"Walter M. Miller - The Best of Walter M. Miller" - читать интересную книгу автора (Miller Walter M)

"Where's the photographer? "
The producer reddened and muttered noncommittally. I went to the door and looked out through the
screen. There was another man in their car. When I pushed the screen open, it hit something hardтАФa
tape recorder. I turned:
Get out."
"


But Mr. Westmore...."
"


Get out."
"


They left quickly. Kenny was furious, and he kept on being furious all through the following day. At
me. Cleo began agreeing with him to some extent, and I felt like a heel.
You want Kenny to get the full treatment?" I grumbled. "You want him to wind up a sob-story child?"
"


Certainly not, but it was cruel, Rod. The boy never had a happier moment until you . . ."
"


"All right, so I'm a bastard. I'm sorry."
That night Abe Sanders (Captain Chronos) came hack alone, in slacks and a sport shirt, and
muttering apologies. It developed that the Wednesday evening shows always had a children's panel
(Junior Guardsmen) program, and that while they understood that Kenny couldn't come, they had wanted
to have him with the panel, in absentia, by telephone.
"Please, Dad, can't I?"
The answer had to be no . . . but Kenny had been glaring at me furiously all day, and it was a way to
make him stop hating me . . . still, the answer had to be no ... the publicity . . . but he'd be delighted, and
he could stop hating my guts for kicking them out.
I guess so, if the offer's still open."
"


"Dad!"
The offer was still open. Kenny was to be on the show. They rehearsed him a little, and let him
practice with the tape recorder until he got used to his voice.
On Wednesday evening, Kenny sat in the hall doorway to the living room, telephone in his lap, and
stared across at Sanders' face on the television screen. Sanders held another phone, and we beard both
their voices from the set. Occasionally the camera dollied in to a close shot of Sanders' chuckle, or
panned along the table to show the juvenile panel members, kids between eight and sixteen. There was
an empty chair on Sanders' right, and it bore a placard. The placard said "KENNY WESTMORE."
It lasted maybe a minute. Sanders promised not to mention Kenny's address, nor to mention the
nature of his illness. He did neither, but the tone of conversation made it clear that Kenny was in bad