"M. Rickert - Anyway" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rickert Mary)

"Don't we know each other?"

He glances at the nursing home, I think longingly, but that can't possibly be correct.
Nobody longs to go in there. He shakes his head.

"Are you sure? Anyway, I have a question. Let's say you could save the world by
sacrificing your son's life, would you do it?"

"I don't have a son. Or a daughter. I don't have any children."

"But hypothetically?"

"Is this, are you тАж" He thrusts his hands into his pockets. "Is this some kind of
religious thing? 'Cause I'm not looking to convert."

"Are you sure we don't know each other?"

"I've seen you before." He glances over his shoulder. For a moment I'm sure he's
going to say something important, but instead he turns away and hurries to the
nursing home.

I walk to the car with my box of stones. I have to decide. Robbie leaves in the
morning. It's time to stop fooling around.

This, I think, is like a Zen koan. What is the sound of one hand clapping? The secret
for these things is not to be too clever. The fact that I am aware of this puts me at
risk of being too clever. Okay, focus, I think as I carefully stop at a green light,
realize what I've done and accelerate as the light changes to yellow. It's really very
simple. Do I bury the stones? Or not? Glancing at the box, I lick my lips.

When I get home, Robbie is there with several of his friends. They are in his room,
laughing and cursing. I knock on his door and ask him if he'll be home for dinner. He
opens it and says, "Mom, are you all right?"

"I was just trying to get the stones out of her mouth."

He shakes his head. "What are you talking about?" His eyes are the same color as
the stones, without the red spots, of course. "You remember about the party,
right?"

"The party?"

"Remember? Len? He's having a party for me? Tonight?"

I remember none of this, but I nod. It's apparently the right thing to do. There's
some rustling going on behind him and a sharp bang against the wall, punctuated by
masculine giggles. Robbie turns around. "Guys, be quiet for a minute." He turns back
to me and smiles, bravely I think. "Hey, I don't have to go."

"It's your party. Go. I want you to."