжтАЭ
тАЬWhy are you packing? YouтАЩre not off already, are you?тАЭ
He smiles. тАЬRemember, Papa? WeтАЩre off to the Amazon. We told you on the beach yesterday.тАЭ
I nod.
тАЬBut itтАЩs been great, Papa. It really has.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm sorry about last night. I behaved like an idiot.тАЭ
тАЬYes.тАЭ He claps his hands on my bony shoulders and laughs outright. тАЬThat was quite something.тАЭ He
shakes his head in admiration. Papa, a party animal! тАЬYou really did cut loose, didnтАЩt you?тАЭ


Agatha fixes breakfast. The fridge is filled with all kinds of stuff IтАЩve never even heard of. TheyтАЩve
re-stocked it from somewhere, and now it looks like the horn of plenty. I sit watching my lovely
granddaughter as she moves around, humming.