"Mike Resnick - Marcia" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

тАЬWho is this?тАЭ she says.

тАЬMarcia, I don't like the way things have been going between us,тАЭ I say. тАЬYou've got to stop.тАЭ

тАЬIs this some kind of joke?тАЭ she asks, but I am looking at her through the scope and I know she doesn't
think it's funny.

тАЬIf we're going to remain lovers,тАЭ I say, тАЬif you're going to open your ripe juicy body to me, then we've
got to come to an understanding.тАЭ

тАЬMarlene, is this you?тАЭ she snaps. тАЬI don't think much of your sense of humor, Marlene!тАЭ

тАЬWho's Marlene?тАЭ I demand. тАЬAre you seeing someone named Marlene?тАЭ

тАЬWhois this?тАЭ she yells.

тАЬYou keep away from Marlene,тАЭ I warn her. тАЬI don't want to hear about her again.тАЭ Then I realize that I
am getting away from the point and that I am yelling too, so I take a deep breath and lower my voice and
say, very casually and conversationally, тАЬIf you say one word to the blond guy, just one word, I'll kill
him.тАЭ

She hangs up the phone and starts pacing around her apartment.

She looks worried.

I smile. I have made my point. Things will improve between us now.
****

Monday, June 13

Marcia wears a bra today, and very unrevealing pants. She scrutinizes everyone at the bus stop,
scanning each face ever so carefully, but I am too smart for her and I stay in my room, watching her from
the window. I don't wait for her at the cigar stand either. When she walks into the bookstore I nod to her
and smile pleasantly and she looks right through me. She browses for a few minutes but doesn't buy
anything, and I can tell she is still thinking about our little chat.

Good. Even though it was our very first conversation and we haven't even been properly introduced, I
am glad to see that she is a serious girl and considers what I have said very carefully.

I think this is the beginning of a very long and beautiful and trusting relationship.
****

Tuesday, June 14

I leave work early and race home to watch Marcia's face when she opens the package. I wait an hour
for her, but finally she arrived, and puts the package down next to her mail on the kitchen table and looks
at it like it might be a bomb. Finally she opens it and pulls out the black bra with the little holes cut out so
that her nipples can peek through, and the black lace panties with the crotch removed, and then she sees
the message: I ACHE FOR YOUR HOT LITTLE BODY. (I have given up on Tempo Bold and
switched to 96-point Erber, which is much more impressive and really gets my message across.)