"Kim Stanley Robinson - Forty Signs of Rain" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robinson Kim Stanley)

тАЬHe is right now.тАЭ

Charlie could see the trees backing the White House, there on the other side of the Ellipse. He could
walk over there in ten minutes. Theoretically Joe would stay asleep a couple of hours. And certainly they
should seize the moment on this, because so far the President and his people had shown no interest
whatsoever in dealing on this issue.

тАЬListen,тАЭ Roy cajoled, тАЬIтАЩve had entire lunches with you where Joe is asleep on your back, and believe
me, no one can tell the difference. I mean you hold yourself upright like youтАЩve got the weight of the
world on your shoulders, but you did thatbefore you had Joe, so now he just fills up that space and
makes you look more normal, I swear to God. YouтАЩve voted with him on your back, youтАЩve shopped,
youтАЩveshowered, hey once you evenmade love with your wife while Joe was on your back, didnтАЩt you
tell me that?тАЭ

тАЬWhat!тАЭ

тАЬYou told me that, Charlie.тАЭ
тАЬI must have been drunk to tell you that, and it wasnтАЩt really sex anyway. I couldnтАЩt even move.тАЭ

Roy laughed his raucous laugh. тАЬSince when does that make it not sex? You had sex with Joe in a
backpack asleep on your back, so you sure as hell can talk to the PresidentтАЩs science advisor that way.
Doctor Strangelove isnтАЩt going to care.тАЭ

тАЬHeтАЩs a jerk.тАЭ

тАЬSo? TheyтАЩre all jerks over there but the President, and he is too but heтАЩs a nice guy. And heтАЩs thefamily
President, right? He would approve on principle, you can tell Strengloft that. You can say that if the
President were there he would love it. He would autograph JoeтАЩs head like a baseball.тАЭ

тАЬYeah right.тАЭ

тАЬCharlie, this is your bill!тАЭ

тАЬOkay okay okay!тАЭ It was true. тАЬIтАЩll go give it a try.тАЭ



So, by the time Charlie got Joe back on his back (the child was twice as heavy when asleep) and
walked across the Mall and the Ellipse, Roy had made the calls and they were expecting him at the west
entry to the White House. Joe was passed through security with a light-fingered shakedown that was
especially squeamish around his diaper. Then they were through, and quickly escorted into a conference
room.

The room was brightly lit, and empty. Charlie had never been in it before, though he had visited the
White House several times. Joe weighed on his shoulders.

Dr. Zacharius Strengloft, the PresidentтАЩs science advisor, entered the room. He and Charlie had sparred
by proxy several times before, Charlie whispering killer questions into PhilтАЩs ear while Strengloft testified
before PhilтАЩs committee, but the two of them had never spoken one-on-one. Now they shook hands,