"David Marusek - Getting to Know You" - читать интересную книгу автора (Marusek David)

тАЬNaaaancy,тАЭ cried the voice, its gender uncertain. тАЬNancy, I need
you.тАЭ

тАЬExcuse me,тАЭ Nancy said.

тАЬIтАЩll go with you,тАЭ Zoranna said and hopped off the stool.

The bedroom was half the size of the living room and contained half
the number of holo beds, plus a real one against the far wall. Zoranna sat
on it. There was a dresser, a recessed closet, a bedside night table.
Expensive-looking menтАЩs clothing hung in the closet. A pair of menтАЩs
slippers was parked under the dresser. And a holo of a soccer match was
playing on the night table. Tiny players in brightly col-ored jerseys swarmed
over a field the size of a doily. The sound was off.

Zoranna watched Nancy sit on her walker seat beneath a bloat-faced
woman bedded upside down on the ceiling. тАЬWhat exactly are you doing
with these people?тАЭ

тАЬI listen mostly.тАЭ Nancy replied. тАЬIтАЩm a volunteer hos-pice attendant.тАЭ
 тАЬA volunteer? What about theтАФтАЭ she tried to recall NancyтАЩs most
recent paying occupation, тАЬтАФthe hairdressing?тАЭ

тАЬI havenтАЩt done that for years,тАЭ Nancy said dryly. тАЬAs you may have
noticed, itтАЩs difficult for me to be on my feet all day.тАЭ

тАЬYes, in fact, I did notice,тАЭ said Zoranna. тАЬWhy is that? IтАЩve sent you
money.тАЭ

Nancy ignored her, looked up at the woman, and said, тАЬIтАЩm here, Mrs.
Hurley. What seems to be the problem?тАЭ

Zoranna examined the holos. As in the living room, each bed was a
separate projection, and in the corner of each frame was a network squib
and trickle meter. All of this interactive time was costing someone a pretty
penny.

The woman saw Nancy and said, тАЬOh, Nancy, thank you for coming.
My bed is wet, but they wonтАЩt change it until I sign a permission form, and I
donтАЩt understand.тАЭ

тАЬDo you have the form there with you, dear?тАЭ said Nancy. тАЬGood, hold
it up.тАЭ Mrs. Hurley held up a slate in trembling hands. тАЬHouseputer,тАЭ Nancy
said, тАЬcapture and display that form.тАЭ The document was projected against
the bedroom wall greatly oversized. тАЬThatтАЩs a per-mission form for
attendant-assisted suicide, Mrs. Hurley. You donтАЩt have to sign it unless you
want to.тАЭ

The woman seemed frightened. тАЬDo I want to, Nancy?тАЭ