"P. J. Plauger - Child of All Ages" - читать интересную книгу автора (Plauger P J)

тАЬThere are other pleasures,тАЭ he said eventually, тАЬfar deeper than the joys of childhood.тАЭ

тАЬYou mean sex? Yes, Tm sure thatтАЩs what youтАЩre referring to. Well, what makes you think a girl my age
is a virgin?тАЭ

He raised his arms in embarrassed protest, as if to ward such matters from his ears.

тАЬNo, wait a minute. You brought this up,тАЭ she persisted. тАЬLook at me. Am I unattractive? Good teeth, no
pock marks. No visible deformities. Why, a girl like me would make first-rate wife material in some
circles. Particularly where the average life expectancy is, say, under thirty-five yearsтАФas it has been
throughout much of history. Teen-age celibacy and late marriage are conceits that society has only
recently come to afford.тАЭ

She looked at him haughtily.

тАЬI have had my share of lovers, and you can bet I've enjoyed them as much as theyтАЩve enjoyed me. You
donтАЩt need glands for that sort of thing so much as sensitive nerve endingsтАФand a little understanding. Of
course, my boyfriends were all a little disappointed when I failed to ripen up, but it was fun while it lasted.

тАЬSure, it would be nice to live in a womanтАЩs body, to feel all those hormones making you do wild things.
But to me, sex isnтАЩt a drive, itтАЩs just another way of relating to people. I already recognize my need to be
around people, uncomplicated by any itches that need scratching. My life would be a lot simpler if I could
do without others, heaven knows. I certainly donтАЩt have to be forced by glandular pressure to go in
search of company. What else is there to life?тАЭ

What else, indeed? George, Sr. thought bitterly. One last try.

тАЬDo you know about May?тАЭ he asked.

тАЬThat she canтАЩt have children? Sure, that was pretty obvious from the start Do you think I can help her?
You do, yes. Well, I canтАЩt I know even less about that than I do about what killed Mortimer.тАЭ

Pause.

Tm sorry, Grandpa,тАЬ

Silence.

I really am.тАЬ

Silence.

Distantly, a car could be heard approaching the house. George, Jr. was coming home. The old man got
up from the stump, slowly and stiffly.

тАЬDinner will be ready soon.тАЭ He turned toward the house. тАЬDonтАЩt be late. You know your mother
doesnтАЩt like you to play in the woods.тАЭ