"Robert Reed - To Church With Mr. Multhiford" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Robert)

Then, "What did the son-of-a-bitch say?"

Dad's soft face turned disapproving. "Now, John," he began. "Didn't we agree
that in this house -- ?"

"What did Multhiford ask about me?"

"How you were doing in school and where you might go to college." Dad gave a
little sigh and shrug. "He suggested one of the Big Ten schools--"

"He doesn't know me," I complained.

"If he did know you," said Dad, "he'd know that you'll be lucky to reach the
community college in Lanksville." And with that he gave me his patented
disappointed glare, reminding me of last year's grades. "As for his interest ...
well, he's always had an eye for you."

"A what?"

"Don't you notice him watching?"

Me? Me? I didn't even want to think it.

"I know he comes to Sunday services now and again. He sits in the back and
watches --"

"Not me! Not me!"

Grinning now, he said, "You have noticed, haven't you?"

Maybe, and maybe that's why I kept my distance from the madman. "Has he asked
about me before?"

"Never," said Dad, without doubt.

I couldn't make sense of it. I didn't want to make sense of it. "Well, he's
nuts. That's what that means."

Dad lifted his gaze, looking off into the distance. Then, with a certain care,
he said, "I don't believe so. I know unbalanced people -- I've tried to console
them, without much luck -- and I don't think Clarence resembles them very much."

I growled, thinking of those bright insane eyes staring at me. "Do sane men make
circles in the middle of fields?"

"Does Mr. Multhiford do that?"
Of course he did. Everyone knew it.

"I believe in fungi," said Dad. "It attacks the stem, causing the plant to
flatten." He spoke calmly, with all the authority of a gardener whose tomato